He has done everything he was supposed to do, and now Bud Wierenga must be patient and wait.

“I’m just going to stop thinking about it,” Wierenga said.

Wierenga, a junior English major from Worth, a southern suburb of Chicago, may be on the next “Real World” show on MTV. Wierenga is in the third round of potential “Real World” candidates, which means he is in the top 100.

If he does make it onto the show, Wierenga will spend a few months in Paris and have his life with a gang of strangers taped for the pioneering reality show.

Wierenga made video tapes and sent them to MTV after he heard about the tryouts in early October. A week and a half later, he was called back.

“(MTV) e-mailed me questions about my family, friends, habits, roommates; and about whether or not I am the one who initiates fights, for example,” Wierenga said.

He wrote a 17-page essay based on the questions and faxed it back to MTV. Two days later, Wierenga was called back for the third round. He set up a live interview and was told to wait.

Wierenga decided to try out for “Real World” because “life just gets too ordinary.”

Auditioning for “Real World” seemed a natural way to fix that.

“I love meeting new people and putting myself in situations I wouldn’t normally be in,” Wierenga said.

If Wierenga is on “Real World,” he won’t be like any of the previous characters.

“Characters fall into stereotypes. I really don’t fit into a stereotype,” Wierenga said.

Wierenga enjoys “Real World” because of what it is – a reality show.

“It’s fun to watch people because it’s not a fabrication,” Wierenga said.

Wierenga’s position as a concert coordinator for the University Board helped him decide he would like to be a tour manager for a band upon graduation from Eastern. He also is considering film school.

“I would love to make a film,” Wierenga said.

Wierenga’s friends consider him to be a friendly person who would be an asset to “Real World.”

Brian Roche, a junior speech communication major, is Wierenga’s roommate and has known him since their freshman year.

“He’s a unique guy with a lot of great characteristics. He’s friendly, smart and he’d make the show watchable,” Roche said.

Brandon Gwardys, a junior special education major, has also known Wierenga since freshman year.

“We met on the fifth floor of Carman Hall,” Gwardys said.

He said Wierenga is an awesome guy who loves music and cares about other people.

“He’s really friendly, and he is all about having a good time. He has the perfect personality to be on the show,” Gwardys said.

Like Gwardys, Heather Wifley, a junior family and consumer science major, met Wierenga on the fifth floor of Carman during her freshman year. Wifley and Wierenga became friends at the end of last semester.

“He’s the most unique person I know. He has a carefree attitude and is upbeat,” Wifley said.

Wifley said Wierenga would be a good candidate for “Real World.”

“He always says what’s on his mind. He’s an interesting character,” Wifley said.

Lindsey Nawojski, a junior English major, met Wierenga last year in a class, and they started hanging out together in April.

“I met him through a friend,” Nawojski said.

Nawojski considers Wierenga like her brother.

“He is always there when I need him,” Nawojski said.

Wierenga is a fun person to be with and has a good sense of humor, Nawojski said.

Wierenga’s parents are proud that he may be on “Real World.” Although “Real World” is a revealing show, Wierenga doesn’t mind if his parents watch.

“I have a good relationship with my parents. I wouldn’t be embarrassed about anything,” Wierenga said.

His mother doesn’t like the fact that Wierenga will be in Paris for the program, but “she’ll deal,” Wierenga said.

Of all the previous “Real World” seasons, Wierenga’s favorite was the Seattle season.

“It was the most real season. David (from that season) was my favorite character, because he was so down-to-earth,” Wierenga said.