Hey y’all, as some of you may already know I recently participated in the Miss LSU-USA Pageant. 

A whirlwind experience to say the least I thought it’d be fun to walk you non-pageant people through my journey. 

First, to be clear, I’ve never done anything like this. Nothing. I thought my one dance class I took when I was four would be adequate preparation...yea, not quite. I had practices once a week, walks to learn, and a big dance routine. On a regular basis, I don’t wear make up. I eat mostly what I want. I only work out because I like it, not because I want to be ridiculously fit. Before Miss LSU, I hated formal gowns. I hated hair and makeup. I especially hated dieting.

Enter late January, and our first practice. I found myself surrounded by beautiful, and I mean BEAUTIFUL, women. I was intimidated and wanted to run out the room, send an email saying I had changed my mind and forget that I had ever signed up for this. However as we went around the room to introduce ourselves, I realized I knew a few of the contestants already, everyone else seemed nice and not too hard to look at directly on (I mean it when I say these girls are gorgeous). After introductions, we began to learn the dance routine. Just a hint: choreographed dancing is never the friend of someone who likes to pop lock and drop it. This dance was no exception, and I was happy when our Golden Girl instructor put me in the back. Anywho, the first practice ended and I thought to myself this is ok, it’s not so bad, and I think I can do this. 

The practices kept coming and I got to know the girls really well. They were intelligent, witty, and genuinely kind all the way through. I needed so much help with knowing what to wear, how to do my hair, how to walk and especially the dance, oh the dance. I wouldn’t have felt prepared without them and by the end of it I began to feel like I had 20 new friends. They actually appreciated my honesty and when I had questions everyone was happy to help and was extremely understanding about my pageant experience or lack there of. 

Finally, the big day came and I couldn’t help but feel nervous. I’m never nervous. I’ve always been more than comfortable at center stage, especially involving humor. Since the whole time I had the feeling I was just doing it to challenge myself and try something new, it had never dawned on me until the day of that I’d actually have to come across as graceful and poised in front of hundreds of people. All day I dreaded being on stage. I had my make up done for the first time and my hair curled and teased. I still didn’t feel ready. 

When we walked on stage for the opening number, I was nervous as hell. Then the next thing you know, the dance routine came and went, and I didn't fall! I managed to hit almost every move, HUGE moment for me. We changed into swimsuits, and I finally felt confident. You’d think you’d be the most nervous about being half naked in front of strangers, but we all felt extremely good about it. I strutted my stuff and could hear my family, friends and DZ sisters cheering, so I must have been doing something right! At last, we performed the evening gown portion and I walked slowly and surely.

To be honest, I had always relied on my humor and personality to feel like a strong, beautiful person. I've never truly felt beautiful in my appearance or confident in that aspect. It’s always easier being the funny one. That night, in that moment, I felt really and truly beautiful. I felt proud of my life, my accomplishments and my dreams for the future. Somehow my inside and outside finally combined into the person I am. 

As they began to do awards, I was looking happy. Happy to have been here, challenged myself, and to have a completely new sense of confidence that I never thought I would have. Two minutes later of not listening at all and being just content in the moment, I heard the announcer call my name for Miss Congeniality. I freaked out because this is the only award I could have dreamed of. I didn’t expect it. I was touched to know these women who I initially thought I was so different from, felt close to me after our journey together. 

Later, my friend Deandra would go on to be our 2014 Miss LSU-USA. All of us couldn’t have been happier, as we all thought she was very deserving. An amazing individual, she came across exactly how she is: gorgeous, calm and eloquent. 

So what did I learn from this experience? I learned that pageants are most definitely not about trained toy poodles standing and smiling in spots on a stage. Being Miss LSU-USA and competing in this pageant means you have to be a strong, confident woman. Pageants combine who you are as a person and how you can carry that out into your appearance. It's a true talent to know yourself so well, that you can feel confident with who you are. This for me was truly a once in a lifetime experience. It was not only my sorority’s philanthropy, but also an opportunity to gain 20 new friends that I will forever share this journey with. I will never think about pageants the same, and I will always be grateful for being able to learn so much about who I am.