One student's opportunity as reality show cast member was the career booster she always imagined.
Terri Darden, a UF sophomore, was chosen last semester to be part of the cast of BET's "College Hill: South Beach."
After being chosen out of about 4,000 people, she agreed to live in a mansion for $100 a week for six weeks without TVs, bedroom doors or communication with people outside of the show.
College Hill is a reality show that focuses on the lives of college students.
"I prayed that (the show) would be used for the greater good of my career," said Darden, who has been singing, acting and dancing since she was very young.
Though she had no idea what would take place while filming the show, Darden said she naively thought all the cast members would get along.
"It was the most volatile experience of my life," she said. "I wouldn't recommend anyone to go out for a reality TV show because it's not safe."
During filming, she got in a fight with another cast member. She said the producers of the show didn't break up their scuffle, and afterward, the producers wouldn't allow her to call the police.
After the fight, Darden was released from the show.
"Initially, the cast would have gotten along, but the producers instigated fights," Darden said.
She also said a lot of the show was scripted, and producers made them act out situations again until they gave the reactions they wanted.
The show isn't real, she said, because it doesn't capture the essence of real college life.
"In real college, we don't fight," she said.
"We are more focused on graduating and finishing school."
The cast of "College Hill: South Beach," which premieres Tuesday night on BET, were all acting, Darden said.
Most of the cast members weren't in college at the time when they were filming, she explained.
Darden said she isn't going to watch "College Hill" this season.
She said it was a jungle, and normal people couldn't survive in it.
"I'm proud to be a Gator, but I took off a semester to be on the show," she said.
