WHY DID I CHOOSE TO COMPETE IN A PAGEANT?

 

WHY DID I CHOOSE TO COMPETE IN A PAGEANT?

 Today I will be discussing why I decided to apply to a pageant and compete. 

There were TWO MAIN REASONS for me when I entered the MISS WISCONSIN USA 2023 Pageant. 

So Let's Hop Right In: 

To Overcome My Anxiety and To Gain Experience and Personal Growth

 Overcoming anxiety is not easy. At all. I was diagnosed with severe anxiety in 2020. Before the diagnosis, I felt I had anxiety but not that bad. 

I was obviously wrong. 

 When I was younger, I hated public speaking, especially by myself. I never wanted to do a speech or presentation by myself without someone with me. I never understood why that was, I just assumed that it was fear and I'd get over it over time. That did not happen.

 It got worse and worse, all the way up to my diagnosis. I had taken a class my freshmen year that helped a little, but not a lot. A year goes by and my anxiety has not gotten any better or worse, and neither is my public speaking. 

It was halfway through the school year when I came across an ad for MISS WISCONSIN USA. Actually, I came across multiple ads on different social media platforms. 

Initially, I was not planning on clicking the link and applying. 

I thought about it for a couple of days and decided that maybe doing the pageant would help with my anxiety, so I took a shot clicked the link, and applied. A few hours later, I got an email saying that I was selected as a contestant. 

You'd think that my first reaction would be, "OMG! YES."

Nope.

I said, "Oh no! What was I thinking?!" 

 It took me about two weeks after I was selected as a contestant to actually open the email look through it and read all of the information. 

 Even looking at an email gave me anxiety. 

 But, in the end, I did it. 

 I sent in all of the information that was needed to secure my spot and I was on my way to Miss Wisconsin USA!!

 Competing = Experience. For me competing, was not easy. I did not prep at all. I had no coach, no hair or make-up artist, and I did not practice my walk or my poses.

I basically winged it.

I had aced my interview. But, my walking and posing needed a lot of work. 

   I was not the only woman there competing for the first time ( I did not feel so alone now), but they were quickly, almost effortlessly able to convey grace and buoyancy during rehearsals. They seemed to be gliding across the stage, while I was somewhat walking around like a chicken with its head cut off (but, now, I can remember where to walk, the steps, and everything. LOL). 

All of it was new to me. 

As rehearsal progressed, I became more comfortable with walking and posing. 

I thought I had this pageant in the bag. 

I did not. 

When it came time to preliminaries, my nerves and anxiety started to intensify. 

People. Spotlights. Videocameras. Livestream. It was all too much at the time. 

That was my downfall. 

 After prelims and the finals, I was given constructive criticism on how to better my walk such as slowing down, relaxing when posing, and watching YouTube videos on how other competitors for other pageants walk across the stage (I RECOMMEND WATCHING VIDEOS. IT HELPS). Also, Instagram AND Pageant Planet are great sources for finding coaches and hair & makeup artists!! 

 In the end, I did not place but I made some incredible memories and equally incredible friends and pageant sisters. It was an entirely different experience than what I first thought it would be. But, If I could go back in time, I would've applied immediately and gotten coaching going forward. 

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