I am Julia Collins, with 20 wins, I am the #2 winningest Jeopardy! contestant in regular-season play history. Ask me anything.

Is Alex Trebek's small talk as awkward in person as it looks on tv?

It got less awkward the more times I did it. I learned that the best response to anything he said was some form of "yes, and..." Just like in improv. The interviews, unlike the rest of the show, are often edited pretty heavily. I had at least one that was WAY more awkward in real life than on TV, so thank goodness for some kind editing.

Also, coming up with ideas for that portion of the show is probably the hardest thing about being on the show (right up there with filming the promos).

So after 30 years of 2 new people and a returning champion every night the filming of the promos are still awkward?

They're awkward for the contestants, who seemed, like me, to have never had to be filmed saying something specific. I did develop an urge to end sentences with "Watch me on Jeopardy!'

Were there any clues that you answered correctly during the taping but didn't remember the answers to when you watched it later on TV?

There was a clue about a D.H. Lawrence novel and the response was Women in Love. I'm still not sure where I pulled that one from.

You mentioned during one of your Jeopardy interviews that you were currently unemployed. Have you had any job offers since being on the show?

I've had a lot of people contact me through linkedin, so I'm pretty confident something will come out of that.

Hey Julia,

I'm one of the mods of /r/Jeopardy. We'd love to have you stop by and participate whenever you're on Reddit. I'm sure you could provide some interesting insights on game play and overall strategy. I have a few questions for you.

1) In articles about your time on Jeopardy! it was revealed that you had the goal to be a champ on the show back when you were in the eighth grade. As a long time fan of the show are there any players you specifically identified with or considered a role model for how to play the game?

2) How many shows did it take for you to feel really comfortable playing and being on Jeopardy?

3) How draining was it playing in that many games? It seemed like in your last couple of games you were starting to show signs of fatigue.

Edit: Just wanted to throw out an invitation to anyone posting here that isn't posting regularly at /r/Jeopardy. We'd love have to as many people participating on the sub as possible. So if you aren't already please considering subscribing to the sub.

1) One of the things I like as a Jeopardy! fan is that the players change and the game stays the same. I don't remember any specific player from my childhood. Probably like most people, Ken Jennings was the first player I actually noticed on the show, for obvious reasons. I didn't think of other players as "role models", except in the most general sense that they were contestants and I wanted to be one. 2) I think by the second show I was as comfortable as I was the rest of the run. The first game, I was still finding my feet. The second game, I was comfortable, and had the extra confidence that being a returning champion brings. 3) Every Thursday, and especially Friday, I was pretty tired of standing. i would usually be leaning against the podium and/or standing on one foot or the other whenever the camera was off. And your brain turns a little bit to mush by the end of the day.

What was the mood like in the green room before taping, when the other contestants found out you were a 10-time champ or 15-time champ?

Maggie and the other contestant coordinators do a great job of getting everyone psyched up and calmed down. The atmosphere in the green room is usually pretty excited but a bit nervous in general. It was a little bit awkward when the number of games I had won was revealed, but everyone is generally pretty friendly. It's always an interesting group so there's a lot to talk about. You meet a lot of really nice, smart people as a contestant!

julia, first let me tell you that my sister, grandmother, and i think you hung the moon and enjoyed watching you dominate the board for twenty episodes. obviously you're very, very smart so our question is this: which category is /categories do you consider to be your weakness(es)?

Thank you! I think the categories that were my weakest were on topics I hadn't considered. I learned the books of the old testament, but was sadly terrible at knowing "Biblical Next of Kin". There were a lot of categories I wasn't strong in, like gambling, tv crime dramas, and a bunch of random ones that I just hadn't ever thought about. I tried to focus on what I did know when I was playing though, and not worry as much about what I didn't know.

Julia, congratulations on an exceptional run.

My question is what was your strategy for dealing with the internet scrutiny? The Twitterverse and Jeopardy boards can be very harsh on some very smart people and even live tweeted your games.

Also, what will you be studying up on in prep for the ToC?

There's a "block" function on Twitter that I employ very actively. What people are saying about me in other corners of the internet? I don't know and I don't care, since I don't have to see it.

I'll probably brush up on Biblical Next of Kin. I have a long list of topics I didn't get through in studying for the show the first time around. I'll chip away at that (and probably add to it as I go).

Through 20 wins, you went through a LOT of answers to question. What one sticks out to you as memorable or amusing?

There are often times where I know the correct response and chuckle at the memory of how I know it. Wondering if you had any of those, as well.

The way I knew a response often popped into my mind when I rang in. Usually, I remembered the class where I learned it (a lot from Latin classes and AP European history), or who I learned it from.
The most memorable was from a category about jobs: milliner is hatmaker, etc. One clue was "apiculturist" which is a beekeeper. There's a story my family tells about how when I was first grade, my teacher asked us to think of words that started with "a" and I volunteered "apiarist" so a variant of apiculturist. My teacher said it wasn't a word, and I, predictably, cried. And it lives on in family lore. What can I say? I'm a know-it-all.

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Thanks! Good luck with engineering! I studied art history and history in undergrad, because they seemed like fun, but weren't necessarily potential career paths. I fell into the field I've been in with my first job, and stayed with it because it's varied and interesting. My master's is in systems engineering. I was in a professional program for supply chain management. I thought it would give me a more solid foundation (and better credentials) for the field I was in.
I think it's important to have multiple interests, because it'll make you more interesting, but also give you different dimensions of yourself to develop. One of the things that doesn't get played up enough, in my opinion, is the creative potential in engineering. So, keep that creative part of yourself alive!

Hi, Julia! I thoroughly enjoyed your time on the show, because unlike many other contestants, you were always cheerful and you seem really cool and down-to-earth. I know that when you were little, one of your dreams was to become a Jeopardy! champ. Now that you have accomplished that, what is the next item on your bucket list that you want to tackle?

That's a great question. I got the opportunity to live for a month in Paris, which was also a dream come true. I think I need to come up with some new goals!

Julia, you are one of my favorite Jeopardy! contestants, you were a very popular subject among my friends while you were on the show and we were crushed when you lost. Now that you finished your run, what would you say was the best most rewarding aspect (besides the money of course :p) of your time on Jeopardy!?

Being on Jeopardy! was essentially my lifelong dream. Realizing that dream of getting to play Jeopardy!, then getting to play SO MUCH Jeopardy! were the most rewarding. I loved playing the game. I was sad when I lost, but I know I have more Jeopardy! to look forward to!

Are there times when Alex messes up reading a question during the shoot? If he does do they scratch that question and use a new one or does he reread it? I feel as though rereading it would give a lot of extra time in coming up with an answer than normal

Once in a while he'll bobble a word or something will pick up on the microphones in a strange way, and he'll re-record during the commercials. I never saw anything happen with the reading that impacted the clue itself. One time a clue was accidentally revealed on the board, and it was replaced with a new one. But that wasn't Alex's fault.

Julia, I really enjoyed your Jeopardy performance! How many sweaters did you bring with you? Did you have to buy more when your streak continued for so long? Where did you buy them?

It's so funny how much attention the sweaters have gotten. I didn't have to buy more. I have them from the days when I was a consultant and traveling all the time. They were easy to pack and went with a complementary collection of button down shirts that are in the back of my closet, hopefully never to be worn again. The sweaters are almost all from J.Crew, except for a few of the cardigans, which are from Banana Republic.

Sometimes Alex pauses after a contestant gives an answer to see if the judges will accept it. Can you guys all hear what they are saying or does Alex wear an earpiece so only he hears?

Only Alex can hear that. When a score has been changed after a commercial break, the contestants are usually told that something is being reviewed. Sometimes they replay the tape if it's a question of correct pronunciation.

My friends and I watched all of your episodes. We feel as if we lost a friend, and aren't nearly as excited to watch every night. Did you have a special meal before the games to get you pumped, or other superstitions?

I've heard other contestants say they got sleepy after a big lunch, so I was always a little worried about that. No special meals, though.
I'm not too superstitious, but after game 5, my grandmother gave me a ring she had bought when I was born with my birthstone, and I wore that for good luck the rest of my time on the show.

This network of alumnae is fiercely loyal, well-connected, smart, funny, and often offended. Who is... ?

I feel like your username should be a clue.... The Wellesley community has been so awesome throughout this whole experience! From my friends who came to tapings to people I don't know, I'm very lucky to be a Wellesley alum!

Hey Julia! Ken Jennings described his knowledge as being miles wide and a few feet deep, meaning he'd know about many topics but maybe just the basics about them. How would you say you've attained what you know over the years? Do you have a good long-term memory?

P.S. We were rooting for you all the way!

Thanks! I do have a good long-term memory. I remember a lot of things I learned years and years ago. I read a lot, and a lot of different things and always have. I have more depth in some areas than others, but like Ken, I know a little bit about a lot of things, but a lot about only a very few things. Being on Jeopardy! was a learning experience about how my own memory functions. I have an easier time remembering things I learned 10 years ago or 5 minutes ago than a week ago. Who knew?

What was your favorite category? Your least favorite?

I liked literature categories- particularly if they focused on children's literature. I was such an avid reader as a kid that I worked my way through a lot of the "canon" and have a warm place in my heart for books like Anne of Green Gables and the Island of the Blue Dolphins.
Some categories were so unexpected that I was thrown for a loop. My least favorites were ones where I didn't know any responses. (Like Tennis Tips! I really enjoy watching tennis, but not playing, so that was a bad one for me!)

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I don't have the money yet, and won't for a while, but I went on a lengthy trip to France with some of my savings, which I wouldn't have done if I didn't have my Jeopardy! winnings coming along. I rented an apartment in Paris for a month. I wanted to do something I would never have done otherwise, and that was what I picked. It was wonderful!

How long before you get paid? Is it lump sum, or over a period of time?

I think it's a lump sum. I won't get the money until the end of the summer. They wait 120 days after your air date to pay, but I assume they're good for it. Otherwise, I think we would have all heard from Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings!

Hi, Julia! Congratulations on winning 20 games, and best of luck in the upcoming Tournament of Champions! A few questions:

• How active have you been in trivia circles in the past, and do you plan on increasing or decreasing your involvement after your run? (Learned League, JBoard, World Quizzing Championships, local pub quizzes all apply.)
• It seems to me that many of the superchampions -- including all three in the Battle of the Decades finals -- all made substantial changes in their lives after winning so much on Jeopardy!, most notably moving to different parts of the country. Any big changes for the future?
• How are you preparing for the Tournament of Champions?
• How do you think you would have fared in the Battle of the Decades?

Thanks for your answers, and looking forward to seeing you behind the podium again soon!

• not active at all. I wasn't really aware JBoard existed until I was taping. I'm not familiar with the others you mention at all. Once in a blue moon I'll do pub trivia, but that's amounted to maybe 3-4 times ever.
  
• I've been getting some interesting offers, but no big plans to move as of now.
• I haven't prepared at all for ToC yet. I've been in a whirlwind of activity for the last few weeks.
• I'm reluctant to play armchair quarterback on any of the BotD games. I wish I had gotten to participate, though, because it looked like a really fun time.
  

How would you compare the importance of having exceptional knowledge, vs. the importance of being quick on the buzzer?

If you don't know the right responses, buzzer speed isn't going to win you games. If you can't get the hang of the buzzer, knowing every answer won't help you either. Both are really important to winning games.

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Definitely! You can see how surprised I was on some of them- Daily Doubles in particular. I didn't guess as much with the regular clues. One Daily Double had the response "Neanderthal" and I was so sure it was a prehistoric "man" with a specific name (something like Piltdown Man, although obviously not that for a variety of reasons, chiefly that it was a fake).

My wife thinks I should participate (at least try out) on Jeopardy but in my mind I'm "hell no!" I'm just afraid of doing really horribly. Did you have any doubts before your first show? Did it get easier as you continued to win? (I imagine it did, just based on being comfortable.) Congrats on the streak, you did an amazing job!

EDIT - I'd never do as well as you did. Just need to definitely clarify that, lol.

Thank you! I would recommend that anyone who's interested in trying out should try!
I went through the whole tryout process in 2009 and didn't get called. I'm ~99% sure it was because I was too nervous. But when I got called to tryout in 2013, I was much less nervous because I'd done it before.
Even if you try out and it goes poorly, you'll be much better prepared if you try again, and probably less nervous.
I think everyone worries about that at least a little bit, but mostly I was really excited to be there and felt that I was as well prepared as I could be.

Hi Julia!

Firstly, I watch Jeopardy! religiously and I wanted to say that I enjoyed each of your appearances so much. One of my favourite moments when you were on the show was when you responded with "Getting shot in the face by Dick Cheney."

Secondly, would you be able to answer to this with a random geographical fact? I'm writing a novel that has a game show like Jeopardy! in it and I would be extremely grateful for a contribution, especially from one of my favourite players (you're a goddess). Thank you!

That was a very memorable moment for me, too!

This is a geography adjacent fact: Woody Guthrie was hired by the Department of the Interior to write songs about the Columbia River and the building of the Grand Coulee Dam. There is a whole album of songs about the river, like Roll On, Columbia, and the region that I made my sister listen to on an Oregon road trip with me last summer.

Hi Julia, congratulations on your magnificent Jeopardy! run! Do you have any thoughts on why men seem to historically be so much more successful on the show than women do?

Also, my husband REALLY wants to know what your job description of "supply chain manager" (or however it was officially termed) entails and who you work(ed) for? Thanks so much!

I can't speak for anyone else except myself on being successful on Jeopardy! For my part, I didn't think my gender impacted my ability to play the game effectively. Regarding your husband's question, "supply chain professional" was the most succinct thing I could think of that wasn't "unemployed", which was and still is my employment status. My professional experience has all been in supply chain, but the roles have been varied: working on import logistics for a retailer, doing inventory management and planning, and management consulting with a focus on supply chain. Plus, I have a master's degree in logistics and supply chain management. So, "supply chain professional" made the most sense at the time.

First of all, still pretty devastated that you lost. I was so happy to see a female presence on Jeopardy!

First question: What is your favorite book?

Second question: Both you and Ken Jennings have degrees in really mixed, opposite fields (Ken in CompSci and English). Do you think that having these backgrounds are what make you two of the most successful players?

My favorite book growing up was "Cheaper by the Dozen". I don't have a particular favorite as an adult. I can't speak for Ken, although I would guess that we might have a similar approach to learning new things. There are a lot of things I find interesting and want to learn more about, and I tend to learn things from a lot of places. I also tend to think that if I'm interested in learning something, I'll be able to learn it. So, I didn't think my humanities background was a barrier to me doing something entirely different professionally, or to pursuing higher education in that field.

How stressful was the whole experience? Did you feel a sense of relief when it was over, or would you have preferred to keep going?

I 100% would have preferred to keep going. It's tiring but not particularly stressful. You're playing a game with the potential to win a lot of money, so there's no downside. It's really a lot of fun. My feet got really tired by the end of every day, but I would have loved to have kept going. I was sad to be done, because it was an unqualified wonderful experience.

Hey Julia, I saw some visible dismay when they announced your nickname "The Giant of Jeopardy". Did you really hate it that much? I suggested the nickname of "Jen Kennings" but was met with an equal look of dismay from my girlfriend. Is there any nickname you'd prefer? I will totally start calling you that.

I wasn't dismayed so much as confused about that. "Julia Goolia" has long been a popular nickname. I do respond to that!

JULIA YOU ARE THE GREATEST!!!! I loved watching you on Jeopardy, you're so smooth! Just wanted to say that I adore you. WELLESLEY LOVE!!! Big question: what was the best Wellesley dining hall and why?

Pom 4evr! I lived in Pom 3/4 years, and ate almost all my meals there even when I lived in Caz (except for Schneider, RIP). Does Caz still have that weird smell now that its dining hall has closed? At any rate, when I say Kosher, you say veggie!

Did you ever see a category at the beginning of a round and think, "Yea, I'm gonna run that one"?

Running a category is hard! There were lots of categories - mostly history, art, literature, and pop culture- where I thought I'd been strong, but I tried to just focus on each question as it came. I never anticipated that I would run the "same 1st initials" category that I did.

Julia I am a big fan and was glued to my seat during your entire run. Congrats!

We noticed you did best towards the end of the 2nd round. Do you think you feed off the competition or that you were just better at the harder questions?

I don't know why that was. Maybe it took me a few minutes to get my head into the game during some of them. The break between episodes is so short that there isn't much time to process and refocus before you go back out, although that only applies to Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday games. Part of my good showing later in the some of the games could be due to other contestants getting tired or losing focus, although that's purely conjecture.

In your 8th grade yearbook, you predicted you would be a 10 time champ, how did you know the 5 day limit would be removed? Also, you mentioned two tournaments, which two were you referring to?

I actually said I would win each tournament twice. I think I meant 1) high school 2) college 3) ToC 4) Senior and 5) Celebrity (I guess- I really don't remember) Kids and Teachers didn't get their own tournaments until later. I didn't know the contestant rule that you can only appear on the show in one capacity at that point, although I was aware of the 5-game limit.

Did you ever get tired of winning?

No! Who would get tired of winning? I'd still be up there, during the summer break, if they'd have let me hang around.

What's the best and worst thing about Alex Trebek?

Best: He's got a great sense of humor and has a lot of interesting stories to tell. Worst: There's not a lot of time to talk to him.

Hello Julia! Many congrats on your winning streak, you were a great pleasure to watch.

• (The obligatory Jeopardy!-related question) Have you figured out any plans to prepare for the upcoming TOC? (Wagering theory, general studying, etc.)

• I heard that you started high school at New Trier in Winnetka, IL before transferring out east. What prompted the switch, and what benefits would you say it provided you?

• What is your favorite restaurant in the Chicago area?

Thanks!

I'll do more general studying for the ToC.
I did go to New Trier for 2 years then transferred to a smaller school. The education at NTHS is top-notch, but I was much happier in a smaller school. I love the same places I've loved all my life: Walker Bros. and Lou Malnati's

Do you have any tips for the aspiring future Jeopardy Champions among us?

Also, I can't wait until you come back for the Tournament of Champions. It was great watching you play!

Thank you! I can't wait either!
For tryouts, try to be as relaxed and energetic/enthusiastic as possible. Be friendly with everyone, including the other hopefuls. I think that the contestant coordinators notice. If you get called to be on the show, studying does help. I didn't think it helped a ton, but probably enough that it made a difference in the outcome of the game at least a little bit. Mainly, it helps make you feel like you're in control of a situation where you don't have much control, which helps.

What would be some nightmare categories to see pop up on the Jeopardy board?

Heisman Trophy winners' alma maters, for one. I think the hardest categories are the ones I would have never considered. I.e. topics so far off my radar that it never occurred to me to study them, etc. Unknown unknowns are the "nightmare" although I don't think I got worried about a category title until it became clear that I didn't know any of the clues.

What college classes/experiences prepared you best for Jeopardy!?

I've always had a big interest in history and learning facts, so those things predated college. But, I took a lot of art history and history classes. Art history specifically was helpful, since it involved a lot of memorization of discrete information about artists and works of art, and like my history classes, involved contextualizing those facts into the broader landscape of history.

Hey Julia - My girlfriend and I really enjoyed watching your run.

Do you have any friendly smack talk you have planned for Arthur Chu when you meet up in the green room? I'm looking forward to the two of you battling it out.

Thank you!

No, not at all. That's really not at all my style.

Other than the media blackout stuff before the show airs, do the Jeopardy producers give you any other kinds of restrictions on what you can do/say afterwards?

I wasn't allowed to reveal the outcome of any show that hadn't yet aired. That was my only restriction.

Do you keep track of your Coryat score when you watch Jeopardy on TV? What sort of scores do you get at home, when there's no one to beat you to the buzzer?

I have never done that, and have no plans to start. Especially now, when there's pretty incontrovertible proof I'm good at the game. I just enjoy watching the show as I always have.

I heard you on the grantland Zach Lowe podcast the other day. I'd imagine you get asked similar questions across these types of interviews. Are there any stories about your experience that you haven't had a chance to tell?

Also, have you taken any of those job offers?

I think I've covered just about everything! But thank you for asking.
I haven't made any firm job plans just yet. There will be an update at Tournament of Champions, I'm sure!

How many shows do you tape in 1 day? How long did it take to tape your 21 shows?

Five shows a day, so 4 full days, and a bit of a 5th! I took 3 separate trips to LA.

Hi, Julia! I was wondering what kind of classes you took at Madeira. Did you take lots of AP classes or none at all? I'd love to hear more about your high school experience in general, too! I'm currently a snail and curious how things were when you went to school there. Did you enjoy your high school experience overall? I just finished freshman year, and while I barely functioned in disaster, I think I managed to finish in style. :) Congrats on all of your accomplishments!

Are you on the Red team or the White team? I was on red. Lots of AP classes. I took 3 my jr year and 5 my senior year.

Congrats on finishing your freshman year! I loved my time at Madeira. I was a boarder, and have lots of wonderful memories and great friends. Sounds like things are going to be quite different with the curriculum changes next year.

What's Johnny Gilbert like?

I never got to meet him, but he announces every game like it's the most important game ever on the show! He also gives a lot of energy to the audience and talks with them between episodes.

Julia, your run was awesome and very entertaining! You always seemed so relaxed, cool, and collected! How did you keep your nerves under control? Thanks for doing this AMA!

I wasn't too nervous once I got there. The game goes by really quickly, so there wasn't time to think about nerves once it started. I also really wanted to leave Jeopardy! having had a good time on the show. It's just a game, and there's nothing to lose, just gain.

What's one thing that surprised you about the show when you first appeared on Jeopardy?

The dimensions of the space are a bit different than they look on camera, and actually seem very similar to Wheel of Fortune's, from some pictures I've seen of that set.
Also, I'd never been on a show set before, so it was odd to see how many people there are around. (Obviously, I know that it takes a lot of people to run a tv show, but when you're watching at home, it seems like there's Johnny, Alex, and the 3 contestants. It's a lot more bustling in person.)

Hi Julia! I have two questions for you:

1. Do you play QuizUp?

2. What was your employer's reaction when they learned that you would be gone for more than a couple of days due to your long winning streak? I've often wondered how multi-day Jeopardy! winners handled unexpected stints away from work.

Thanks!

I have played QuizUp but haven't played in a while.
I didn't have a job, so I didn't have to contend with those awkward conversations... or the distractions of having a job I was missing. Ken Jennings would probably be best able to answer that, since he spent so many weeks at the show while gainfully employed :-)

Who were your guests for the taping?

I had some wonderful friends in LA who came to many, many of the tapings. And my mom came to 8 shows, and my brother came to 4. It was so nice to have friends and family in the audience!

Do you play a regular pub quiz. If so, where?

I don't. Sorry!

Hi Julia, big fan:

• we're you upset when you lost? After the first few wins how far did you expect to go?

-how much time was between filmings and did you have enough time to change sweaters?

-did Jeopardy get you any job interviews?

Thank you so much

EDIT: third question and grammar/spelling

Like anyone would be, I was disappointed when I lost, and also sad that I wouldn't be playing more Jeopardy!
I didn't have expectations about how many games I would win. Obviously, I hoped to keep winning as many games as possible. But, you do need to win each game to advance to the next, so I tried to stay focused on the game I was currently playing.

There were about 10 minutes between episodes, although there's a lunch break after the third episode. You have time to change, get your makeup touched up, get your microphone reattached, and go over your interview story. If you're being slow, the show will wait for you (I would know!). But I tried not to hold things up.

My wife and I watched your whole run and loved it! Question: what's your favorite beer. Follow up question: can you say hi to Tasha, Ollie and elgoo? Looking forward to the tournament of champions.

Hi, Tasha, Ollie, and elgoo!

I like Blue Moon. But as long as it's not to bitter, I'll be happy. And I love a good brewery tour!

I noticed you registered your twitter account, @jeopardyjulia, in 2011. Were you just a jeopardy fan with big dreams?

I've been really surprised how many people think I've had that username since 2011. I changed it in mid-April right before my shows started airing. Until then, I had a different username and never tweeted.

Have the Jeopardy! staff given you any hints about when the Tournament of Champions will be?

No official word yet! I'm hoping early next season.

Julia, I watched and cheered for you every game! I was so sad after you lost, it took me a couple days to start watching jeopardy again. What I really want to know is... what are some of your favorite TV shows? I know you mentioned an old episode of the simpsons screwed you up, so I know you used to watch that. Do you still? C'mon, even admit your guilty pleasures! :)

The simpsons would never steer me wrong! They're references are pretty accurate and not a bad place to get information.

I like sitcoms a lot- Parks & Rec, New Girl, The Mindy Project, and the Middle. I also like ABC Family shows and lots of PBS.

Hi Julia, Big fan. My roommates and I all watched every game together. Is there an outfit that you regretted seeing upon watching the tapings?

I was a lot less worried about my outfits than the games. And once the shows had been filmed, I wasn't worried about something I couldn't change.

How do you retain so much knowledge about so many broad topics? For example, I can easily retain information about Psychology simply because I love it and study it but in your case you don't really know what is going to be asked so how can you prepare?

Just lucky, I guess! I'm lucky to have a great memory. I tried to cast a wide net and learn more about areas where I was weak. But, there are some topics I have a hard time remembering- not everything sticks!

What's Roger like in real life? Is he cool?

I only spent an hour or two with him, but yes! It was lots of fun hanging out with him, Dan Pawson, and Keith Williams. I hope I get to meet other Jeopardy! champs- it seems like a fun group!

Were the other contestants intimidated once they found out you had won so many games already?

When I got to the show, Sandie Baker was returning after having won 3 games, and I found her intimidating because of her Jeopardy skills. She was perfectly friendly and congenial. So, probably a little bit.

Congrats on the wins! I watched all your episodes.

How many days in total were you there? Don't they film multiple episodes back to back? Did you become friends with any of the competitors?

I made several trips to LA. The show films 5 shows a day, two days a week. So, I had 4 full days of taping, plus part of the fifth. I've kept in touch with a bunch of other contestants; lots of nice people!

What was your experience in trivia before Jeopardy, Julia? Did you ever play Quizbowl?

I like to play Trivial Pursuit. I've never participated in Quizbowl, Scholastic Bowl, Academic Decathlon or anything else like that.

Can you recommend any books? Or what is your favorite book of all time? Either one.

I loved the Goldfinch by Donna Tartt! I also am a big fan of Jhumpa Lahiri and Junot Diaz.

Hi! My husband who's NOT a Redditor wants to know how you knew what to pack for an indefinite Jeopardy stint. Did you pack enough clothes? We're you allowed to travel back home to get more? Did they provide you with the clothes?

Also, he took the Jeopardy test earlier this year and is waiting to see if he gets picked. (He's an Engineer/Lawyer) Any advice for him? Thanks!

Good luck to your husband! If he doesn't get picked, keep trying! It's well worth it, and lots of people (like me) try out more than once!

I traveled back and forth a few times. If you get picked early on the first taping day and carry over to the second, I've heard that some people buy more shirts at Target or something. I repeated my outfits, and brought more clothes on my second trip.

Congratulations Julia! My whole family watched when you were on and you were so fun to watch! Did you have certain pattern of things you did before taping to make you feel powerful and awesome? Did you have a good luck charm with you?

I wore a ring my grandmother gave me for most of my games. You're with the other contestants before the show starts so you can't really give yourself a big pep talk. But, I usually told myself I was going to win this one, and marched on out to the stage.

Were you ready to be done once the 20 games were over? Or did you want to keep playing?

I really, really, really wanted to keep playing. When I told Alex I was having the time of my life, I meant it!