Tessa Enzy Tookes always knew she would end up on TV. In fact, her high school classmates at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingfordttslot, Conn., voted her “Most Likely to Be on a Reality Show.”
Which is why her appearance on season 26 of “The Bachelor,” which aired in 2022, did not surprise those closest to her.
Ms. Tookes, 29, was also drawn to a job that revolved around love and dating. After graduating from N.Y.U. Gallatin School of Individualized Study with a concentration in music and meaning in 2017, she worked as a people operations specialist for Hinge.
But, still, she felt “perpetually stuck.”
“I wasn’t feeling that inspired by my relationship, by my apartment, by anything,” said Ms. Tookes, who had moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, from her hometown, Stamford, Conn.
As she was entering her mid-20s, she was looking for an interesting, exciting experience. That turned out to be competing for the affection of one man on national television, with nearly 30 other women. Almost immediately, the experience was a big blow to her self esteem.
“I remember the first night, I was right back to where I was in high school, feeling not super confident,” Ms. Tookes said. “I didn’t think that I would get a rose. In hindsight, I didn’t even really have feelings for the person.” But when she didn’t get the immediate validation from first impressions, she couldn’t help but feel a bit insecure.
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