A student from the University of Wisconsin is paying his way through college by being competitive, like most other students. But, unlike the rest of them, he is doing this by eating.

Nicknamed "Silo," Eric Dahl is taking computer engineering at the University of Wisconsin, and is eating his way past the tuition. He currently holds the third in all the world's competitive eating rankings, although he had once been the first. He has earned up to $18,000 dollars just by eating competitively, and says that this is the one way that helps put him through school.

Dahl first entered the world of competitive eating back in 2011, at a Madison Steakhouse. Dahl said he had not wanted to pay for his meal, so he took up a running challenge wherein participants must finish a three pound cheesesteak sandwich under ten minutes. Dahl finished his in five minutes, and 50 seconds, and walked away without paying the bill.

His first paycheck consisted of $250 dollars, after finishing nine pulled pork sandwiches in six minutes. A former high school athlete, Dahl says the competition and hyperactive atmosphere almost felt like professional wrestling, which he is a fan of.

Dahl, who stands at 6 feet and three inches, maintains a strict exercise and dietary regimen in order to maintain his health. He lifts weights twice in a week and plays hockey and soccer to maintain his current weight of 220 pounds. He eats up to 3,100 calories a day but no more, his diet consisting mostly of vegetables so as to not expand his waistline, and stretches his stomach in preparation for competitions by eating ten pounds of broccoli or cabbage in one sitting, all downed by several glasses of water.

Dahl is set to compete this Saturday at a pizza eating contest, in hope to win $1000 dollars.