Culture
8 Life Lessons I Learned From Competing In Pageants
Pageants are a vehicle for refining femininity and sharpening life skills. So, the secrets of a pageant girl are secrets for every girl. Here’s a pageant girl's guide to life.
By Juliana Morehouse Locklear5 min read
My time spent in the pageant world was filled with learning curves, failures, amazing friendships, community, life skills, improved confidence, and new experiences. My mom was Miss North Carolina USA 1994, so she was my initial inspiration for entering pageants. Spanning from age 16 to 24, I competed in pageants. I began my journey placing third runner-up at Miss North Carolina Teen USA in 2016 and ended by winning Miss Maine USA 2023. I went on to compete in the nationally televised Miss USA pageant as the first married contestant in history.