Growing up, I did a couple pageants, one when I was six and another one when I was about ten.  For me, it was just a day when I got to look extra pretty, but nothing out of the ordinary. It wasn’t until this past Saturday that I really experienced the smell of hairspray and desperation in a beauty pageant. It was something different.

To be honest, I entered the the Miss HBHS pageant just for the sole experience. Of course, any of the contestants would love that rewarding feeling when the mcee yells your name after the words “and the 2011 Miss HBHS is…”, but I just wanted to be part of it.

The day before the pageant, my mom seemed to be more exited than I was. She prepared everything and gave me some pageant tips, for she herself had been a beauty pageant queen in her teens.

That night I slept right through without hesitation.

The day of the pageant was a rush. From the moment I started doing my hair to the moment I walked onto stage everything happened so quick. When I had to answer the question on stage, coming up with an answer on the spot was extremely intimidating. Stage-fright gave in, and I felt a million butterflies flying in my stomach. I knew there was no going back once I stepped on the stage.

Luckily, my parents, my best friends, and my boyfriend were there to support every step I took.  Hearing them cheer for me made everything less nerve-wracking.

Time flew. It was 10 p.m. and the pageant was over. Even though I didn’t win anything, I felt like a true queen. It was such a fun experience and everything was worth going through.