You have to be 100 percent comfortable with yourself and who you are. You'll have unflattering pictures posted on the Internet for all to see, so you have to be able to handle yourself and stay true to yourself.
In pageants, you are evaluated from head to toe and it's obviously all about looks, and as vain as that is, they can also bring you lots of opportunities to do amazing things.
A lot of people have said I'm the anti-Kim Kardashian and I'm all right with that.
I've done modeling since I was 18, but it didn't take off until I moved to Los Angeles. Modeling has always been something I've been really good at, and has been something that's helped pay bills.
Every single model wants to be in 'Sports Illustrated,' and I feel extremely blessed to have that opportunity.
I'm from Alabama and I have morals and I have class. That's my personality.
As you know, the South is known for its hospitality, traditions, football, pageants, and food. Football is almost like a religion here. People say their priorities are faith, family, and then football. People eat, breathe, and sleep it in the South. It's a huge deal.
I've never really been the type to dress up like the other girls do. I'm more of a casual, relaxed kind of girl. More athletic.
I was always the tallest girl in my class, and it made me have really bad posture because I wanted to seem shorter than I really was. It really reflected how I felt about myself. I spent most of my youth in school feeling really insecure about the way I looked because I was different.
Modeling and pageants help me overcome feeling insecure about the way that I look and my height.
Pageant makeup is so different from your day-to-day look. When you're on stage you really have to pack it on.
I just try to stick to clean foods, anything grilled like salmon, chicken, fish, brown rice, and veggies. I do have a really big sweet tooth, so I try to curb my cravings with fruit instead.
I've gotten used to using individual lashes as well. A lot of girls will use strip eyelashes, but the glue comes out of each side and it gets messy. Individual lashes make your eyes look bigger and much more natural.
The majority of my family is Auburn fans, and I grew up watching Auburn football, and that's always who I've cheered for.
Of course, I love football, but I'm not one of those die-hard fans that never miss a game or with rooms devoted to team colors. At the end of the day, it's just a game.
