Matt Barnett of Love Is Blind prefers a life of mathematics and without social media's underlying intentions. Viewers of the hit Netflix breakout series know the snippet title of his career, "engineer."
But what does that mean beneath the surface, and how did he get to where he is today? He exclusively shared that answer and more with TheThings.
Barnett's Engineer Path
On the show, they do specify that you're an engineer. What is it that you do?
"Right now I'm in construction. I'm in project management for a general contractor. Buildings, high-rises. My degree is actually in environmental engineering, which is an offshoot of civil engineering. Most of my career has been mechanical engineering."
Was that the dream, that you've always wanted to be an engineer?
"Not necessarily so. I've always been good at science and math, so that's kind of where it led me to. I think whenever I was in college I started out as biomedical engineering because I was interested in medicine and things like that. But I quickly changed majors my first year."
Barnett tried nearly every branch of engineering on the map until he landed on the right route for himself. He stuck with environmental engineering and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
College Life Outside Of The Library
We saw his personality unfold on Love Is Blind, appearing confident and ready to chat it up with the women until he found his potential partner. Barnett outside of Netflix, however, may not have been the partying frat boy that viewers might've pictured.
You're so outgoing, that's why you and Amber seem to work so well. Were you in a fraternity or were you more of a traditional engineer?
"In college my freshman year, I joined a fraternity. I pledged a fraternity and I was also playing baseball. (I) quit the fraternity when I got cut from the baseball team."
His committed relationship whilst in college also made him less of a "Saturday for the Boys" kind of guy, as he described it.
"I had a long-term girlfriend so I didn't party way too much in college. I was more of a go-home kind of thing," He squinted his eyes towards the Georgia sunlight and concluded, "Ya, I wasn't as much of a partier as I seem to be now."
"I never considered myself, I didn't have the 'frat guy' personality in college. I still don't think I do, necessarily. Maybe I do now, I don't know. I kind of put off that vibe now, I feel."
From our Zoom view, he acts more like someone who was a bit caught up in the limelight but leads a normal life filled with the love that he sought in the first place. Production edits can also emphasize quirks. Perhaps one of Barnett's quirks is a sprinkle of frat-ness within his personality.
What Was His Dating Game?
Furthering the idea that he may have come off the wrong way at times while filming Love Is Blind, he explained how he approached dating before meeting and falling for Amber.
Were you kind of that guy who played girls?
"I've always been a long-term relationship guy. I've been in three-ish long-term relationships outside of my marriage. They were all about two or three years long each."
He stated this matter-of-factly, wanting to get the point across that he's stayed close to his morals and how he's valued committed relationships.
It's funny that you say this because you really do come off differently. That's nice to hear.
"I mean, there was a lot of alcohol involved in the show. I think that confidence comes from liquid courage, right? It may have helped out a little bit. Between those relationships, I did date around...It was not a long period of time."
That 'long period of time' being his short spurts of months spent on dating apps.
Barnett was not exactly going on and on about these past relationships, understandably. He found the person he's meant to make TikToks with about eating oysters and overall make marriage fresh.
He delved into them just enough to give the show's viewers a more accurate depiction of his character. Someone who downs Fireball shots with his soulmate on ski lifts then wakes up for work on Monday as an assistant project manager.