It was the summer before my freshman year of college. After already getting accepted into my university, the next thing I wanted to see in my mailbox was room assignments. Once they finally came into the mail I read the names, and instantly added them all on Facebook. When I looked up my first roommate, I noticed she was from out of state and also I recognized her from cheer tryouts. When looking at my second roommate I noticed I found my third roommate. They appeared to be best friends, which was already kind of intimidating. Then upon creeping on my third roommate I saw post of her competing in beauty pageants. I quickly reserved my thoughts (I know It’s not right to judge;) but I, along with rest of non-beauty pageant America, all have our stereotypical thoughts on the type of girls who compete in these events. We all think….
1. They’re shallow
After rooming with my roommate, I learned they’re far from shallow. The on-going joke in our room was that she was our “mom.” Anytime someone went somewhere, she would never hesitate to tell us to text or call her if we needed her. She also had the biggest heart. I recall one day we passed by a homeless guy who was wearing a war veteran hat. She literally turned her car around to give him all the money she had on her.
2. It doesn’t take dedication or talent
I always knew you had to prepare for these events, but I never knew how intense it was until I roomed with my roommate. Upon learning about our university's beauty pageant, I already knew that she was going to enter. I was excited to see the behind the scenes of preparing for a pageant.There were endless nights of mock question segments, make-up and hair trails, and a lot of practicing her talent. Her talent was quite impressive. She twirled batons to the song “You Can’t Stop The Beat.” (PS: I now know all the words to that song.)
3. They’re dumb
I don’t know why we think there isn’t such a thing as beauty and brains, because my roommate definitely proved me wrong. She was her high school’s valedictorian and she also made The President’s List all throughout freshman year. She also knew how to spot a good guy from a bad guy. If it wasn’t for her I probably wouldn’t have dated my boyfriend (smart call.)
4. They’re stuck up
Of course, we have this perception of them being stuck up. We think that all they care about is their looks, but I had many “heart to heart” conversations with her. She never turned her nose at anybody, and was always willing to listen to our “problems.”
5. They’re boring
Let me tell you, I’ve had some of the best laughs with her. She always had an interesting story about her day. Honestly, when she had a story I always would try not to laugh before she told us what happened to her, because I always knew it was probably going to be funny.
6. They’re judgmental
You would think since they get judged, they be the judges of people in their own lives. I was completely wrong; she never deliberately went out of her way to criticize someone. She was always supportive of what made someone happy.
7. They think they’re perfect
First, let me say no one is perfect. So I have no clue why we hold beauty pageant contestants to this standard outside of the beauty pageant world. They’re real people too, and deal with what every teenage or college girl deals with. My roommate had real life problems too.
8. Beauty pageants are all about looks
This is far from the truth. After reading some of the questions she had to answer, I learned that the average Americans probably wouldn't be able to answer them. Especially having a limited time and not knowing what question you were going to get. She proved to me that you have to be well-rounded.
9. That it’s one big catty competition
We think that girls in the pageant world hate each other. We think they try to sabotage each other’s performances, but it’s not like that all. I couldn’t count how many times my roommate let girls wear her old pageant dresses and help coach up-coming beauty queens.
10. You don’t benefit from them
I couldn’t tell you how much I believed this stereotype. I thought pageants were pointless, and unfulfilling. After rooming with my roommate, I learned that these pageants instilled many great qualities in her. She was very well-rounded, disciplined and caring.
So yes, I once believed the stereotypes, but after rooming with my roommate she opened my eyes. It’s so much more that meets the eye to a “Beauty Queen.” I feel that we have to break these stereotypes and stop demeaning these girls. It takes so much more than standing on stage and looking “perfect.” I am very thankful for the awesome and eye-opening experience I had with her!
