Something most people don't know about me is that I was once a princess. But probably not in the way you're thinking. I was awarded the position of Miss Congeniality on my town's royalty during high school. Many stereotypes go along with being a "princess," so here is a look into what it was truly like.

First off, the judging process was very intense. Me, along with some other girls my age were all vying for a position on the town's court and went through many trials to be considered for the position. Our judges were prestigious people within the royalty community from many different backgrounds and positions throughout their reign.

Our first event of the summer was an interview with all of the judges. We had a "speed round" with each judge individually as well as a panel interview with all of the judges. This was a fun event to get to know the judges a bit better, as well as a bit nerve-wracking.

The second judging event was the talent show. We all had to perform a special talent for the crowd, as well as answer a hand-picked question on stage. Throughout the summer, we attended many different volunteer events such as meat raffles, parades, and home sporting events to get out in the community.

The coronation was the most nerve-wracking event of them all. We were asked one final question on stage, and it was finally time to crown the new court. I was crowned Miss Congeniality, as voted on by the rest of the girls. There was also a queen and two other princesses crowned alongside me.

Our reign began in the fall with a few events around the community - similar to what we did during our candidacy. Meat raffles to raise money, a candle-lighting ceremony at the hospital, and an elf play during the winter were just a few of the events at which we volunteered. Our busiest time was during the following summer.

We attended at least 30 parades in many different towns near ours. We sat on our town's float in our crowns and dresses to show off our court. Afterwards, we often went to the town carnival or other local events.

Being a princess is not what you think. Most people assume it is all about the crowns and sparkles (which--I'll admit--is part of it). But in reality, we spent most of our time volunteering and representing our hometown in a positive way. I loved my time being Miss Congeniality and encourage everyone to try out for their town royalty because through it, I made great memories and even better friends!