Karolis Kalvaitis of AthletIQs and I have been acquaintances for many years, and throughout this time, we have experienced various situations together. With the assistance of AthletIQs, I embarked on a journey to attend the 10th grade at an excellent high school in America. However, after spending just half a year there, I returned home. Karolis, acting as an older brother figure, urged me not to rush, to remain patient, and to view the situation from a long-term perspective. At that time, it seemed like I knew and understood better. Like many young people, I used to blame others for all the challenges in life, but not myself.
Nearly three years after this situation, my perspective on the prospects of education and sports in America changed, and I began reconsidering attending university in the USA and playing in the NCAA league. Receiving a full scholarship offer directly from Europe without studying or playing in the States is not simple. I went for a long time without any offers. Hearing through friends that I was eager to try again, Karolis reached out to me himself and offered to help without any compensation. It was very unexpected, especially after the first time when I chose not to heed Karolis’s advice.
After a few months, I received several offers from Division I universities. This entire situation showed me that Karolis is an honest and straightforward person. He always approaches situations realistically, although I didn’t fully appreciate it when I was younger. Now, Karolis and I are good friends, and we often laugh about the mistakes of my youth, which I could have avoided if only I had taken into account the experience of my older friend.