Do you have what it takes to endure?

A boy I went to school with was once on reality tv.

I've never been a big fan of Survivor. I can't watch people eat bugs without losing my own stomach. It makes me nervous that they are sleeping on the ground in the middle of some random jungle. The idea of the show just isn't really interesting to me.

But I have watched and liked Discovery Kids' Survior knockoff, Endurance. For the most part, the shows are very similar. A group of kids get together at a different exotic location, they participate in challenges and try to make it to the end without getting voted out. There are some differences, though. For example, the kids are split up into two-person teams, and every week two teams get sent to "temple," where they compete for the right to stay. The challenges they take part in are not as extreme as Survivor, but they are difficult nonetheless.

I found the season Edurance: Fiji especially interesting because Ben Scheuer, who was a freshman at my high school at that time, was one of the shows participants. He and his partner Jordan actually ended up winning! He was a celebrity in our small town, and it was so cool to see him on screen. Some of his good friends even made shirts that read (Ben)durance. To be honest, I stopped watching the show after Ben's season, but during that time I felt special by association.

Another note: I think Endurance has a lot of great qualities Survivor doesn't. The show teaches teens how to work together and as part of a team. The challenges helps them discover how strong they really are and how much they can do when they try. These kids all become such great friends.

I'm not sure if Endurance is still on the air, but I think it had a lot of redeeming qualities, even though it was (is) a reality tv show.