Kamie Crawford Has Stayed in Touch with People from Catfish Since Her Departure: ‘I Keep Tabs’ (Exclusive)

Kamie Crawford will never truly leave Catfish behind.

The model spoke to PEOPLE at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 60th anniversary on Nov. 14 about her exit from the MTV hit and what is next for her. After being on the show for six years, Crawford, 32, says she is ready to explore whatever opportunities come her way.

“I feel like the world is my oyster and it sounds very cliche, but I really feel like anything that I want to do from here on out, I have such an incredible support system and built-in fan base,” she says. “When I made the announcement that I was leaving Catfish, people were like, ‘We will follow you wherever,’ and I do not take that lightly.”

“You see people like you for your personality — that I don’t take that for granted,” she adds. “I just feel blessed that it all worked out.”

Even though she isn’t returning to Catfish, Crawford says she will never forget the people she met on the show. 

“I mean, I’ve also reached out to people — we have such close time together to just have the cameras go off and then we’re just traveling in that way,” she reflects, adding that often it is people’s “first flight.” 

“I keep tabs, I keep in touch,” she shares. “I find people’s Instagrams and I stalk them. Yes, I do.”

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The Relationsh*t podcast host announced her departure from Catfish on Oct. 3, later telling PEOPLE she knew it was the right decision.

“We did over 100 episodes in one season. But that’s because that’s how we operate. It would be like, ‘Oh, a set of episodes,’ and then, we would take a break,” she explained. “And then, a set of episodes and take a break. But it was all one season. So it was all pretty much all of season 8, and then, I did a few episodes in season 7 at the end, and then a few episodes at the top of season 9.”

Admitting that “it was a lot,” Crawford said, “There’s never been, I don’t think, a show that has operated like that. So it was a lot. It was intense. But I’ve always been somebody who thrives when I have a lot going on. I feel it’s when I don’t have a lot going on that I’m like, ‘What do I do?’”

While she was co-hosting Catfish with Nev Schulman, Crawford was also hosting Are You the One? and Ex On the Beach for MTV in addition to working on her podcast. She said she does “enjoy having multiple jobs” and “always wanted to be everywhere,” so it was difficult to officially leave Catfish. 

“It has been in my life for six years, and the fans are the best fans in the entire world. They truly, truly are,” she said. “And even when I made the announcement, they were like, ‘We will follow you wherever you go.’ So that made it worth it.”

“I think that sometimes you just have to do what’s best for you and live life with no regrets and see what else can come your way,” she continued. “I operate with an open hand of just, whatever is for me is going to flow to me, and whatever the next opportunity is, it’s meant to be. Sometimes one chapter has to close for another one to start. So I’m excited.”