I was invited to join the contestants of this year's Miss Asia Utah pageant for their orientation meeting and speak to them about my experience in pageantry and what makes a winner. I shared with them an acronym which I created that helped me in my Miss Southern Utah pageant, and I am now utilizing in my preparation for Miss Utah. The acronym is Go for G.O.L.D.!
I have found that focusing on what you can Give to the pageant rather than what you can Get out of it helps to make the experience more meaningful. Also, being Genuine is the biggest key in any competition, being yourself ensures that you come out satisfied with your performance.
Organization is the key to putting your best foot forward in a competition. Being organized helps you to feel prepared when pageant day comes.
A pageant has not done you justice if you don't Learn and Live through the experience. The Miss America Organization is concerned with turning out successful, accomplished women, not just queens.
The last part of the acronym is Determination, Don't give up. I tried to convey to the girls that whether you walk away from the competition with a crown or not, it is all about timing. It may be your turn to be queen or it might be your turn to do something else but if you truely believe this is something you love, then try again because it will only benefit you more and more each time.
Good luck to all of the contestants!!!