In 'Survivor' mode: Charleston resident competes on series

On far-off Samoa, Chelsea Meissner had little time to enjoy the balmy tropical breezes or exotic flora. The lean, athletic 26-year-old Charleston medical sales rep was much too busy navigating the obstacle course of physical exertions and complexities of interpersonal relations.

Meissner, daughter of Ken and DeAnna Meissner, is one of 18 castaways playing the Darwinian game of “Survivor: One World,” whose 24th season on CBS opens at 8 p.m. Wednesday on WCSC-TV. Oh, and vying for the $1 million prize that comes with the title of Sole Survivor.

“As far as the physical aspect, I don’t think there was more I could have done to prepare, even if I had known I’d be competing against guys,” says Meissner, waging a men (Manono tribe) vs. women (Salani tribe) battle. “But the social game is a little different when you are around all women. Going in, I was worrying about the social game and how we’d get along.

“Your physical ability is only going to take you so far. It is a huge social game. There are people who can win a bunch of challenges and still not make the cut.”

Lying low

The cardinal rule of “Survivor,” says Meissner, is to check your ego as soon as you hit the beach.

“You can’t go out there with a big head. You want to lay low as much as possible and blend in, not be too outspoken. You kind of want to be invisible.”

A state champion equestrian as a youth, the self-described “country girl” also is a golfer, hunter and wakeboarder. She says show jumping in particular taught her the importance of being focused and prepared.

“I was extremely tomboy-ish in elementary and middle school,” recalls Meissner, among whose competitors is Jay Byars of Gaffney. “I had an

older brother and had to toughen up. I never liked to play with Barbies. I loved Tonka trucks and staying out in the mud, so I was never a girlie girl. In high school and college, I got into racing four-wheelers and every week would go out mud-bogging.”

Getting pumped

For Meissner, resourcefulness and the capacity to turn nothing into something comes naturally. But she’s also been bolstered by a book her father gave her, “No Opportunity Wasted: 8 Ways to Create a List for the Life You Want” by Phil Keoghan with Warren Berger.

“One of the things it tells you is to do something adventurous — something like ‘Survivor.’ That got me pumped.”

It helps to have a boss who gives a lengthy leave of absence to compete, though Meissner says being isolated on a South Pacific island, cut off from the outside world, was a bit disconcerting in the beginning.

That said, Meissner is finding her trial by fire to be immensely satisfying.

“You think that there’s no way you can do some of these things, yet you do. And you realize you’re so much stronger than you ever thought. You go into it having no idea what the challenges will be, who you’re playing with or how much you can push your body when you’re hungry and tired.

“But for all the physical accomplishments, I would say the most enjoyable part of this has been the people I’ve met. They are great people.”