The Reality

My freshman year of college I went to school in Tampa. It was the week before spring break and I went out with my best friend Colin, who is originally from Chicago. We went to a club one night and were just sitting around having a good time. Colin and I are like brother and sister and act like that all the time when we are together. We had been sitting there at the bar for a few hours when a woman approached us. She said she was from MTV and wanted to know if we would be interested in being on the show the FriendsZone. Of course we thought that she was drunk and lying so we told her no thanks and tried to ignore her. Then she started talking about money and was going to offer us $500 each. That would be enough to fly my mom down for a week after she had just lost her job and needed something to brighten her spirits. Colin and I ended up saying maybe and exchanged phone numbers with the woman. I didn't know it then, but I had just made a decision that would alter my life.
Not only was I NOT interested in Colin on a romantic level but I had a boyfriend of six years. I told him but he wasn't thrilled but understood the situation and knew how I truly felt. The producers at MTV made it sound like the experience would be nothing but fun and exciting. However I didn't realize I would be made to cry on camera, say things I would never ever say, or make myself look pathetic and head over heels for a guy I thought of as a brother.
Filming was the worst experience of my life. They set me up in some stage house about 30 minutes from my school. We went to restaurants and locations I never even knew existed. And the thing is, they were trying to show the real me but it wasn't. It was whatever me they wanted to create. I remember drinking water out of a tea cup in one scene because they wanted me to seem retro and cute... I hate tea. I stood in front of that damn camera for HOURS repeating lines in every single emotion possible. They tried to get me to curse (which was exactly what I wanted to do but didn't because I knew they would use it to make me look ridiculous), cry and look devastated. They wanted us to end up together in the end. But they never told us we would have to kiss. Colin thought it was hilarious but I had absolutely no interest in that. I had a boyfriend that I loved more than anything and I wasn't going to kiss another guy let alone do it on a national broadcast tv show. I ended up crying to Colin all night and we tried to find a way out of it but our contact was ridiculous.
Then we came up with a plan. I was actually impressed with my sudden acting skills. We planned a twist in our script. When we got to the final location, cameras on us and all, we ended the night without a romantic unraveling. We decided we didn't want to tell each other how we felt. And we walked away from the scene. Our producer was mad as hell. I can remember her begging us and trying to manipulate us into doing what she wanted but we stuck to our guns.
I was really proud of us. But then, the show aired and everyone in my hometown was so confused.. My boyfriend and I got messages and people still say things to me but I am very honest about the experience and the only thing I can say now is... Don't be fooled by the media, there is a reason reality tv seems so unrealistic and farfetched. Because it is. It is scripted and planned.