Late last fall, the phone rang twice for Jenna Sykes.

The first time, the news was not good: an ailing family member had passed away.

A few hours later came word that the telecommunication arts major, a senior, had made the cut for “The Amazing Race.” She’d been cast on its upcoming 17th season.

Jenna Sykes, a senior telecommunication arts major, finished in 9th place on the first episode which aired Sunday night. Photo by MEAGAN KELLEY

“It was bittersweet,” she said of the experience.

It was also an ending to the first part of an emotional roller coaster that encompassed all parts of her involvement with the show, including the application, pre-production and production stages.

Indecision, excitement, exhaustion and stress recurred consistently.

“There were so many things going through my head,” Sykes said. “What if I do this? What if they don’t pick me?”

And it all started with a tweet.

Last September, Sykes’ birth mother, Andy DeKroon, noticed on Twitter where she had mentioned an interest in competing on the show —

which then spurred DeKroon on to ask her to do just that.

Sykes’ response was almost automatic.

“In that moment, I knew I had to do it,” she said. “From the moment she asked me it was one of those, ‘Oh my God my life just changed’ moments.”

Sykes still spent time weighing the pros and cons of her choice before making it.

“It was a really hard decision to make,” she said. “But at the same time it was really easy …. It’s one of those things where you get presented with an opportunity and it can go one way or the other.”

Also important was an internship that she would have to give up if she chose to compete, as well as the fact that she wouldn’t be allowed to tell anyone about her being in the competition during the summer.

“This was not an easy decision,” Sykes said. “It was a gamble.”

Ultimately, what helped make up her mind wasn’t something she could easily put into words.

“I’ve never felt so sure of something in my whole life,” she said.

From there began a nearly semester-long period of application and preparation involving paperwork, video-making and strength-conditioning.

“We did anything you can imagine,” Sykes said, adding that she tried to watch as many of the previous seasons of the show as she could.

There were notes taken on what to pack and how those who had succeeded before on “The Amazing Race” did so.

But not once throughout did Sykes and DeKroon meet.

The pair continued to correspond via letters, as they had for two years, but the lack of face-to-face time made formulating strategy difficult.

“It took us a long time to get a sort of strategy together,” Sykes said. “It took us a lot longer than the other teams.”

They did discover some things: DeKroon, for instance, is the stronger swimmer; Sykes is more comfortable with animals.

When the cameras started rolling, there was still more to learn.

“From the starting line, they said ‘go’ and we still had a lot to figure out,” Sykes said.

Oddly, “The Amazing Race” was the perfect place for the two of them to connect and was, in fact, one of the reasons Sykes chose to participate.

Time spent under duress with her birth mother was also time spent where each of them was, according to Sykes, more open.

“We wanted to do this to get to know each other on a real level,” she said.

Their dynamic had always been an easy one, however, with a relationship that’s far more friendly than parental.

“With me and Andie, there’s never been an awkward moment,” she said.

Prepared or not, when filming began, Sykes was still taken by surprise.

“You think on ‘The Amazing Race’ it’s so hard and that’s all you think,” she said. “It is so much harder than anyone can imagine.”

During production on the first episode alone, her obstacles ranged from going 48 hours without sleep, buying food on a tight budget, handling the physical strain and managing the anxiety that comes with knowing you’ve got a 1-in-11 shot at $1 million.

“All of these things made the experience so, so much harder than I expected,” Sykes said.

What was the payoff?

The season premiered Sunday, leaving Sykes and DeKroon’s status as victors unknown.

But the cash is just a part of it.

“I met some people that I’m just so happy to have met,” Sykes said. “I’ve made some really great contacts.”

The opportunity to spend time around and observe the goings-on of the cameramen and other technicians proved professionally satisfying.

“That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do the race was because it fit so well with my major,” she said.

Still uncertain of her career after graduation, Sykes thinks some part of her experiences during filming may prove useful.

“I’m hoping it’ll pay off in the long run,” she said.

Regardless of what happens down the road, though, the impact “The Amazing Race” has had is already quite clear.

“The race was such a great experience for me,” Sykes said, “and hands-down it may be the coolest thing I’ve ever done.