This week I got the opportunity to sit down with one of Target’s most celebrated employees. He’s outgoing, good looking, dynamic, and goes to school at our very own University of Notre Dame. Working everywhere from the market to the cash register, he’s like Alex from Target only better. He’s Paul from Target!
Name: Paul Niehaus, 1st year Target team member
Hometown: Fort Meyers, FL
Dorm: Carroll Hall, “the best guy’s dorm on campus”
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Starbucks drink of choice: “No Starbucks.”
(Note: Knowing that he was in the presence of a Starbucks enthusiast, Paul did, in fact, purchase himself a pre-bottled Vanilla Frappuccino at our meeting. “I did it for you. And because it was quick and easy.” He’s so selfless ladies!)
Team Blair or Team Serena: Serena
Favorite thing about Notre Dame: “The people. The personalities. I found a really good group of friends.”
Family. Family plays an important role in Paul’s life. He is the fifth child out of seven, and has two older brothers. His brother Brett, a consultant for a compliance company, is his role model and Confirmation sponsor.
Reminiscing on the past, Paul’s favorite childhood memory is the time he and his siblings and friends built a bridge across a river that Paul successfully crossed, making it to the other side just as the bridge collapsed. To Paul’s dismay, his mom wouldn’t let him cross back over. He was forced to walk on the opposite side of the river for 3-4 miles to the nearest bridge as his family and friends laughed and made fun of him.
Looking to the future, this family oriented guy has already planned out his children’s names: Mathius Aragorn (for all you Lord of the Rings fans out there), Andrew Bryan, Carter, Felicity, and Bernadette.
Whistling. I was granted the privilege of having Paul whistle for me at our meeting, which earned us a few looks from other students in La Fun. His whistling ability ranges from exquisite cricket noises to Harry Potter to The Hunger Games. Once at a conference in D.C., Paul began the Mockingjay whistle. It traveled around the room to the point where the keynote speaker stopped and held up three fingers in an “I volunteer as tribute” gesture, before continuing. (One could say Paul is a naturally born leader).
Favorite color: Faded navy blue
Favorite book: Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
Favorite song: “Swallowed in the Sea” by Coldplay
“I used to listen to it every night before bed.”
Speaking of music…
Taylor Swift. Paul is an avid Taylor fan. Currently, he has 81 of her songs on his ipod and her new album, 1989, on his phone. According to the Buzzfeed quiz, “Which Era of Taylor Swift are You?” Paul is “Country Swift.”
Paul’s reaction: “I sensed it.”
Paul prides himself on being the 301st person to view the Blank Space music video on Youtube out of the current 500,188,037 views. Between that and witnessing his singing/dancing performance to Taylor’s Shake It Off the first time we met I, for one, am thoroughly impressed!
What are you passionate about? “My faith. Making a change. Creating things. Leaving my mark on society. I want to be able to point to something and say ‘That was me. I helped by doing that.’ That’s why I want to be an engineer. I’m passionate about giving back. I’m passionate about being myself and not caring what other people think, which always turns out well for me but not always for other people when they have to deal with me acting obnoxious.”
What’s your ideal date? “Oof.” *Raises eyebrows. Thoughtfully taps fingers on the table. Looks off into the distance.* “It would probably be going on a hike up a mountain somewhere on a cool fall day. There’d be a river or a lake, imagine that. Then walking to an ice cream shop, getting ice cream, hanging out. Then driving back to wherever she wants to go. Maybe a movie. Seeing a movie. Then going on a walk and talking.”
So what is this outgoing, single guy doing this Valentine’s Day, you might ask? He and his roommates are buying each other heart shaped pizzas. Now that’s some real roomie love.
Daaaaaaww.
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