Wichita college student prepares for MTV fame on dating show ‘Are You The One?’

This morning, Shelby Yardley is still a 22-year-old Wichita State University psychology student by day, Twin Peaks waitress by night.

But at 9 p.m. on Monday, she’ll become Shelby Yardley, an MTV reality show star on the second season of the popular MTV dating show “Are You The One?”

She’s already preparing for the transformation by readying herself for potential fame – and potential criticism – and by promising herself that she’ll use the exposure to follow through on her longtime dream of becoming an actress.

“It’s going to be really weird at first,” said Yardley, a 2010 graduate of Derby High School, during a recent phone interview. “But I’m really excited for it. Of course, I know criticism comes with it and that people are going to judge. But I think that’s part of putting your business and life on national television. You have to be prepared for it.”

The show follows a familiar formula by inviting 21 attractive young singles to move into a luxurious house together in Puerto Rico and search among their roommates for their perfect match. Producers have pre-screened them and determined which of the men and women are, on paper, ideal mates. If the contestants pair up correctly by the end of the show, they’ll win $1 million to split among them. The first season of the show, which aired from January to March, ended with 10 perfect matches. One of the first season couples, Amber and Ethan, is engaged and expecting a baby.

The journey is full of hook-ups, hissy fits and all-out drama, and this season’s twist is the addition of an 11th girl, which makes the process even more difficult.

Yardley said her cast was a particularly wild bunch.

“I’m absolutely sure people will be critical because my cast is pretty crazy in general,” she said. “But people can think what they want. I’m ready for it. Either way, I’m not going to let it affect me.”

Yardley was raised in Derby, the only adopted child of two mothers. She’s living in Wichita now, attending college and working at the Twin Peaks at 8310 E. 21st St. N.

But Yardley says she’s always wanted to be a model or actress. She started looking for casting opportunities online earlier this year and found the call for “Are You the One?”

“I loved the first season of the show, and saw casting online,” she said. “I was trying to build a resume anyway, so I figured, ‘Why not?’ I gave it a shot and ended up making it.”

Her family encouraged her, she said, agreeing that the exposure could help her with her career. They also wanted her to move on from an ex boyfriend they weren’t crazy about, she said.

Filming happened from May to July in a mansion in Puerto Rico, and the trip marked the first time Yardley had been out of the country.

She can’t talk about the outcome, but she said she’s glad she participated. She’s still in touch with many of the cast members

Yardley says she’s taking private acting lessons while trying to finish her degree. She plans to continue acting and building her resume by looking for modeling and acting jobs in Kansas City. Her plan is to try to move to Los Angeles next summer.

In the meantime, she is continuing her schooling and job in Wichita, waiting to see what changes come after 9 p.m. on Monday.

“I had to be single and be ready to find love, so it was a scary thing,” she said. “You’re always a little bit skeptical going into any situation like that, but it was a really great experience. I met some really great people, and I’m thankful for that.”

This story was originally published October 2, 2014 at 9:41 AM with the headline "Wichita college student prepares for MTV fame on dating show ‘Are You The One?’."