Hannah Rathbun is one of 20 cast members on season three of MTV’s Are You The One?, a competitive reality show where 10 guys and 10 girls spend each week trying to figure out who their perfect match is. A weekly match-up ceremony shows how many matches they have correct or incorrect. The winning prize if they all find their perfect match? A million dollars.

Rathbun is a native of the Syracuse area, graduating from Christian Brothers Academy in 2010. She went to the University of Buffalo for three years where she studied biology, but ended up changing her major to business by her junior year. She then made the decision to transfer home where she considered attending, you guessed it, Le Moyne! Rathbun ended up going to Onondaga Community College, but only until she got cast by MTV to appear on their hit show, Are You The One?.

“I loved the show so much and was watching the second season when a commercial came on that said, ‘Do you think you could be on Are You The One?’ and with my horrible dating history, I was like YES! I sent in a few pics and a short bio and MTV called me the next day…I did a video interview and a home video like all other seasons and then flew out to LA to meet the producers!” said Rathbun.

Making the move from Syracuse to Hawaii [where the show is filmed] was a big change and something Rathbun had to get used to. Being filmed 24/7 was also a major adjustment, Rathbun says, “Filming is actually kind of stressful and can get tiring at times. Sometimes you just want to be alone and that’s really hard filming with a full crew and living with 20 other people.” She also had to go the entire time on the show without a phone or any interaction with her family and friends back home.  

Rathbun’s parents couldn’t have been more supportive of her decision to go on a reality TV show. “Some people have approached my mom and dad being like, ‘I can’t believe you let your daughter do a reality show’ and they’re like ‘Why not? I would’ve done it when I was 22.’ My parents are all about letting me explore and live my dreams and always have my back,” she said.

Rathbun’s 16-year-old sister and best friend, Kate Mooney, says she was mad at first when hearing of her sister being cast on an MTV show, but is now over it and watches Are You The One? every week.

“It was really weird at first, seeing all of the promos, but now that it’s a few episodes in I’ve gotten used to seeing her,” said Mooney.

Since Are You The One? just aired a couple weeks ago, Rathbun can’t give any information as to what’s going on in her love life today, but she is happily living in the California sun and enjoying life.

“I live in Beverly Hills with two girls my age who graduated from Syracuse University. I meet new people everyday and have new opportunities opening up all the time,” said Rathbun. “The weather is unbelievable 24/7…and there’s a thousand awesome restaurants.”

As for school, Rathbun is currently visiting various colleges and trying to figure out where she is going to finish her degree in LA.

Tune in every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. on MTV to to see how Hannah’s love life unfolds on Are You The One?!