Student Speak

Fall 2007

Name: Britt Terry
Class: Ph.D. candidate
Major: English
Hometown: Fountain Inn

You appeared on Jeopardy Oct. 3. How were you chosen to be a contestant? I took an online test in January. They don't tell you how well you did or not. In April, I was invited to Atlanta. There, we took another written test and played a mock game with other contestants. We were told that we could be in the contestant pool for a year. Probably two months later, they called me, and I flew out to L.A. in July and taped the show.

How did the taping go? It was fun. It was very, I don't know, surreal and very nerve-wracking. I've seen the show a million times, but to actually be there was almost an out-of-body experience. We did rehearsal games ahead of time. That was terrifying, under all the lights and with people in the audience watching us and the producers coaching us, saying, 'Be more energetic' or 'Talk louder.' I was chosen to play in the third game. So, I had to sit through two games and watch from the audience with the other contestants.

How was playing the real game? Playing the game--I-m not athletic at all--but it was like when athletes talk about being in the zone. I didn't think about anything else, and the pace is very, very fast. The producers told us to press the button a million times, but you have to wait until the whole question is asked. Then there are lights on either side of the board, and when they illuminate, that's when you ring in. That was kind of hard. In the mock game we played, there was a big red light. It was easy to see and then press the button, but in the game, they were little while lights that looked like Christmas lights. I felt like I did well, but when I watched it later, you could tell how nervous I was. My voice was shaking.

How were your categories? Completely random, as, I guess, Jeopardy is supposed to be. The first round, they were easier, and you could deduce them. But there was a whole category about Thomas Paine, and I could only extrapolate some answers. In the second round, the categories were pretty difficult. There was a John Wayne category. I've seen one John Wayne movie in my entire life, though I answered at least two of the questions, one of them incorrectly.

How was your Final Jeopardy question? The Final Jeopardy question was so hard. The category was Islands, and the answer was: 'In 2003, Emily Rose Christian was born on this island, thus, making the population about 50.'

What was the correct response? What is Pitcairn Island? The returning champion, who is an elementary school teacher, got it right. In the first game I watched, the Final Jeopardy category was Charles Dickens, and I totally knew it.

Did you do any preparation before the game? Not really. Again, the categories are so random. In one of the shows I watched before going out to L.A., there was a category on marmosets. I did look a list of world capitals because they come up pretty regularly. I play trivia with a team in town. I stay in practice that way.

Where did you place? I came in third. Honestly, it was a close game. There was $3,000 separating first and third place. So, it was anybody's game. It was very fun. Of course, I wanted to win, and I played to win; but I didn't have any regrets because I had always wanted to do it.

10/07