Sydney Wheeler is one of 16 castaways aiming to outwit, outplay, and outlast the rest in Survivor: Tocantins.

The 24-year-old Raleigh, North Carolina native was forced to mature earlier than expected: her sister died in a tragic car accident when she was 19, and had to put on a positive attitude to everything. She later decided to set out on her own, settling in the west coast to become a model and an interior designer.

She believes her experience in her profession enabled her to deal with different personalities, something she’d definitely put to use in Survivor. She’s not afraid to use her good looks to her advantage, but she doesn’t want to be known as just another pretty face.