- Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:52:43 pm
#15031
Hello All, and Good Evening,
I think to best understand my game it's important to look at how I started it. I got my email a day late, so I started my game on Day 2. By this time I'd already been labeled an easy first out, and Shane, Zach, & Moana had already formed an alliance that would bring them all to the Final 7. I was playing catch-up from the start.
Now, my two lies in this game: Firstly, I didn't major in English, I majored in Psychology, with a focus on social influence. I minored in English and Sociology. I knew this would make me seem like a threat so I opted for the least threatening of my knowledge areas.
Secondly, I told people this was my first time playing an ORG. I've played two Survivor ORGs twice before and scored 10th and 4th place. I wanted to come off as someone who needed help in this game and mentoring, so I played the role of the novice trying to understand what was going on in order to make myself less of a threat. Everything else about my personal life is true.
From my past experience, I knew that in order to win this game I knew I needed to build genuine relationships with people who were willing to play the game, but also people that would overshadow me in the beginning, so they'd take all the heat. From the get-go I noticed Pia was playing hard and would be willing to make moves, so I aligned with her, adding Jacqui and Peter to the group soon after. I also aligned with Mo right before the first tribe swap, seeing her as a bigger personality in this game. After the first tribe swap, I was quick to work with Brooke, another big personality in this game. By working with these bigger personalities I could get who I wanted out without taking much heat for it. Later in the game, I had to give myself more of a presence at tribals in order to show that I was indeed a player in this game and not some pawn.
The Pia vote was my first big move. I pretended to be hesitant to vote her off, giving weak arguments for the alternatives to strengthen Brooke's resolve to get her out. My former alliance with Pia led her to reveal exactly how everyone in her tribe was voting, and that she thought Shonee and Conner had an idol between them. Unsure of who, I convinced them both that they were in trouble in the hopes that one would use an idol on themselves or the other, unaware that they both had idols and both played it on themselves.
Throughout this game I've been able to make moves like this discreetly. Every vote (aside from Phoebe & Mo's votes) has gone my way, which is incredible when you consider that I've received votes at the majority of the early tribals. My name's come up more than my Rohan's. In this game I've had to be scrappy, resourceful, and flexible. I've worked with people who have wanted me out such as Monika, Shane, and Jacqui. In fact, aside from Monika, I've had direct alliances with everyone on the jury at one point or another. I couldn't always just move forward with the same people I had always been working with if it wouldn't benefit my game. I've voted out more alliance members than anyone in this game, because at the end of the day I had the most alliances and I was always willing to do what it took to make it to the next vote.
You should vote for me tonight because I've played the hardest of the two of us. I've made moves throughout this game consistently, I've won the most challenges, and I've managed relationships and alliances so that I could move forward with the best odds.
Thank You All for a great season.
