Anthony Po, or who you might recognize as @Anthpo online, gained a following online after creating hilarious skits on YouTube and other videos on his TikTok. Not only does he do skits, but he also creates videos that follow a vlog-like formula with titles like “I made my friends take the SATs but worse.” At Vidcon, he discusses his opinions on private versus public universities, what content creating is like as a college student and where he thinks he will go from here.
@anthpo Real
Q): How is Rutgers?
A) It’s great, it’s a really big school, pretty lively honestly, all things considered. Obviously, I was virtual for a year, year and a half, but finally, things are back to the new normal I guess. Mostly all colleges are.
Q): What’s beneficial about being in college to you now?
A)I recommend college to most people, the main deterrent is money, right? Not everyone’s as fortunate. I’m fortunate enough to be able to support myself through my YouTube channel. I do not recommend going to private universities, quite frankly, the only reason you do that is for nepotism’s sake. I think university is a place to discover yourself. Meet new people and learn how to manage time. But you know, if you’re going to private school, you might not necessarily get that. But I think everyone can use University. Regardless of who you are.
Q) What’s beneficial about being in college to you now?
A) I recommend college to most people, the main deterrent is money, right? Not everyone’s as fortunate. I’m fortunate enough to be able to support myself through my YouTube channel. I do not recommend going to private universities, quite frankly, the only reason you do that is for nepotism’s sake. I think university is a place to discover yourself. Meet new people and learn how to manage time. But you know, if you’re going to private school, you might not necessarily get that. But I think everyone can use University. Regardless of who you are.
Q) Is there a reason you say no to like private school? How do you see a private versus a public system?
A) I mean, it depends obviously, if you get into a really nice private school, you know, weigh your options, but I feel like, and again, it depends on the person. But for most people, you know, a big public school is very real life. And you know, you might not need that from the university you might need, you know, the best education you can get, in which case, private school probably is that. But nowadays, you can get an education at your fingertips from like, your phone, potentially. So that’s the way I look at it. But obviously, like every case is different. You know, a lot of private schools are very expensive. So that’s my main qualm against them, I guess. But again, it depends on the person. So, weigh your options and stuff.
Q) Do you consider it difficult to juggle college and everything else you’re doing?
A)Specifically, like this point in time, like 2022. It’s no harder than it’s been in like years previous, quite frankly, I’d say it’s actually easier because a lot of courses are offered hybrid and online and stuff. And it’s always gonna be a balancing act. You know, if you anybody just had to pick up an entrepreneurial endeavor, to any capacity, you know, you’re going to have to juggle like relationships and like, education, whatever. Some students even seek assistance for tasks like asking someone ‘can you write my annotated bibliography for me?‘ to ease the workload. So yeah, there’s nothing hard about 2022. If anything, it’s been made a little easier because of hybrid classes and stuff.
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Q) Are there any hybrid classes you’d like right now?
A) Honestly, I haven’t gone to a whole lot of my classes. I’m almost graduated, I have two more classes to take. So I’m going to be a senior. In terms of classes, I’ve gotten things out of not a lot. I took a really good business ethics class. I think ethics is a good thing everyone can take. Also, a really great class on like, innovation and entrepreneurship taught me a really good skill, I guess, exercise rather, that is a, like a brain workout. It’s so cringy it’s like, it’s like some like, like, it was like those entrepreneurs on like, Instagram, but yeah, it’s cool. It’s like, you sit down, and you have to write 100 ideas. You can’t get up until you write 100 ideas. Yeah, it’s a workout. And like, they can be stupid. Like, they’re always like, I’m never like trying to come up with, you know, the next like, vague thing. But it’s like, come with like fun ideas, like ways to surprise my friends, like, you know, things to do for people. That is probably the best thing I’ve gotten out of college. It’s one of like, three useful things. But in class, of course.
Q) What is next? For you as a person?
A) Yeah, I think creating things is super, super fulfilling. And I think no matter who you are, I have that itch. So like, I’m, you know, I’m not sure what I’m gonna be doing when I graduate, but it’s coming up. But in terms of what’s after, I’m probably not going to completely disappear. Maybe for a little bit, I’ll completely disappear. Everything’s up in the air. I want to be a little bit mysterious about it. But I’m always going to be creating things whether it’s like on a team or something you don’t even know that it’s my type of thing. I feel like most creators operate under that like if the Creator disappears are probably working on something.
Q) Any advice you can give to the young generation about the business?
A) I think a lot of people are talking about blueprints, right? Like, Mr. Beast is an example. A lot of people are building their careers off the back of like, how he’s done things. I think the reason why Mr. Beast has been so successful is that he hasn’t done things traditionally, right? Like when, when Jimmy hopped on the scene, he was counting to 100,000. And like saying, Jake Paul’s name a million times. I think, don’t be afraid to be yourself. You don’t need the best equipment. You don’t need, you know, the most beautiful website. I think being a unique person, in which every one is unique in their own way, will take you a lot further than trying to fit a blueprint. You know, I’m in business school. So they tell you as they tell you, you know, you need to, like wear like a very specific suit with like a very specific tie. If you’re going into Wall Street, probably. But if you’re working in anything adjacent to the entertainment industry, I think having a little bit of spice in who you are, and even how you dress and how you conduct yourself, it’s probably better
Q) What is your spice? (your uniqueness)
A) Well, I like to dress a little bit quirky. Can’t tell that in an audio interview. But also I, on the internet, I’m like a very like rambunctious like crazy. Like, I think in reality, like I’m, you know, I’ve never taken myself too seriously necessarily. You know, I’ll treat a person who I don’t know, like, no followers, no industry, whatever. The same way I treat someone like Mr. Beast, right? Yeah, you know, you read articles and like, watch interviews and people like, oh, you know, you have to avoid these people. And this is how you take a picture of the fan-like, yep, you know, like it’s, it’s not that deep. It’s really not that deep. Never is.
