I always encourage girls to try different pageant systems because different systems look for and offer different things. However, when competing, I find that many girls do not ask the director all of the questions they should be asking. It is important to ask the right questions so you do not end up regretting your year, having to give up your title, or wishing you never competed in the first place. You should also be asking the right questions so you can have the best experience possible!
Here is my list of 7 questions that YOU should be asking BEFORE you compete:
1. What sort of paperwork is involved?
Is there an application? Resume for the judges (if so, how many copies should I bring)? Are there emcee cards? Are there optional contests to enter (and if so, what paperwork is needed for that)? Do I need a headshot for a program book? Is there a program book card?
You do not want to be the ONE girl at registration who did not know about a resume. You do not want to be the girl in the program book who is missing her headshot OR a required ad page. It is important to know what paperwork is involved, from beginning to end, so you are as prepared as possible.
2. Is there a non-compete clause involved?
After your crowning moment is over, you may be asked to sign some paperwork. This is not the time you want to be hit with a "non-compete clause" or other clauses that you were not aware of until after your special moment. It is important to ask (before you compete), what the contract requires of you.
In the pageant world, a non-compete clause means that you will not compete elsewhere during the year of your. This means that once you win that title, you are their titleholder until you crown your successor and you cannot compete in other pageants until you give up this title. Again, you do not want to figure this out AFTER your crowning.
3. Are there required or suggested appearances?
Some pageants require a particular number of appearances during your year as a titleholder. And some pageants will take your title back if you do not complete this requirement. It is very important to know if there is a required number of appearances for your year OR if there is a suggested amount. If so, you should ask (before the pageant) how you are to go about booking these appearances. Some pageants have booking directors or business managers that handle this detail...but many do not. It is important to figure out (before you compete) if this is something you will be required to figure out.
4. How involved will my director be in my year?
It is unfortunate that some pageants do not have super involved directors...yet, some do. It is important to figure out how involved your director will be in your year as a titleholder because you may want them to help you prepare for nationals, help you book appearances etc. If they are not involved, you may end up disappointed during your experience.
5. What exactly are you looking for in a titleholder?
Are you looking for an ambassador? Are you looking for a year-long volunteer who will go out and recruit girls? Are you looking for someone who will just show up next year and crown her successor? What exactly do you want and like in an ideal titleholder?
It is important to know what your 'job' requires so you can be the best titleholder possible. It is also important to know what is required of you so when you are speaking in the interview room, you can speak intelligently about the job.
Maybe your director is looking for someone who will help build the brand/company/organization! If this is not something you can fit into your schedule, it is very important to know this in advance of winning! I know you would not be happy if you had to give your title back because you did not fulfill the requirements.
Also, it would be good to know what is expected of you. Are you expected to pay for nationals yourself (entry fees, ad pages, optionals, etc)? Are you expected to turn in a silent auction basket or raise money for a charity? Are you expected to make a specific number of appearances during your year? These are just some of the questions you should be asking to understand what is really desired in a titleholder (for that specific system).
6. Are pageant coaches allowed? What about hair and makeup people? What about my mom backstage?
Some pageants do not allow pageant coaches to be involved. Some pageants do not allow hair and makeup people in the dressing room. And some pageants only allow the youngest age group to have a mom backstage.
It is important to know what is and is not allowed backstage so that you are not breaking any rules. You do not want to be labeled or blacklisted because you cannot follow rules; trust me, people talk.
7. How can I get feedback? Are scores automatically sent to me? What about comments?
Some pageants automatically send you feedback. Some pageants require that you pay a small fee ahead of time for your feedback.
Please note that comments and scores are two different things. Sometimes you may just get the number score the judges gave you (for example, 1-10), sometimes you may get comments (for example, "walk slower in evening wear" etc), and sometimes you can get both. This is the jackpot! Use these comments and scores for your personal development! Read over these without getting angry and figure out where you can improve - feedback is gold!
Do not get angry if you have to pay for feedback - many times, pageant offices have to sort through 100s of judges forms to find specific contestants, they then type up all of the comments (whichever they can decipher to be honest), stamp, and mail your comments. This requires human labor - this cannot be automatically done. I try to never take offense when a pageant has a fee for something because it usually means that someone is actually working 'behind the scenes' to make that something happen. Also, do not get angry if you want feedback and then after the pageant, find out that you cannot get it. If feedback was important to you, you should have inquired prior to the pageant to find out if it would be available.
Some pageant coaches, like myself, love to see your videos. Videos/dvds can say a lot! This allows for a professional to evaluate your performance and give you feedback. Let me honest and say that not all pageant judges are professionals.
Conclusion:
There are many questions that you should ask before competing! Make sure you are asking the right questions so you have the best experience possible.
<3 Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I'd love to hear from you!
#TeamBV
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015
5 things to NEVER say in interview
Thinking about what you could eliminate from your interview? Thinking about your last interview and wishing you did not say something?
Here is BV's Top Five Things to NEVER Say In Interview:
1. Filler words
Um...
Like...
Well...
Such As...
Why? Seriously, why? Do not be so eager to fill the air with a response. Take a moment to think and absorb the question, then respond. What feels like 10 seconds in your mind, is most likely 3-5 seconds for the judge. Relax, breathe, then respond.
Example:
Judge: "What is your favorite book?"
You: (smile, breathe) "I really enjoyed reading..."
*note: I inserted a smile here because if it is your "favorite" book, it'll probably make you happy...and if you really enjoyed it, you would smile. A lack of facial expression will make you look like a robot...or zombie.
2. "I Don't Know"
Yes, you do. Think about it. Again - do not be so eager to just fill the air with a response. Take a moment and think. And if you really do not know, politely ask for clarification - maybe the explanation can help you! Just like when you were in the school spelling bee and asked for a word to be used in a sentence so you could better understand...
3. "You know"
Example, "I like Maryland because of its great history, you know?"
No, I don't know. Tell me. Never assume the judge knows something. It is your job to present the whole picture; failure to do so is leaving the judge hanging. Do YOU like to be left hanging?
4. Cultural indicators
"All that and a bag of chips"
What if I don't like chips? No seriously, avoid being too casual with the judges. This is an interview and you are applying for the job of "the titleholder". Treat this interview like a job interview - be professional, avoid slang, and speak with purpose. Also, some cultural indicators can give away where you are from (for example: "ya'll" = Southern); a titleholder is a representative of all people, not just one type of person.
5. Qualifiers
I think, I believe, I feel - we know that you think, you believe, and you feel, you don't need to tell us again. Get right to the point, stop wasting time. While you're at it, try to avoid repeating the question too - the judge has most likely heard herself/himself say that question at least 20 times, why are you repeating it? You're just taking up time that you could be using to answer your question.
If you liked this blog post or have any comments/questions/concerns, COMMENT below! We want to hear from you! <3
#TeamBV
Here is BV's Top Five Things to NEVER Say In Interview:
1. Filler words
Um...
Like...
Well...
Such As...
Why? Seriously, why? Do not be so eager to fill the air with a response. Take a moment to think and absorb the question, then respond. What feels like 10 seconds in your mind, is most likely 3-5 seconds for the judge. Relax, breathe, then respond.
Example:
Judge: "What is your favorite book?"
You: (smile, breathe) "I really enjoyed reading..."
*note: I inserted a smile here because if it is your "favorite" book, it'll probably make you happy...and if you really enjoyed it, you would smile. A lack of facial expression will make you look like a robot...or zombie.
2. "I Don't Know"
Yes, you do. Think about it. Again - do not be so eager to just fill the air with a response. Take a moment and think. And if you really do not know, politely ask for clarification - maybe the explanation can help you! Just like when you were in the school spelling bee and asked for a word to be used in a sentence so you could better understand...
3. "You know"
Example, "I like Maryland because of its great history, you know?"
No, I don't know. Tell me. Never assume the judge knows something. It is your job to present the whole picture; failure to do so is leaving the judge hanging. Do YOU like to be left hanging?
4. Cultural indicators
"All that and a bag of chips"
What if I don't like chips? No seriously, avoid being too casual with the judges. This is an interview and you are applying for the job of "the titleholder". Treat this interview like a job interview - be professional, avoid slang, and speak with purpose. Also, some cultural indicators can give away where you are from (for example: "ya'll" = Southern); a titleholder is a representative of all people, not just one type of person.
5. Qualifiers
I think, I believe, I feel - we know that you think, you believe, and you feel, you don't need to tell us again. Get right to the point, stop wasting time. While you're at it, try to avoid repeating the question too - the judge has most likely heard herself/himself say that question at least 20 times, why are you repeating it? You're just taking up time that you could be using to answer your question.
If you liked this blog post or have any comments/questions/concerns, COMMENT below! We want to hear from you! <3
#TeamBV
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
5 Ways to Interview Like a Pro
Everyone wants a perfect interview score! After all, many do say that the pageant is won in the interview room! So how can you interview like a pro? Here's just 5 suggestions to help:
1. Memorize concepts and ideas, not words.
You will sound over-rehearsed and fake if you memorize words and try to spit them out when asked. Instead, work on learning concepts, ideas, and themes and try to bring your responses back to your main ideas. Even if you know everything there is to know about the Middle East or alphabet soup, do not rehearse what you will say. Focus on the concepts and you feel about the topic - instead of giving the judges a rehearsed presentation, you can give them the natural you, with natural body language, responses, facial expressions and more!
2. Chat it up!
Prior to interview, do not just sit quietly in a corner. Get someone like mom or your interview coach on the phone and start practicing some questions! I would much rather you go into an interview already warmed up than cold turkey! It takes everyone some time to warm up, so instead of hitting your comfort zone 5 minutes in to the interview, hit the comfort zone as soon as you walk into the room! A warm up is key to a great interview!
3. Be relatable.
From the time you could understand something, your mom or dad told you a story. Stories teach us lessons and ideas. If you've learned and grasped ideas in story form since you were little, don't you think your judges have too? I mean, haven't we all learned not to take things from strangers from Snow White? After all, they could be offering you a poisoned apple!
Think about the stories you can tell the judges to create a visual in their mind and to really in tune with them. Even though you cannot bring a poster board or powerpoint into the interview room, you can still hook your judges in with a good, relevant story...you can shout 'relatability' when they can connect with you and your story. But please, make sure your stories are 20-30 seconds max and do not tell the judges, "ok, I have a story for you"...did mom ever start her stories that way? No.
4. Flip your mindset/understanding of the interview.
You can completely take the pressure off of yourself by remembering that the judges actually do want you to succeed. They do not naturally want to make you fail or cry. It is your job to provide them with the information that says "she is the role model we've been looking for" or "she's the perfect girl to be Miss X". It is your job to provide the judges with ideas, perspectives, concepts, and examples. Focusing on being helpful and conversational can help you to relax. By changing your mindset of "this is a test" to "this is a fun chat about me...and who knows me better than myself", you can flip the interview in your favor!
5. Be clear.
Prior to interview, you should make a chart of some sort. Organize what your main messages are and how you'd like to relay them. Organize what you really want the judges to know about you and figure out how you'd intertwine them in interview.
You can only tell the judges who you are and what your purpose is when YOU are clear on it. You can only express your messages, concepts, passions, and ideas when YOU are clear on them. You can only be passionate when you truly believe in and understand your message.
If you have not organized your messages and ideas prior to interview, you will end up trying to do it IN the interview and you'll start fumbling over your words and really, just embarrassing yourself. Take the time to organize and prepare for the interview like you would prepare for a school test - you'd outline, organize, practice, and then take the test...you wouldn't just jump right into the test, right? I hope so!
1. Memorize concepts and ideas, not words.
You will sound over-rehearsed and fake if you memorize words and try to spit them out when asked. Instead, work on learning concepts, ideas, and themes and try to bring your responses back to your main ideas. Even if you know everything there is to know about the Middle East or alphabet soup, do not rehearse what you will say. Focus on the concepts and you feel about the topic - instead of giving the judges a rehearsed presentation, you can give them the natural you, with natural body language, responses, facial expressions and more!
2. Chat it up!
Prior to interview, do not just sit quietly in a corner. Get someone like mom or your interview coach on the phone and start practicing some questions! I would much rather you go into an interview already warmed up than cold turkey! It takes everyone some time to warm up, so instead of hitting your comfort zone 5 minutes in to the interview, hit the comfort zone as soon as you walk into the room! A warm up is key to a great interview!
3. Be relatable.
From the time you could understand something, your mom or dad told you a story. Stories teach us lessons and ideas. If you've learned and grasped ideas in story form since you were little, don't you think your judges have too? I mean, haven't we all learned not to take things from strangers from Snow White? After all, they could be offering you a poisoned apple!
Think about the stories you can tell the judges to create a visual in their mind and to really in tune with them. Even though you cannot bring a poster board or powerpoint into the interview room, you can still hook your judges in with a good, relevant story...you can shout 'relatability' when they can connect with you and your story. But please, make sure your stories are 20-30 seconds max and do not tell the judges, "ok, I have a story for you"...did mom ever start her stories that way? No.
4. Flip your mindset/understanding of the interview.
You can completely take the pressure off of yourself by remembering that the judges actually do want you to succeed. They do not naturally want to make you fail or cry. It is your job to provide them with the information that says "she is the role model we've been looking for" or "she's the perfect girl to be Miss X". It is your job to provide the judges with ideas, perspectives, concepts, and examples. Focusing on being helpful and conversational can help you to relax. By changing your mindset of "this is a test" to "this is a fun chat about me...and who knows me better than myself", you can flip the interview in your favor!
5. Be clear.
Prior to interview, you should make a chart of some sort. Organize what your main messages are and how you'd like to relay them. Organize what you really want the judges to know about you and figure out how you'd intertwine them in interview.
You can only tell the judges who you are and what your purpose is when YOU are clear on it. You can only express your messages, concepts, passions, and ideas when YOU are clear on them. You can only be passionate when you truly believe in and understand your message.
If you have not organized your messages and ideas prior to interview, you will end up trying to do it IN the interview and you'll start fumbling over your words and really, just embarrassing yourself. Take the time to organize and prepare for the interview like you would prepare for a school test - you'd outline, organize, practice, and then take the test...you wouldn't just jump right into the test, right? I hope so!
Friday, January 30, 2015
5 (Not So Typical) Lessons to Becoming a Pageant Pro
It has been a busy few months here in BV-land! I've helped organize a MAO local, watched Miss Universe, and have judged two pageants since our last blog...so you can bet that I have a lot to say! So I want to present: 5 (Not So Typical) Lessons to Becoming a Pageant Pro. This post is about you as a pageant 'professional', your behavior, your image, etc.
Let me start right off with the ever-popular disclaimer: I am not attacking anyone specific below and if you think you will be offended, click away. If you think you will learn something (or get a good laugh), read on!
1. Why do people think that 'pageant casual' means 'bare the booty' or 'wear the tightest and shortest thing I can find'?
Seriously? You are interviewing for the job of 'national titleholder' or 'state titleholder' or whatever. Be a role model. Have some respect for your body and the organization. I am by no means a prude, but I seriously do not need to see booty cheeks or wonder if you can breathe in that outfit choice.
Dress for the job you want, ladies! Stay classy and be a role model to the younger ones around you. They do indeed look up to you...and should not be able to look up your skirts or dresses with ease. Keep it classy!
2. Mind your face, language, and manners.
Just because you are in a pageant does NOT mean that people are to BOW DOWN to you during pageant week. Many of the personnel on-site are volunteers or are being paid to be there for a production, not for you to be rude to them or disrespect them.
Contestants/families being rude to sponsors? Excuse me?
Contestants/families being rude to theatre personnel? Come again?
The reality is that not everyone can walk away with the crown come finale, but you need to conduct yourself like the respectable young woman that was crowned. You still have a job to do as a local or state titleholder!
And please note, that although you may not say something nasty, your face and body language can say a thousand words! And just because you have a crown on does NOT mean that you can cut lines or not hold doors open for people...stay classy ladies.
3. Consistency wins!
I cannot preach this enough - you must be consistently strong in ALL phases of competition to win. How can you be consistent on stage so you present the same strong image to the judges? Here's just two ideas:
- Practice: if you do not practice with your full hair and makeup and walk with your full fierceness in your competition clothing, things will not go as planned. I can pretty much guarantee it - proper preparation prevents poor performance! Make sure that when you are practicing, you do it full out, or who knows - hair will get stuck in your lip gloss during that full turn or you can trip in your turn and fall out. Oh and another thing, if you didn't practice the turn in the months before the pageant, please do not attempt it while at the pageant - you could trip, fall, and die. ;)
- Figure out your message: what is your consistent message? Are you cool, fresh, independent, and whimsical in interview and then wear a straight, tight, black gown for evening wear? That's not consistent! You have to make sure the judges always recognize you and can identify you will a single, non-confusing message. Make their jobs easy: make them choose you!
4. Grow up and act like a professional.
Taking your qualms to a chat room or chat board is shady, low, and should be beneath you. To attack another contestant or an organization is not professional and personally, proves that you did not win for a reason.
If you have a qualm, question, or issue, be a professional and take it to the person in charge to find a mutually beneficial solution. We pageant people spend so much time talking about bullying and its negative effects on others and then we open the laptop and do the same thing we preach against! Grow up and be a professional.
If you did not win, there was a reason - do not automatically assume conspiracy. Ask for judges comments, review the tapes, etc and figure out how you can improve. Or get a coach or some professional and continue working on yourself - the time you spend on chat boards or gossiping is time that you are losing for personal preparations. Everyone gets angry, but take that anger and frustration and channel it into your preparations instead.
5. One judge does not crown you.
Many pageants include a way to avoid a judge tanking or pushing a specific girl. In the Miss America Organization, for example, auditors will drop the highest and the lowest score in each category. This is to avoid one specific judge purposely trying to make a contestant win or lose.
Let me dig deeper: to attack a judge after the pageant and say that he or she tanked your daughter purposely for whatever reason is technically not possible. The reason there is more than one judge in a pageant is so multiple people can score you...multiple people would have to score you high for you to win and multiple people would have to score you low for you to not win. One judge cannot affect the entire outcome.
This would be an entirely different post if I talked about what incident inspired me to say this, but you DO NOT approach a judge after a pageant. You act like a professional and ask for comments and scores from the director in a professional manner. And then, you DO NOT take to your facebook and attack a judge - you can ask for clarification on the comments. Judges write comments very quickly to HELP you. They do not have time to write millions of words, but at least they took the time to write a few words of suggestions or comments. This means that they wrote quickly - to take offense to a quick comment (of someone who was trying to be helpful) is silly. If you received NO comments, you would have NO feedback. Be appreciative for heavens sake - if you need clarification, ask politely for it. I do not understand why people think that being behind a computer makes you stronger or more capable. OR why being behind a computer makes it right to bully or insult someone. Grow up and ask for clarification; you cannot judge THEM for something they wrote in 3 seconds with the intent to help you. The judges never want to hurt you! Trust that!
Overall, conduct yourself like a professional. You never know who is networked or connected with whom - you can hurt yourself TREMENDOUSLY with your social media posts, approaching people etc. You never know who knows whom...are you intentionally trying to blacklist yourself? Oy vey.
Let me start right off with the ever-popular disclaimer: I am not attacking anyone specific below and if you think you will be offended, click away. If you think you will learn something (or get a good laugh), read on!
1. Why do people think that 'pageant casual' means 'bare the booty' or 'wear the tightest and shortest thing I can find'?
Seriously? You are interviewing for the job of 'national titleholder' or 'state titleholder' or whatever. Be a role model. Have some respect for your body and the organization. I am by no means a prude, but I seriously do not need to see booty cheeks or wonder if you can breathe in that outfit choice.
Dress for the job you want, ladies! Stay classy and be a role model to the younger ones around you. They do indeed look up to you...and should not be able to look up your skirts or dresses with ease. Keep it classy!
2. Mind your face, language, and manners.
Just because you are in a pageant does NOT mean that people are to BOW DOWN to you during pageant week. Many of the personnel on-site are volunteers or are being paid to be there for a production, not for you to be rude to them or disrespect them.
Contestants/families being rude to sponsors? Excuse me?
Contestants/families being rude to theatre personnel? Come again?
The reality is that not everyone can walk away with the crown come finale, but you need to conduct yourself like the respectable young woman that was crowned. You still have a job to do as a local or state titleholder!
And please note, that although you may not say something nasty, your face and body language can say a thousand words! And just because you have a crown on does NOT mean that you can cut lines or not hold doors open for people...stay classy ladies.
3. Consistency wins!
I cannot preach this enough - you must be consistently strong in ALL phases of competition to win. How can you be consistent on stage so you present the same strong image to the judges? Here's just two ideas:
- Practice: if you do not practice with your full hair and makeup and walk with your full fierceness in your competition clothing, things will not go as planned. I can pretty much guarantee it - proper preparation prevents poor performance! Make sure that when you are practicing, you do it full out, or who knows - hair will get stuck in your lip gloss during that full turn or you can trip in your turn and fall out. Oh and another thing, if you didn't practice the turn in the months before the pageant, please do not attempt it while at the pageant - you could trip, fall, and die. ;)
- Figure out your message: what is your consistent message? Are you cool, fresh, independent, and whimsical in interview and then wear a straight, tight, black gown for evening wear? That's not consistent! You have to make sure the judges always recognize you and can identify you will a single, non-confusing message. Make their jobs easy: make them choose you!
4. Grow up and act like a professional.
Taking your qualms to a chat room or chat board is shady, low, and should be beneath you. To attack another contestant or an organization is not professional and personally, proves that you did not win for a reason.
If you have a qualm, question, or issue, be a professional and take it to the person in charge to find a mutually beneficial solution. We pageant people spend so much time talking about bullying and its negative effects on others and then we open the laptop and do the same thing we preach against! Grow up and be a professional.
If you did not win, there was a reason - do not automatically assume conspiracy. Ask for judges comments, review the tapes, etc and figure out how you can improve. Or get a coach or some professional and continue working on yourself - the time you spend on chat boards or gossiping is time that you are losing for personal preparations. Everyone gets angry, but take that anger and frustration and channel it into your preparations instead.
5. One judge does not crown you.
Many pageants include a way to avoid a judge tanking or pushing a specific girl. In the Miss America Organization, for example, auditors will drop the highest and the lowest score in each category. This is to avoid one specific judge purposely trying to make a contestant win or lose.
Let me dig deeper: to attack a judge after the pageant and say that he or she tanked your daughter purposely for whatever reason is technically not possible. The reason there is more than one judge in a pageant is so multiple people can score you...multiple people would have to score you high for you to win and multiple people would have to score you low for you to not win. One judge cannot affect the entire outcome.
This would be an entirely different post if I talked about what incident inspired me to say this, but you DO NOT approach a judge after a pageant. You act like a professional and ask for comments and scores from the director in a professional manner. And then, you DO NOT take to your facebook and attack a judge - you can ask for clarification on the comments. Judges write comments very quickly to HELP you. They do not have time to write millions of words, but at least they took the time to write a few words of suggestions or comments. This means that they wrote quickly - to take offense to a quick comment (of someone who was trying to be helpful) is silly. If you received NO comments, you would have NO feedback. Be appreciative for heavens sake - if you need clarification, ask politely for it. I do not understand why people think that being behind a computer makes you stronger or more capable. OR why being behind a computer makes it right to bully or insult someone. Grow up and ask for clarification; you cannot judge THEM for something they wrote in 3 seconds with the intent to help you. The judges never want to hurt you! Trust that!
Overall, conduct yourself like a professional. You never know who is networked or connected with whom - you can hurt yourself TREMENDOUSLY with your social media posts, approaching people etc. You never know who knows whom...are you intentionally trying to blacklist yourself? Oy vey.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Winning Hearts and Minds of the Judges
Communication comes in both words and deeds, and the latter are often the most powerful form. Nothing undermines you more than behavior that is inconsistent with your words.
More specifically, you can capture the hearts and minds of your judges when what you say is consistent with what you are doing. For example, do you often mention how much community service means to you...but cannot give a real story about your most recent community service project or event? Do you say you love animals but have never visited a shelter or clinic? You must be consistent with your words and deeds to win the hearts and minds of the judges and to convince them that you are a real girl who lives with her values in mind.
Consider formatting your paperwork to reflect the things that are most important to you. Then go back and make sure you have at least one story or specific detail/experience you can match up with that thing. If you cannot connect the material on your resume to an actual story or experience, you will seem like you just put it in your paperwork to look good. Don't be the girl who can't explain herself or convince the judges that she was actually there doing something.
If you cannot communicate it quickly and connect it to material in your paperwork, it needs to go. To help you win the hearts and minds of the judges, and ultimately the crown, you must not only KNOW your material, but you must also LIVE your material. Judges do not like 'Hypothetical Hillary'...they want to see 'Active Alice'!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Step Forward and Be Seen!
"I am inviting you to step forward, be seen, and ask yourself, if not me, who? If not now, when?"
Do you know where this quote is from? Emma Watson recently said this at the UN conference for Women. She has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for Women.
Why should you care? Let me break this down.
The United Nations is a meeting place, of sorts, for countries to come together and discuss important issues. Things like war, the world economy, trade, nuclear weapons etc are all discussed here among the nations. One thing discussed, but not really highlighted, is that of Women's Rights. Emma Watson hopes to change this...you know her as "Hermonie" from Harry Potter.
Emma recently a gave speech. In very, very basic terms she says that women should be treated as men are. She is working for gender equality. She's saying that women should be paid the same amount of money as men are for the same jobs. Women should not be limited because they are girls. Women should not be assumed to less because they can give birth.
Why does this matter to you? Well, if you're a girl competing in a pageant, you will likely be asked about women's rights. Or about 'role models'. Or about 'girls being less than boys', etc etc. You need to know what is going on in the world. But in general, if you are a girl, you should realize that all girls are not treated equally around the world. You may be more qualified than a man at a job, but you will be paid less. You may be the best to lead a team or a country, but you are looked at as less...because you are a girl. You should feel free to be strong and be your best self...you should feel free to be a more complete and true version of yourself. And I cannot turn a blind eye to what she says about her dad and boys being seen as "weak" for showing feelings and emotions...gender equality is the issue at hand here.
And if you're a girl considering pageants and platforms...this is a great example of a platform and a girl having real passion for a cause. I encourage you to watch the video and see Emma's true passion. Look at her speech and notice and her smile, her pace when speaking, her genuine connection to the topic, and how she makes everyone (men and women) connect to what she is saying. She gives statistics and stories...she gives life to this topic and makes everyone listen. She commands the room. Could you do the same about your platform or passion?
I encourage you to view the video and comment below. Do you agree with Emma? How do you feel? Be honest, tell me what you think!
Monday, September 1, 2014
6 Secrets to Preparing in the 'Off Season'
So you're heading back to school and thinking that this means that pageants are officially on hold. You'll be busy with classwork, homework, extracurriculars and more, so your pageant preparations will have to wait until winter break or spring break, right? WRONG!
If you've read my blog before, you know that I firmly believe in constantly preparing for a pageant - there is no down time. While you are "resting" for 25 weeks, your competition is preparing.
Want to know the secrets to preparing in your 'off season'? Read on:
1. Seize all leadership opportunities, no matter how small.
Create a "let me take that on" attitude! Volunteer for that event. Run for student government. Step outside of your box and take every opportunity that comes your way. Your leadership opportunities need not be month long projects, because you have your studies to attend to, of course. But at school and at your extracurriculars you have limitless possibilities and with these, you can thrive in your leadership potential and develop the true persona of a titleholder!
How this will help: A titleholder will be a leader in her community. She will meet with officials, volunteer with various organizations, speak on behalf of groups, and much more. Use your time in school to practice being an excellent leader and role model to others. Develop those public speaking skills, organization skills, people skills and more.
2. Find role models.
Look for people who have the roles you want and study how they act, communicate, dress, and more. Pick someone at 'the next level' and try to emulate that person, while staying true to your self, of course. I'm not asking you to change who you are, but I am encouraging you to grow and be your personal best. It may also be useful to find some anti-role models - what do you dislike about them? What can you strive NOT to be or NOT to do?
How this will help: by figuring out the qualities you want to emulate and striving to achieve them, you will be able to hold yourself at a higher standard. You will also be able to talk about your best qualities easily in interview and describe the type of titleholder you will be. Use your time in school to build the best YOU possible!
3. Develop your friendship skills.
If you're going to be a titleholder, you have to have people skills! You have to be able to maintain friendships in the face of disagreements, you have to listen to the opinions of others and give yours, and much more. It is your friends that can help you develop integrity, empathy, clear speaking, charisma, strong boundaries, and strong beliefs.
How this will help: Your friends can be your greatest supporters! Maybe they can help you organize that clothing drive you have been dreaming of or that anti-bullying club. And of course, these are fabulous things for your pageant resume...but also for your college resumes, job interviews, and more! Use your time in school to develop the (necessary) people skills and teamwork skills of a true titleholder.
4. Speak up! Ask questions!
If you have a question in class, ask it. If you have to give a presentation, do it. Learn to value yourself and your voice. Refuse to be passive and instead, project confidence.
How this will help: In some cases, your interview judges may push you. Maybe they want to test how much you believe something or if you are being honest. You may need to express yourself in a strong way - practicing this skill in school will get you there! Use your time in school to rehearse projecting confidence in difficult situations!
5. Develop a plan.
In everything you do, make a plan. When you have a big test coming up, plan study times. When you have a big game coming up, plan practice times. When you have that special recital coming up, plan rehearsal times. By planning and organizing your busy schedule, you will be able to balance being a titleholder with great ease.
How this will help: As a titleholder, you will need to balance a busy schedule...especially if you plan to be a good one. Use your time in school to practice the time management skills required to really excel as a titleholder and in your future career, as well!
6. Refuse to be lazy.
Get your act together! It does not matter if you are in a 'little girl pageant' or a 'big girl pageant', fitness is of the utmost importance. As you're reading your textbook, jog on the treadmill. As you're rehearsing your lines for the play, do some bicep curls. Wake up each morning and challenge yourself to ten pushups...then 15 next week...and 20 the following week. Focus on living a healthy lifestyle, from your diet to your exercise. You spend HOURS shopping for that gown, HOURS volunteering and more...but how much do you invest in yourself? Invest in your personal fitness level to demonstrate to the judges how committed you are to being the very best YOU!
How this will help: As a titleholder, you are a role model. You will also be balancing a busy schedule of being a spokesperson for your pageant system, being an excellent student, a fabulous daughter and more. Living a life of fitness will help you approach these activities with great vigor and get the most out of your year - who wants to be sick 4x during their reign because of their weak immune system? Not me! You can also use your 'off season' to avoid 'gym cramming' later...think about swimsuit season OR your pageant swimsuit competition - instead of rushing a fitness plan and spending 7x/week in the gym because your pageant is two months away, you can spend 3x/week in the gym because you used your off season well. Be wise and refuse to be lazy.
Just because you are 'back in school' or in your 'off season' does not mean that your pageant preparation has to end completely. You can still prepare by actively working on the skills needed to win your pageant, be an excellent titleholder, and an even better young woman. <3
If you've read my blog before, you know that I firmly believe in constantly preparing for a pageant - there is no down time. While you are "resting" for 25 weeks, your competition is preparing.
Want to know the secrets to preparing in your 'off season'? Read on:
1. Seize all leadership opportunities, no matter how small.
Create a "let me take that on" attitude! Volunteer for that event. Run for student government. Step outside of your box and take every opportunity that comes your way. Your leadership opportunities need not be month long projects, because you have your studies to attend to, of course. But at school and at your extracurriculars you have limitless possibilities and with these, you can thrive in your leadership potential and develop the true persona of a titleholder!
How this will help: A titleholder will be a leader in her community. She will meet with officials, volunteer with various organizations, speak on behalf of groups, and much more. Use your time in school to practice being an excellent leader and role model to others. Develop those public speaking skills, organization skills, people skills and more.
2. Find role models.
Look for people who have the roles you want and study how they act, communicate, dress, and more. Pick someone at 'the next level' and try to emulate that person, while staying true to your self, of course. I'm not asking you to change who you are, but I am encouraging you to grow and be your personal best. It may also be useful to find some anti-role models - what do you dislike about them? What can you strive NOT to be or NOT to do?
How this will help: by figuring out the qualities you want to emulate and striving to achieve them, you will be able to hold yourself at a higher standard. You will also be able to talk about your best qualities easily in interview and describe the type of titleholder you will be. Use your time in school to build the best YOU possible!
3. Develop your friendship skills.
If you're going to be a titleholder, you have to have people skills! You have to be able to maintain friendships in the face of disagreements, you have to listen to the opinions of others and give yours, and much more. It is your friends that can help you develop integrity, empathy, clear speaking, charisma, strong boundaries, and strong beliefs.
How this will help: Your friends can be your greatest supporters! Maybe they can help you organize that clothing drive you have been dreaming of or that anti-bullying club. And of course, these are fabulous things for your pageant resume...but also for your college resumes, job interviews, and more! Use your time in school to develop the (necessary) people skills and teamwork skills of a true titleholder.
4. Speak up! Ask questions!
If you have a question in class, ask it. If you have to give a presentation, do it. Learn to value yourself and your voice. Refuse to be passive and instead, project confidence.
How this will help: In some cases, your interview judges may push you. Maybe they want to test how much you believe something or if you are being honest. You may need to express yourself in a strong way - practicing this skill in school will get you there! Use your time in school to rehearse projecting confidence in difficult situations!
5. Develop a plan.
In everything you do, make a plan. When you have a big test coming up, plan study times. When you have a big game coming up, plan practice times. When you have that special recital coming up, plan rehearsal times. By planning and organizing your busy schedule, you will be able to balance being a titleholder with great ease.
How this will help: As a titleholder, you will need to balance a busy schedule...especially if you plan to be a good one. Use your time in school to practice the time management skills required to really excel as a titleholder and in your future career, as well!
6. Refuse to be lazy.
Get your act together! It does not matter if you are in a 'little girl pageant' or a 'big girl pageant', fitness is of the utmost importance. As you're reading your textbook, jog on the treadmill. As you're rehearsing your lines for the play, do some bicep curls. Wake up each morning and challenge yourself to ten pushups...then 15 next week...and 20 the following week. Focus on living a healthy lifestyle, from your diet to your exercise. You spend HOURS shopping for that gown, HOURS volunteering and more...but how much do you invest in yourself? Invest in your personal fitness level to demonstrate to the judges how committed you are to being the very best YOU!
How this will help: As a titleholder, you are a role model. You will also be balancing a busy schedule of being a spokesperson for your pageant system, being an excellent student, a fabulous daughter and more. Living a life of fitness will help you approach these activities with great vigor and get the most out of your year - who wants to be sick 4x during their reign because of their weak immune system? Not me! You can also use your 'off season' to avoid 'gym cramming' later...think about swimsuit season OR your pageant swimsuit competition - instead of rushing a fitness plan and spending 7x/week in the gym because your pageant is two months away, you can spend 3x/week in the gym because you used your off season well. Be wise and refuse to be lazy.
Just because you are 'back in school' or in your 'off season' does not mean that your pageant preparation has to end completely. You can still prepare by actively working on the skills needed to win your pageant, be an excellent titleholder, and an even better young woman. <3
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