by Kylene Hamulak

Destiny Strudwick is the latest model eliminated from America's Next Top Model: College Edition, and we'll be sad to see her go. Destiny's sometimes-emotional reactions were just as often those of a tough girl, which was a nice change in the house. Reality Wanted spoke to Destiny in an exclusive interview where she shares the hardest part about being on reality tv, who she would've invited to the Tyra Suite, and some exciting news about what's ahead for her.

Q. Kylene, Reality Wanted: Tell me abut life right before Top Model - what were you doing last year at this time and how did you end up on the show?
A. Destiny: Last year at this time...um...last year at this time, I'm pretty sure I was... well, my life is super weird, as in, like, I'll be doing something entirely different each month. But I don't know, I'm pretty sure I was just staying with my boyfriend trying to figure out my next move. But before the show I was kind of just doing cosmetology school so that I could have a trait that would pay me. But yeah, I just applied on a whim, not thinking that I would get into it.

Q. Kylene, Reality Wanted: Was modeling something you had considered before?
A. Destiny: I'd considered it, and it was something that I really wanted to do, I just didn't think it was possible. I didn't really have any confidence in the career, I guess. So I wasn't really trying to pursue it because I didn't really have confidence in myself or that path.

Q. Kylene, Reality Wanted: What was your favorite part about being on Top Model and what was the biggest challenge?
A. Destiny: My favorite part about being on the show was meeting so many people and learning, not particularly learning about modeling but learning about what being on reality tv is like, really. The worst would be, also, learning about what being on reality tv is like! Having all the cameras on you, it was so unexpected. Going into it, you're like a little kid in a candy store, you're so excited. And you don't look at the contract, so you're just, like, "I'll sign whatever to do this." And then you get into it, and you're like "whoa whoa whoa - what did I sign up for? There's a camera on me 24/7? And I don't get to talk to any of my friends or read a newspaper or watch tv or go on the internet?" And you're kind of trapped for like three months. That's probably the hardest part, having no communication with, like, the outside world.

Q. Kylene, Reality Wanted: With only a couple of exceptions, the show hasn't dug too deep into the personal lives of the model - you are obviously an exception to that, as your experiences have been discussed on the show more than once. How hard was it for you to deal with those emotions while you're surrounded by people you barely know with cameras watching and knowing that pieces of it would air to the public?
A. Destiny: That was also the hardest part, it was so difficult. I'm not really a person who will sit around telling people about my issues and trying to get sympathy. Like, that was the last thing I wanted going into the show. Before I got on the plane, I was thinking about that and how scary that is. So yeah, that was the hardest part. But then you're on twitter and you have people who are like, "Oh my gosh, I feel for you" and "I understand" and "I'm there," and in a sense that's really cool because so many people are in that position and can understand and relate and kind of see as an inspiration that I made it that far. But I don't want to be sympathized for - I don't want to be known as the girl who has nothing.

Q. Kylene, Reality Wanted: If you had won the keys to the Tyra Suite, which of the girls would you have asked to join you and why?
A. Destiny: I probably would've brought in Brittany, Brittany Brown. She was the sweetest girl ever. The night I got eliminated, we both had kind of a hunch, so we were like crying backstage together and holding each other and she wrote me this little note on a crossword puzzle book that was like...the most adorable thing. And she also (so far) hadn't been in the Tyra Suite and I had planned that if I won it, I would take her.

Q. Kylene, Reality Wanted: My favorite quote from the show came after your elimination, when you declared, "I'm just going to be pissed off and try to come back." I think it's a pretty solid outlook for life, so tell us - what's next?
A. Destiny: Well, right after I got off the show, I was like, "Obviously I CAN do this." I mean, if they think I can do it, then some other people might think so too. So, actually, I got up, I packed all my shit, put it in a suitcase and took a Megabus to Chicago and I have a photoshoot every day this week! I'm really excited about it.

Q. Kylene, Reality Wanted: Congratulations! It's great to hear you already have projects lined up. What does that mean for school - do you intend to return? Where do you see yourself in the future?
A. Destiny: Well, while I was in LA shooting for the show, my lease was up in Columbus where the school is, so I had to put it aside for a minute and decide to, while this is all hot for me right now, to go ahead and try this out and I can always go back to that and keep my credits and stuff. So I'm gonna try this out for a little bit and then I can always go back.

America's Next Top Model: College Edition airs Fridays at 8/7c on the CW

(Image courtesy of The CW)