A few weeks ago, my lifelong dream came true: I got to compete as a contestant on the 40th season of Wheel of Fortune.

Growing up an avid “Wheel Watcher,” I have always made comments about how I should be on the show. Well, going into Christmas break last semester, I made a list of a few things that I wanted to get done during my few weeks of break— topping the list was auditioning to be a contestant on my favorite game show.

From a very early age, I began looking forward to turning on the TV at 6:30 p.m. to watch Wheel of Fortune. I used to watch it at my grandmother's house, as she never misses an episode. The older I got, the more invested I became in the show. Being a college student, it is common for students to stay out late, but I would consider myself an “old soul” as I would rather stay in, wind down, make dinner, and watch Wheel of Fortune! Although I am in school to obtain a degree in Business Marketing, since I was a little girl, I have claimed that when I grew up, I was going to be Vanna White: she has been my role model for as long as I can remember.

Auditions look a little different since the Covid pandemic. They now accept virtual applications, so in order to apply, I had to submit a short video as well as an application answering questions about myself and why I believe that I would make a great contestant. After submitting my video, it was only a few days later that I got the email to schedule my second-round interview. Thankfully, this short interview went well, and I was called back to complete my third and final interview. The final group interview lasted almost two hours; we had a one-on-one interview and played puzzle-solving games.

Two days later, I got the most exciting email that I had ever received: I was chosen to come to play as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune! It was an extremely quick turnaround. I received the good news on a Friday morning, and I was set to film my episode the following Friday in Los Angeles, California. After a busy day of planning, booking flights and hotels, and rearranging my schedule, I was ready to head to LAX.

The week leading up to my show was filled with nerves, and I spent all of my free time watching old episodes and playing the Wheel of Fortune app, trying to practice solving as many puzzles as I could in order to best prepare.

On the day of filming, we had to arrive on set around 6:30 a.m. The morning was spent going over rules, signing documents, getting hair and makeup done, and eating breakfast. All the staff was extremely kind and helpful! We got to practice spinning the wheel, which is heavier than it appears on TV. After everyone had a turn to practice spinning, we each filmed a promotional commercial for our local TV channel that would air before the episode.

Shortly after, I found out that I had been selected to play in the first game of the day, which would be the Monday night episode. We got our microphones on and headed to the set.

When it was show time, we took our places around the wheel and cheered as Pat and Vanna entered the stage. Yes, she is as beautiful in real life as she is on TV! We grabbed our devices to click in for the toss-up puzzles, and the game began— I was so nervous! The game in its entirety takes about twenty minutes. Honestly, it is a blur— your nerves are racing, you are trying to stay focused while spinning the wheel, buying vowels, and keeping up with the letterboard. It truly is a whirlwind!

All in all, it was an amazing experience, and it is a memory that I will forever cherish. I am so grateful that I had the chance to be a contestant on my favorite game show!

Be Well, Auburn.