Contestant Blogs
This Week's Contestant
Lauryn P.
| Theme: | Wheel Around The World |
|---|---|
| Hometown: | Englewood, TN |
| Week of: | 01-23-2012 |
POSTED 1-23
I've been a fan of Wheel of Fortune since I was a child. I remember screaming answers at the television as I watched it with my family at night. My journey to the show began in the Fall of 2010. My husband and I are both full time nursing students, so we spend most of our evenings studying for exams. I was watching the show one night while studying, and I thought to myself, "I could do that." I decided to fill out the online application to try and be a contestant.
Jump ahead to June 2011. I was sitting at my mother-in-law's house when my phone signaled that I had a new e-mail. When I opened it, I saw it was from Wheel of Fortune inviting me to a live audition in Chattanooga, TN. At first I thought it was some sort of joke because I had forgotten about my application. Once I realized it was a real audition, I was beyond excited. I started practicing solving puzzles in all of my spare time to prepare for the audition that was to take place in two weeks.
The day of my audition I wasn't nervous at all. I honestly didn't think there was any chance I would get on the show, so I decided just to do my best and have some fun. We had to play mock rounds of the game and take a 5 minute test. The contestant coordinators encouraged us to be loud and energetic so that is what I did. Once it was over, they told us that we would receive a letter in two weeks if we made it onto the show.
Two weeks later, I checked my mailbox, and there was no letter. I figured I didn't make it, and at least I would have a good story to tell. The next day I opened my mailbox to find my letter. I started screaming and dancing in the street outside my house! I couldn't believe I had actually made it onto the show! The letter said I had an 18 month window when they could call at any time so I started practicing.
Jump ahead to December 2011. I was sitting in the car with my husband and my dad. We had been car shopping because my car was totaled in a wreck right before Thanksgiving. I remember telling my dad right after the wreck, "If Wheel of Fortune was ever going to call me, now would be a good time." So here we were two weeks later sitting in the car when my phone rang. Wheel of Fortune was asking me to be out there in two weeks to film my episode! I couldn't believe it! We went straight back to my parent's house and booked our flight, hotel, and rented a car so we could sightsee while we were in LA.
Two weeks later our bags were packed, and my husband, my parents, and I were ready to fly from Tennessee to California for my taping which would take place the next day. Unfortunately, when we got to the airport there was a problem. Our flight had been cancelled. After I got over the initial shock, my dad and I flew into action. We ran to the ticket counter and tried to find an alternate flight. After several stressful minutes of waiting, the lady told us that she had found four seats, but we would have to split up. Two of us had to fly to take a flight to Detroit that would connect to LAX and the other two would have to fly to Atlanta and connect to LAX. She told us that we were lucky we came when we did because these were the only seats she had left. We booked the flights and waited another four hours to get on the plane.
Watch me play Wheel of Fortune on January 27th to see if it was worth the wait!