When I received my housing information for my freshman year of college I was the expected mix of nervous and excited. Who are these girls that I will be living with for the next year? Are we going to get along? Will I experience those classic roommate horror stories that everyone talks about? But who did I get as a roommate? A pageant queen, that's who?

I wasn't sure how to respond to this news and became immediately skeptical (this skepticism being a product of only seeing a few episodes of Toddlers and Tiaras as well as the great Honey Boo Boo). Would she be completely outrageous and high maintenance? Would she judge me for my no where near "pageant girl" looks? Whenever people would ask me about my housing situation I would always respond with "well my roommate is an actual queen so..." leaving my friends and family to put together my judgmental pieces.

However, I have come to realize that all of those empty nerves have disappeared and my roommate has single handedly shattered any negative stigmas I have collected over the years of beauty pageants. After living together for some time now, I have picked up a few things on what "pageant girls" are truly like. . .

Pageant girls know how to keep it classy. They know what is and what is not appropriate in basically every situation. They know how to dress for any occasion and manage to always look presentable. Between the excellent posture and lady-like manners, these girls are force to be reckoned with.

Pageant girls know that it is important to be well-informed and that having an opinion is important. This value can be found true in many people but pageant girls know that being aware of what is going on in the world is imperative for not only a successful pageant but for a successful life.

There are cosmetic tricks that only pageants girls know. Whether it's the magical functions of hairspray, last minute spot removal, or which store-brand product is actually better than the name brand, these girls know it all and if you're lucky they will share those ticks with you.

Pageants are hard work. To win big you must act big. Pageants, although full of glamour and grace are the finish line to months of dedication to strenuous workout routines, studying, strict diets, and preparation. Pageant girls don't just wake up on the day of their competitions with the rock hard abs. No, they set goals for themselves and work everyday to accomplish them

Pageants will teach you more life lessons than you realize. What's crazy about pageants is that you can be the best and still lose. There are politics and factors way out of the girls' control. Although these obstacles can be heart breaking at times, they offer life lessons that ultimately teach character and tenacity.

Pageant girls have friends everywhere. There are pageants all over the country and way more pageants girls than I had ever realized. It's not uncommon for pageant girls to run into a friend or at least someone they have competed with on daily basis.

The pride that a pageant girl has for the town/county/state/country that they represent is like no other. They are proud of title that they represent. They wear their sash and crown with pride and honor as they know they represent more than just themselves.

Pageant parents- they are truly one of a kind. With every great pageant girl, there are more than likely great pageant parents right behind her. They are their daughters' biggest fans, supporters and will put in tireless work to see their loved one be crowned.

Honestly, I have learned a lot from rooming with a pageant girl. She has taught me to throw out any preconceived ideas that I had formulated from the media's representation of what pageants and the ladies that compete in them are all about. These girls work and aim for "perfection." They attempt to live their lives by example and represent their town, county, or state in the best way possible. But if there is anything that I have learned from a pageant girl, it's this: Truly, it is not easy being Queen.