Personal Narrative: The Day I Won My First Pageant

A million thoughts ran through my head when they called my name. I can remember thinking ‘Me? Is that my name? Did they call my name? I don’t believe it. I can’t believe it!’ I looked out into the audience and saw the most proud smile I’ve ever seen resting on my grandma’s face. The day I won my first pageant is one I will always remember.

I didn’t show up at the Miss Lanier pageant expecting to win. There were at least 15 other girls competing against me. I just wanted to have fun that day. I was nine years old at the time. I wasn’t nervous at all, not about the 15 girls competing against me, not nervous about the three judges at the front of the stage, not nervous at all. Now that I look back on that day, I realize that I should’ve been nervous; my hands should’ve been shaking, my stomach turning, and my brain in turmoil while waiting to step on stage. But I wasn’t. All I wanted to do that day was have fun and maybe make a friend or two. My mom and I stood behind the stage, waiting, just waiting. At one point the pageant director came to make sure nothing was wrong. Some of the girls next to me were acting like it was Miss Universe, but I was just treating it like a dressed up walk on a stage. Once she left we stood in a line at the back entrance to the

stage. I stood there for a while, in a line waiting for the emcee to call my name. Slowly the girls in front of me did their routines. As the line shrunk, I started to get a little nervous, as expected, but I pushed the feeling to the back of my mind. Finally, the emcee called my name. As I stepped on stage to begin my formal routine, I saw all of the people sitting in the audience but I remembered what my mom taught me to do. Without searching the audience for my family, my eyes zeroed in on the three judges sitting front and center. They were watching me with pens in their hand and tables in front of them, surely holding my score sheet. That’s when I started to get nervous. What if I fell? I would be beyond embarrassed. Even so, I continued walking, not letting my nervousness show on my face. The lights danced across my dress as I moved forward. Before I realized it, I was at the end of the routine my mom taught me. I did my final turn and walked off the stage. I knew I did my best, but I didn’t know if my best was enough to win. My mom came backstage and praised me for doing so well. All we had left to do then was wait for crowning time. There weren’t just butterflies in my stomach as we awaited the crowning portion of the pageant, there were rhinos.
At last, they called the contestants back on stage for the crowning portion. They began with the participant awards, then the jackpot awards such as prettiest eyes, hair, and dress. They called my name for prettiest eyes and my smile widened. Stepping forward to receive my award, I looked out into the audience locating my family. My whole family was loudly clapping and cheering for me. It made me feel so happy and loved to know that someone was proud of me and that I had my own special thing. Growing up with 2 sisters and a younger brother who always had some sort of sporting event lead me to want my own event that everyone would come to and cheer me on. I wasn’t so good at sports so I tried pageants. I was really enjoying it. I stepped back into my spot in line and waited as they called the other awards. The anticipation was building when they started calling the alternates. They started with 3rd runner up, it wasn’t me. Then 2nd runner up was called, not me again. Finally they called 1st runner up, which is second place, it wasn’t me once again but it was one of the girls that I had made friends with backstage. I was happy for her and clapped louder than I had for the rest.
It could be really good or really bad that I hadn’t been called for an alternate. It either meant that I didn’t place or that I won. I couldn’t help but hope for the crown and sash that last year’s winner was holding, awaiting this year’s winner. That’s when they said my name. I just stood in my spot trying to process what they had just said. All I heard was the sound of my name and the loud cheers that followed. I couldn’t believe that they said my name until one of last year’s winners motioned for me to come forward. I looked behind me, making sure she wasn’t pointing at someone else. Of course, there was no one behind me. I slowly started walking forward, still unable to process the fact that they called my name. The judges chose me, not the 15 other girls on the stage, but me. I stopped walking at the spot that they had told me to stop at in case if I won at rehearsals. My heart was trying to explode out of my chest and my smile was threatening to split my face in two. I looked out into the audience and time stilled, I saw my grandma looking at me with the proudest expression I’ve ever seen. I’ll never forget the look on her face. I looked at the rest of my family who were wildly clapping. Last year’s winner placed the sash over my sparkly dress and secured the crown on my head. She placed the trophy at my feet and then countless flashes came. I felt as if I was going to become blind. Camera after camera took a picture. I stood up there for what seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes. Eventually, the camera flashes ceased and I picked up my trophy to start walking off stage. My mom hugged me as soon as she got backstage. Only one person per contestant was allowed backstage so I changed into my normal clothes so I could go to the front of the auditorium to see the rest of my family. I was still grinning and my face was starting to hurt but I didn’t care, I was so ecstatic.
I arrived at the front of the auditorium and hugged my whole family very tightly.

After everyone told me congratulations we headed too Applebee’s. Going to Applebee’s after a pageant is now a tradition. We always try to find the nearest Applebee’s to eat at after a pageant, partly because a lot of the pageants I participate in are near Applebee’s and also because I love Applebee’s. When we got home I placed the trophy and the crown on the top of my desk and hung my sash on the wall, where the other sashes and crowns that I would win in the future would be placed. I still do several pageants a year. The crown and sash that I won that day are still in my room, I will always remember the day I won my first

pageant.