MARYLAND, USA — A Maryland woman will try to outwit, outplay, and outlast 17 other contestants during this season of Survivor.
Emily Flippen, 28, is an investment analyst who lives in Laurel, Maryland. Flippen is the only contestant from the DMV competing in this season’s Survivor.
Like most people who join the cast, Flippen is in it for personal growth, not just for the money. Even though $1 million is a great incentive. During her character introduction video, Flippen says she’s “getting boring” because she’s been in a relationship for 10 years and worked at the same place for the last six.
Her desire is that this show will challenge her and help her become a more interesting and more lived person. Most people would just go skydiving or backpack through Europe, but Flippen said she’s not what most people would expect. She identifies as an “outspoken, more aggressive female." She strongly believes that she’ll be able to chip away at her competition slowly as the show continues.
Going into the process she was told her personality emulates that of another castmate, known as Chaos. That may be a strength she can lean into, given the list of weaknesses she names in her interview.
“I’m really scared of bugs. I get really sweaty. I hate the sand. I sunburn super easily” says Flippen.
That is quite the list of issues, especially since this season of Survivor takes place on an island in Fiji. Islands are usually known to have critters, mosquitoes, even reptiles.
But as Flippen says, she wants to leave the show a new person. So, hopefully this season will rid her of some of those fears. If she wins, she will be the third person in Survivor history to represent the DMV.