“It was easily the best day of my life.”  That’s how 卡洛琳菲斯克 ’20, a communication major from Fairfield, 康涅狄格, describes her experience on Wheel of 为tune during its “College Week Spring Break.”  A lifelong fan of the long-running game show, Fiske was one of 18 college students nationwide to fly to Los Angeles and tape an appearance.  Her show aired on April 12, and her dream come true didn’t disappoint: she walked away with $10,400美元现金和奖品, including a trip to the Bahamas.

成长的过程中, Fiske and her family watched Wheel of 为tune “religiously,” so when they saw a promotional ad announcing tryouts, her mom encouraged her to audition.  作为一个孩子, she would play Hangman on restaurant menus so, 在某种意义上, Fiske has been preparing for this moment her entire life.  The first step to getting on the show is to submit a video audition explaining who you are and why you would make a good contestant.  Next comes an in-person audition, in this case in a hotel in 纽约 City.  Would-be contestants compete to solve puzzles and are eliminated on the spot, so the stakes are high.  第一轮结束后, about half of the group, 包括菲斯克, advanced to a “fire round” in which contestants spin the wheel and call out letters. 

When Fiske received the letter informing her that she had been chosen to appear on Wheel of 为tune, 我大声尖叫, my neighbors thought there was a murder being committed!”  With Marist sweatshirt in hand, she flew to Los Angeles to tape the show.  一路走来, she continued practicing her puzzle-solving abilities and watching Wheel episodes to observe the performances of both successful and unsuccessful contestants.  一次在加州, Fiske was joined by 17 fellow college students from schools around the country, including Providence College, 爱默生学院, the University of Delaware, 德雷塞尔大学, and the University of Alabama.

The day of taping is always an extremely busy one.  Contestants are in the studio from 7 a.m. 到晚上7点.m., and no cellular phones are allowed.  他们填写文件, get their hair and makeup done, practice spinning the wheel, receive tips from the contestant coaches, 参观工作室, and meet hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White.  Recalls Fiske, “Pat and Vanna were so friendly and down-to-earth.  I remember that Pat noticed that I was nervous and pulled me aside for some advice: ‘Don’t let a little mistake get in the way.  Just keep playing and enjoy the game.这让我放心了.  也, I was amazed to find out that Wheel of 为tune is taped in the same studio where they filmed the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.  I thought that was incredible.” 

With her mother cheering her on from the studio audience, Fiske competed successfully against the other contestants, bouncing back from an initial stumble to win $4,000 in cash by solving word puzzles such as “Vegetable Spring Rolls,“鸭子和鹅。,” and “Overlooking the Ocean.”  Solving that last puzzle earned her the trip to the Bahamas.  Looking back at her experience on TV, she recalls, “It all felt so surreal.  The members of the studio audience actually wanted photos with me!” 

Having returned to her life as a Marist student, Fiske does have some special mementos and memories to remind her of “the quickest 20 minutes of her life.”  She got to keep her contestant nametag, had her photo taken with Pat and Vanna, and made a lot of new friends.  And she did come back with one item on her to-do list – packing for the Bahamas.