After the Crown

Although I am feeling a large range and mix of emotions about giving up my crown, I am excited about my plans after the crown. Sometimes, I think people see titleholders as these perfect “celebrity” like people who live glamorous and stress free lives. For me, that is certainly not the case. But I must admit, this past year, as Miss International was pretty fantastic thanks to the support of my family and sponsors.

I was able to leave my part time job as a Mental Health worker at Catholic Charities caring for 18 mentally ill adults during the grave yard shift from 11pm to 7am every weekend, as well as put school on hold for a semester to focus all my efforts on my travels and appearances. Not every titleholder has the ability and support to do that and it is certainly not required, so I consider myself very blessed. But before the crown I was an average college girl trudging around campus in sweatpants and a messy bun, eating Ramen Noodles and Easy Mac.

Transitioning from this fabulous year back to “normal life” will be challenging I am sure.  In order to save money this year I moved home from school and in with my parents. Which has its advantages, and disadvantages for a 24-year-old young woman looking for independence. I love the free laundry and healthy cooking though!

In August I will start going back to Graduate school, working on my Masters at Alfred Adler a small specialty psychology Institute. I am looking forward to getting back into my art and art therapy and further developing my professional skills. I will also be job hunting as soon as my crown is handed over to a new titleholder. Job-hunting is not the most enjoyable process but I am eager to get back into the routine of having a job, and a paycheck of course. I am hoping to find a job that utilizes the skills I have gained through this year.

Because of my title, I have been asked to start volunteering as co-host of a children’s television show produced and broadcasted throughout the Minnesota Children’s Hospital. We play live games and have the kids call in and chat with us about different topics and next month I will be giving live princess lessons. It is a great way for the kids to feel connected and apart of something every week.  I will be working closely with the Child Life Specialist, which is ultimately the job I want someday!  Hopefully my creative skills and compassionate heart will impress them enough to hire me as their assistant, fingers crossed!

Other than getting back into school and work, I have tried to keep the next phase of my life open and free. This past year has been very structured and organized so having some free time to catch up with friends at the lake or go on a spontaneous road trip will be a welcomed way of living. I will of course continue to mentor through the Free Arts Minnesota program as well as volunteer at local Go red events, American Heart Association events, and advocating for the benefits of art and art education in my state. In the next phase of my life I see myself doing more one on one personal work instead of being in the public eye so much. Instead of speaking to an entire audience about art and creative expression, I want to personally help someone find their voice through art and use it to heal for the rest of their lives. Finishing my education will be the first step towards that new way of sharing my purpose.

“It’s not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters.”
― Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?

Thanks for following!

Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012

Contemplating Competition

As I reflect on my own experience as I prepared for Chicago one year ago, I have to say that I arrived feeling as though I had left no stone un-turned and ready to compete. As an individual who loves to compete and has done so for most of my life in; figure skating, pageantry, and the construction industry, I have a philosophy that you may or may not agree with…regardless, here are my thoughts for you to contemplate:

1. A true competitor prepares to be their very best, and lives by the mantra, “I can only control ME.” 
2. Trying to compete against others will only cause frustration. I can promise you that I was not the youngest, the thinnest, the tallest, the prettiest, or any number of labels at the pageant last year…however, I was the best me I could be!
3. The devil is in the details, and a good competitor shows up knowing they have done the hard work, therefore, they can be in the moment and perform at the highest level with ease.
4. Be certain you understand what it means to win the title for which you are competing, and if you win, do you have a strategy for your reign. Even though I knew winning was statistically a long shot, I prepared as though I would become Mrs. International and was able to articulate to myself, my husband, and the judges exactly what I hoped to accomplish. On a very personal level, I never spoke about winning out loud because that is how I was raised, but internally you have to be able to believe in the possibility….
5. Any good competitor knows where the points add up. In this system interview carries the most weight, therefore, be absolutely prepared for fitness and evening gown, but give interview the attention it deserves. For the formal judges interview, the best advice is simply to be you! If you win, you will be sharing conversations about your platform, the pageant system, your family, where you live, etc…everyday with people from all walks of life! These judges will want to know who you are, because you will become the face of the International Pageant System. 
6. That said, do not under estimate the importance of the value for On-Stage Interview, both the prepared speech and the Q & A. In this case, it is not as much the point value, as the placement in the competition and the effect your performance will have on you as the competitor, the judges decisions, and your connection with the audience. A tip I love to share…I added my 30 second speech to my daily cardio workout for several months. When the treadmill timer hit the top of a minute, I would rehearse my speech and time it, massage it, and the result was a feeling so comfortable on stage, that I honestly felt as though I was talking to my best friend in an intimate setting. Even if you add it to your travel toward Chicago it will make you more confident! As for answering the question, the best advice is to be in the moment, listen, and answer the question with the confidence that you know your platform.
7. It is critical to pace yourself throughout the week; rest whenever possible, bring items that ground you (I had two framed photos of my wedding day and Tonka, and an Aveda candle), make certain to drink water and consume healthy calories, I needed a wrap during rehearsals because I hate being cold, give your feet a break as much as possible, because you will be asking a lot of them during the pageant itself, and breath! 
8. Competition is really a journey, not simply an end result. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet incredible women from different cultures and each with unique experiences. Do yourself a favor and get to know each other…I promise you will treasure the memories! 
9. A classy competitor believes in good sportsmanship – win or lose. One of my most revered moments happened in my own home, by myself, curled up in a chair, when I put in the DVD of last year and watched the final moments of the pageant. When I saw the reaction of the amazing women in the Class of 2012 as my name was called, I burst into tears…of overwhelming joy…and was filled with a deep sense of humility. I had no idea the women behind me in their gorgeous gowns had cheered, high-fived, and hugged in a moment when many could feel less than joyful. Believe me when I say I have lost more pageants than I have won…and I know…how beautiful inside and out these women truly are!
10. If you have made it to Chicago, you are already blessed and you are already a WINNER! Just remember there are so many women throughout the world who have thought about competing in a pageant, but for a variety of reasons never take the first step. You had the guts to do it, and that is a WIN in life…and if you believe…God has a plan for each and every one of us.

My very best wishes to each of you, and I want to share with you one of my favorite quotes of all time by Henry David Thoreau, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”

Sarah Bazey
Mrs. International 2012

Staying Organized at Nationals

For those of you who know me closely, you know I am not always the most organized person. With the help of Mama Wanous, I always create a spreadsheet for long pageant weeks so I know what to grab between appearances. Below are examples of my 2012 and 2013 wardrobe spreadsheets. Now that I have done this a few times I don’t have to be quite as detailed but last year at nationals I had many columns for shoes, jewelry, and needed items like autograph cards or snacks if I was on the go during a meal time. Doing this just makes transitioning between events easy and quick. Sometimes you may only have 15 minutes to eat lunch, change clothes and be back in the lobby ready for head count. For these moments, you will thank me for this spreadsheet technique.

But the spreadsheet is not the only organizational tool that will help you stay calm. First, bring a garment rack with you to nationals! The closets are tiny and you will safe yourself a big headache by bringing an extra place to hang dresses. I also suggest organizing your wardrobe by day. You can make your spreadsheet more detailed than mine and separate each event by day. For example, I would take one large garment bag and label it “Monday”. Inside I would put the clothes I need for that day. Last year on Monday I needed an arrival outfit, unpacking outfit, going to family dinner dress, and my orientation dress. I put all these items in the bag and zipped it up. Then did the same thing for each day of the week. I had my accessories in a clear jewelry bag with multiple zip pockets that I hung on my garment rack next to my garment bags so I could easy check my spreadsheet and find the coordinating jewelry. I had all my shoes laid out around the perimeter of the room so I didn’t have to dig through a big clumsy bag. Doing these small simple things will save you time and stress in a big way. So, sit down with our official handbook schedule and figure out every single thing you will be doing on each day during competition week and start making a plan. I suggest bringing a handful of extra dresses just in case our agenda changes or you have an unexpected outing.


Other tips:
- Bring a plastic tablecloth to hang in your shower if you plan on spray tanning in your room.
- Bring a natural sleep aid to help quiet your mind after long days. Get as much sleep as possible!
- Bring small snacks you can throw in your bag and eat throughout rehearsals and outings.
- Bring a Tide to-go stick!
- Bring a lint roller.
- Always keep eyelash glue in your purse.
- Drink tons of water!
- Take a natural diuretic three days before finals night to get your skin toned and firm for stage.
- Take lots of pictures. You will want to remember this week forever.
- Smile and have fun!!


CHICAGO 2012

	Event	Outfit	Shoes	Jewels/Other
Sat	MRS Finals	Black Peplum (Brie)	Black Pump	Rhinestone Balls and Bracelete
Mon	Arrival	Coral Dress	Nude	Rose Gold
	Orientation 8pm	Cream Dress - Bri's	Strappy Nude	4 stone cream
Tues	Breakfast / sash	Blue BEBE Dress	Nude	Blue Cuff/gold metal dangle
	Downtown Chicago Zoo	Lace Back Dress	Bling Bootie	Clear Gem Stone Necklace
	Boys & Girls Club	Same
	Dinner - Group Photo	Black  gown	Stripper	Rhinestones/Spanx
	Inspiration Talk-cocktail	Same
Wed	Breakfast / sash	Purple Dress Bri's	Purple	Bri's jewels
	Rehearsal	Green Sequin dress	Nude Strap	gold earrings and bracelete cuff
	Lunch
	Rehearsal	Red Cache Dress	Red Earrings	Red Ruffles
	Princess Ball - Crown & Sash	New Pink Princess from Glitz	Junos	Big Rhinestones
	Dinner -	Besty Johnson - White flower	Black Pump	Forever 21 Clip on Earrings and cuff
	Rehearsal	same
Thurs	Breakfast / sash	Cream & gold foil dress	Gold Earrings	Nude Strappy
	Private Interviews	White Peplum w/Seed Beads	Nude Strap	PIN, pearl AB Niila earrings
	Lunch
Judges	Rehearsal	Black Corronation	Nudes	Big Black rhinestones
	Teen Preliminaries	Red gown	Junos	Dangle ALDO Earrings
Fri	Breakfast / sash	Wht Blouse & Pleated blue skirt	Strappy Nude	Forever 21 cuff and clip on earrings
Judges	Reheasal	Aqua beaded Dress	Junos	Aqua Brie Earrings
	Lunch	Water Color	Juno	Dark metal colored stone earrings
Judges	Rehearsal	Gold Sequins	Juno or Nude	Gold Cuff Gold earrings
	Miss Prelimaries
Sat	Breakfast / sash
Judges	Reheasal	Cream & Gold Fun Fashion
	Lunch	Red Ruffle with Black Pencil
Judges	Rehearsal	Pink Feather Cocktail
	Finals
	Coronation Ball	???

CHICAGO 2013

Event	Clothes
Car ride	Black Titlewear warm-up set
Mrs, Prelims Mrs. Finals	White Rhinestone top dress Purple Fringe Gown
Orientation	Orange Dress
Chicago Day	Purple jumpsuit
Dinner	White Winning Gown
Interview	White ruffle dress
Hospital	Blue belted dress
Autograph/pre-prelims	Red sequin back
Miss Prelims stage	Question: Black Mermaid Awards: Pink FF Ruffle gown
Teen prelims	Black with big shoulders
Record speech, rehearsals	Beaded bottom white
Pre-finals	Gold Gown
Crowning	Question: Purple Fringe Gowns Crowning: custom red

Other clothes to bring for out and about/back-ups:

Cocktails:
Feather pink
Blue sequins
Black sequin swirl
Purple sequins

Sundresses:
Bright Flowery
Thailand white
Thailand blue

Shoes:
Strappy nude
Old strappy nude back ups
Black gold heel
Fake Louies
Junos
8” Strippers

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When you are done creating your spreadsheet, print it out, clip it to a pants hanger, and hang it on the end of your garment rack for easy access and visibility.

I hope this helps!

Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012