Since 1952, women all over the country have been vying for their state titles with the hope that they would be able to represent their state at the Miss USA pageant.

The pageant consists of three different competitions. The first is an interview portion where each woman sits down with a panel of judges. The women are supposed to answer questions honestly and in a way that they think best showcases their true selves. From there, each contestant will participate in both the on-stage swimsuit and the evening gown portion. Eventually, after both the preliminary and the final competition is complete, one very lucky woman will be crowned Miss USA and she will represent our country for the year, as well as compete in the Miss Universe pageant. This year, the pageant was held in Shreveport, Louisiana, and for the first time ever, Miss Nebraska, Sarah Rose Summers, took home the crown.

Since as early as I can remember, my mom and I would sit down together each year and watch the Miss USA pageant. We would try to guess who the lucky lady would be and every single time we would sit and wait to hear the name, unsure of who would take the crown. While we did watch the pageant just like every other year, there was one thing that was a little different from years past. This time we were sure of who the winner was before they even announced her name.

From the moment she walked out during her introduction, you could tell that she was genuinely excited to be there. There was a huge smile plastered across her face and though she was walking on stage in front of millions of people around the country, she didn't seem to be nervous in the slightest.

After she was announced into the top 15, viewers got to see a short video where Sarah explained that when she was just five years old, she was spending a lot of her time in a children's hospital. She said that thanks to her amazing nurse, she was able to find her passion in life. She finds it very empowering to help patients understand their diagnosis and give them the support they need during tough times.

Having competed in a pageant when I was just sixteen years old, I know how nerve-wracking it can be to walk out on stage in only a swimsuit, but Miss Nebraska did it with such confidence and ease that she made it look like it was no big deal. Her confidence continued over into the evening gown portion. She walked out with a huge smile on her face, holding the train of her dress out to the sides, making her entrance, by far the most dramatic of the evening.

After the evening gown portion, she advanced into the top five which meant she would have to answer an on-stage question. When it was her turn to answer her question, she made her way to the microphone and even did a little dance which made it seem like she was anything but nervous to answer a question she had never heard before in front of millions of people watching.

She didn't get to finish her answer to Miss Florida's question, but her excitement and confidence definitely sealed her a spot in the top 3. Sarah had to answer one more on-stage question, again she did a little dance and seemed genuinely excited to answer another question. It was after her response to the final question, that I knew without a doubt she was going to be crowned Miss USA 2018.

Sarah embodies everything that Miss USA should. She brought a calm and confident attitude to the stage that no other contestant had. She seemed real and genuine during both her video and her on-stage questions. Judges always say they want a woman who is confident and fresh, but also one that gives off that girl-next-door vibe, and I think they've found both with Miss Nebraska. I wish nothing but good luck to Sarah and I cannot wait to see all that she accomplishes within her year as Miss USA 2018.