Amazing Race Application:Late last fall, the phone rang twice for Jenna Sykes.For the first time, the news was not good: the sick family member died.A few hours later came word that telecommunication arts major, a senior, made the cut for “The Amazing Race”. She was cast in the upcoming 1917 season.
“It was a bitter, she said the experience.
It was also the end of the first part of the emotional rollercoaster that covers all parts of its participation in the show, including applications, experienced and production phases.
Indecision, anxiety, fatigue and stress is repeated constantly.
“There were so many things going on in my head,” said Sykes. “What if I do that?” What if they do not choose me? ”
And it all started with a tweet.
In September last year, the birth mother Sykes, Andy DeKroon, said on Twitter, where she is mentioned in the interests of competing on the show -
which are then stimulated DeKroon to ask her to do it.
Sykes response was almost automatic.
“At that moment I knew I had to do it,” she said. “From the moment she asked me, it was one of those” Oh my God, my life has just changed “moments.”
Sykes continues to spend time weighing the pros and cons of their choice before it.
“It was a very difficult decision to make,” she said. “But at the same time, it was really that simple …. This is one of those things where you get presents opportunities and he can go in one direction or another. ”
Also important was an internship that she would refuse, if she chose to compete, as well as the fact that she will not let anyone on it is in competition during the summer.
“This was not an easy decision,” said Sykes. “It was a game.”
In the end, what helped to make it to mind was not something she could easily put into words.
“I’ve never felt so sure that something in my life,” she said.
From there began an almost semester-long period of preparation and with the participation of documents, video-making and power conditioning.
“We’ve done everything you can imagine,” Sykes said, adding that she was trying to watch as many of the previous season of the show as she could.
Notes were made on what to pack and how those who had earlier on “The Amazing Race” did so.
But never all the same Sykes and DeKroon meet.
Pair is still in touch with letters, as it was for two years, but the lack of time face to face made strategy difficult.
“It took us a long time to get some kind of strategy together,” said Sykes. “We needed more time than other teams.”
They discover a few things: DeKroon, for example, is a strong swimmer, Sykes is more comfortable with animals.
When the cameras started rolling, there was more to learn.
“From the start line, they said:” Go “, and we still had a lot to figure out,” said Sykes.
Oddly, “The Amazing Race” was the ideal place for the two of them to connect and was, in fact, one reason for Sykes decided to participate.
Time spent under pressure from her birth mother was also the time spent with each of them was, according to Sykes, more open.
“We wanted to do this is to know each other better on a real level,” she said.
Their dynamic has always been easy, however, a relationship that is much more friendly than the parent.
“With me and Andy, there’s never been awkward moment,” she said.
Prepared or not, when filming began, Sykes was still a surprise.
“You think, on” The Amazing Race “, it is so hard and that’s all I think,” she said. “It’s so much harder than anyone can imagine.”
During production on the first episode alone, its obstacles ranged from going 48 hours without sleep, buying food on a tight budget, processing of physical activity and management of anxiety that comes with knowing that you are my 1-in-11 shot at $ 1 million . dollars.
“All these things made the experience so, so much harder than I expected,” said Sykes.
What payoff?
Season premiere on Sunday, leaving the status of Sykes and DeKroon as winners is unknown.
But the cash only part of it.
“I met people that I’m just so happy that I met,” said Sykes. “I made some really great contacts.”
Opportunity to spend time around and observe what is happening on the operators and other experts have proved professionally satisfying.
“This is one of the reasons why I wanted to make the race because it fits so well with my core,” she said.
Nevertheless, confident in his career after graduating from high school, Sykes believes some of her experiences during the filming may be useful.
“I hope it will pay off in the long run,” she said.
Regardless of what happens in the future, however, the effect of “The Amazing Race” was already quite clear.
“The race was a great experience for me,” said Sykes, “and the hands-down can be tough, that I have ever done.
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