A Really, Really Thick Envelope

This is so much more exciting than getting accepted to college! (Don't tell the admissions office I said that. I'm working for them next year, and I don't think they'd appreciate that last comment.) I got a thick envelope in the mail today with the first round of official pageant information and forms to fill out. Oh, and I mustn't forget the check. And no, I don't mean they sent me a check (if only). I mean I have to send them one ... The first of many, I'm sure, since there's no way they can expect this $1095 to come in all at once.

I'll have to work on getting some sponsors, because there's no way my parents will pay for this, and I (starving college student that I am) certainly don't have that kind of money. I'm sure I'll procrastinate on this, but I wouldn't be doing things my way if I started writing sponsorship request letters at a reasonable time. And if I'm going to win this thing (which I am), I'm going to do it my way!

"So, tell me about yourself"

Since submitting my application, the pageant has sort of slipped to the back of my mind. At least it did, until today, when I finally received that phone interview I was hoping for. The woman on the other end was unnecessarily perky, and a bit overly enthusiastic, but honestly, that was probably to be expected. The interview was short, but she managed to ask two killer questions: "Why do you want to be in the Miss NJ USA pageant" (I should have been prepared for that one. Mental note: think up a better answer to that so I'll be ready for next time. I'm sure this isn't the last I've heard from that question.) and "Tell me about yourself." The latter wasn't so much a question as a terrifyingly vague command, to which I responded with my usual grace and poise "wow, talk about a broad question." (Mental note number 2: work on poise before pageant weekend.) I then proceeded to babble something about biology, pre-med, improv, and ADPi, and despite the poor rating I gave myself on my interview skills, the woman on the other end seemed not to mind. (I like to think she found my stuttering endearing.) The call ended with an invitation to compete in the Miss NJ USA pageant on October 17-19 at the Parsippany Hilton hotel.

I'll tell my mom right after I update my Facebook status. As usual, I have my priorities right in line.