Happy New Year! I hope 2017 is treating everyone well so far! I had an absolutely incredible year and was blessed by 2016. I have high hopes for the future and look forward to what 2017 has in store!
Rather that share typical new year's resolutions or bore you with my reflections on the past year I thought in honor of 2017, I would share 17 “fun facts” about the Miss America class of 2017.
1. We will forever be the class that is known for the iconic and incredible Landon the Intern. Not only was he a vital part of our Miss America experience, he continues to be apart of our lives today. All us contestants felt it was 100% necessary that he be included in our group chat.
2. The Miss America dressing room is stocked with food and drinks to keep us going throughout rehearsals. The two items that had the most demand: Costco bags of M&M’s and COFFEE!
3. What other Miss America class can say they filmed their Parade of States introductions in a Hurricane? Just add dancing in violent winds to our resumes! Don’t believe me?! Check out the behind the scenes video called "Blowing away in AC”.
4. We were the first class to have our orientation in Washington DC. We had a full itinerary from visiting the White House, going to Arlington National Cemetery and a special night at the Lincoln Memorial. Not on the itinerary...the lockdown we had at our Nation's Capitol building! Scary!
5. Curling Iron Mayhem! My curling iron broke 2 hours before my interview, Miss Iowa, Kelly Koch, realized she forgot her curling iron at her apartment when she got to the airport to leave for Miss America (mom came to the rescue) and Miss Vermont, Rylee Fields, dropped her curling iron on her leg 45 mins before going on stage for swim suit.
6. At Miss America it wasn't uncommon for us girls to break out into song at any given moment. One day at lunch we had a 15 minute Disney sing along! Take a look at the video!
7. During the live show, when we would go to commercial breaks, whether it was our nerves or love of group sing alongs, it was automatic that we broke out into song!
8. We love to NAP! On the floor, in a chair, on each other or in the special room they had for us called Sleep Hollow, it didn’t matter!
9. As a class we decided to do a secret santa in December! We all got matched up to another contestant through an online program and got to surprise each other with little Christmas gifts! I received a gift from Miss Mississippi, Laura Lee Lewis and sent a gift to Miss Kentucky, Laura Jones!
10. Wanna know something crazy!? When I went to the National Sweetheart Pageant I was paired with Miss Arkansas Sweetheart as my roommate and at Miss America my roommate was with the one and only Savvy Shields, Miss Arkansas and now Miss America!
11. A British accent was automatically required whenever saying “Jitney” or “The Golden Nugget”. Jitneys were the buses we took to get around Atlantic City and The Golden Nugget was one of the host hotels.
12. Miss Hawaii, Allison Chew, blew us all away with her gift to each contestant. A special tree planted and dedicated to each one of us in Hawaii that helps reduce our carbon footprint!
13. The Miss America Organization creates a powerful sisterhood but many of us have another sisterhood of incredible women! Several contestants are a part of a sorority at their colleges. A few to list are: Miss Louisiana: Kappa Delta, Miss Minnesota and Miss Iowa: Gamma Phi Betas, Miss Nebraska: Alpha Pi, Miss Delaware: Delta Gamma, Miss Georgia: Phi Mu, Miss Wyoming: Delta Delta Delta, Miss Mississippi and Miss Texas: Chi Omega, Miss Indiana: Zeta Tau Alpha and me, Miss Idaho: Alpha Sigma Alpha!
14. I golfed for the very first time at Miss America! Channeling my inner Kira Kazantsev! Want to see how this shot ends? Check out the video here.
15. With the help of Landon the Intern we decided to give out a few superlative awards on finals night! Our class clown award went to non other than the hilarious Miss California, Jessa Carmack.
16. In the Miss America dressing room there is ONE bathroom. Literally everyday at every second you would realize that not only were contestants covered in Sally Hansen tanning products but so was every inch of the bathroom.
17. All contestants have official state titleholder social media accounts! You can follow anyone of us by searching at Miss America and the state's abbreviation. For example to follow Miss Idaho @MissAmericaID! Follow us all on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook!