Mixon, who attended William Penn and competed on the women's track and field team from 2006-2007, had a once-in-a-lifetime experience recently as a cast member on this fall's Survivor: Nicaragua, which premieres on CBS on Wednesday, September 15 at 8/7c. It is the 21st installment of one of the most, if not the most, popular reality shows in television history.

Watch Na Onka's biography video

Currently working as a personal trainer and physical education teacher for the YMCA in the Los Angeles area, Mixon was an NAIA All-American in 2006 by placing sixth in the triple jump at the outdoor national championships. The school record-holder in the high (5-5, 2007), long (18-9.75, 2007), and triple jumps (39-3.75, 2006), she also earned six Midwest Collegiate Conference Athlete of the Week honors during her Penn career.

Despite her successes on the field of competition, Mixon declared that nothing could have prepared her for life on a remote island, thousands of miles from home.

Although she cannot talk about most of life on the show, including spending time with cast member and Super Bowl-winning coach Jimmy Johnson, she did say she took away some valuable life lessons, especially on not taking anything for granted.

The 27-year-old, who will be a member of the La Flor tribe (which means ‘yellow'), explained that the show had its share of hard and unpleasant times, but that it was fun as well.

Now that she is back to civilization, Mixon looks back fondly on her days in Nicaragua, but said it was quite a whirlwind and sometimes wonders if it actually happened.

"You land in the airport and it is like they just throw you onto a different planet," Mixon said. "You are there for a time and then they just pull you out and spit you back into the airport and into real life again. There were a lot of very surreal times down there. The first few days of being back, everything seemed new again and looked different as if I totally forgot what life was like back at home. It was really weird."

Asked what her nicest amenity is since being home, Mixon immediately answered her bed.

"Besides my family's love and support, my bed is awesome to have again because it is so warm and comfortable and soft," Mixon said. "It is so much better than leaning up against trees or laying in the dirt. Having clean, fresh-smelling clothes is also huge. Basically, every little thing that we forget about is magnified and is so special to me now."

Watch Na Onka attempt to ‘Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast' her Survivor competitors this fall. As long as she continues on the show and if the CBS permits it, the William Penn athletics website will provide weekly Q&A sessions with her about each week's show.

For more information on the show, click here