A few months ago, I found out about the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) scholarship competition, a pageant-esque program where young women completing their senior year of high school compete in 5 categories: scholastics, talent, self-expression, fitness, and interview. I was skeptical about the whole experience, but I still decided to go for it, so I went ahead and entered.
As someone who struggles with breaking out of my shell and putting myself out there, this whole ordeal made me feel way out of my league, but I kept with it, and I'm glad that I did. I met the girls for the first time at orientation, and they were some of the sweetest and most supportive people I have ever met. Through Zoom calls and film days, we laughed, made jokes, and enjoyed ourselves as we prepared for this year's competition.
Two weeks ago, the big weekend arrived. All my hard work boiled down to how well I performed in 2 days. The first day was at home, where I filmed my talent and opening ceremonies. The second day was in The Woodlands, where I got to film my fitness and self-expression sections with 4 other amazing girls.
Yesterday, I completed my final portion, the interview, and the night culminated in a virtual awards showcase where all our hard work was put on display. Before I get to the results, I want to share a little bit about my thoughts on each category with you.
Scholastics: This was one of the hardest categories to judge my feelings on because it was so difficult to determine what I should be looking for. I have a strong academic background, including AP courses, research, and good test scores, but when compared to some of the people I was competing with, it was clear that my record was not as strong. I am not a straight-A student and definitely have had difficulties in school before.
Interview: This was perhaps the one section of competition I felt the most prepared for. I have strong public speaking skills and can communicate my opinions clearly, so I wasn't too worried about talking to the judges. The questions I was asked were very thought-provoking, and I enjoyed talking about my opinions. I struggle here because I don't come across as very personable, and that's even harder over Zoom.
Talent: This...This was a challenge. I started this competition completely unsure of what my talent would even be until my mom recommended spoken word poetry. I used to perform spoken word competitively and did very well, so it was almost natural to start it again. I decided to push myself a little further this time. I wrote my piece about my journey struggling with an eating disorder, something that I don't often talk about, and something that a large number of my close friends and family aren't even aware of. I forced myself to be more vulnerable with my audience, and while it may have helped me grow as a person, it also made me a lot more nervous to perform it.
Self-Expression: I really love this category of competition. Similar to the interview, we are asked a question and have to answer it onstage. It is one of the few categories that I felt natural. Talking comes easy to me, despite the nerves, and it made this the most manageable category.
Fitness: While this category is last on the list, it most certainly is not the least. This fitness portion wasn't walking down a stage wearing activewear or a swimsuit. It was a full-on fitness routine, We were given the instructional video in November to start practicing, and for three months we worked to memorize every detail and perfect our form. I considered this to be the hardest part of competition for me since I am not a naturally fit person. Trying to balance on one leg, do pushups, and run in place for what felt like forever was not easy. By the end of this 3-minute high energy routine, I was completely shaking. With that being said, this category pushed me to stay physically active and to focus on being healthy.
Now let's talk about the results. The showcase was over Zoom, where each girl's talent, self-expression, and fitness routine was displayed, and we ended the night with a live presentation of awards from the current Distinguished Young Women of Texas, a girl who truly lives up to the name. I listened as my name wasn't called as the category award winner for scholastics, interview, or talent. Then all of a sudden, I heard "the self-expression winner is Vishali Baker." I think my mom cheered louder at that moment than I have ever heard her before, and I was shocked that I received the award. It seemed as though I had a shot at first runner-up, and I tried to remain calm as I heard them call another girl's name. The winner was no surprise, and just like that, the awards ceremony was over.
Now don't get me wrong, I am extremely proud of all that I accomplished, and I am beyond happy for the other girls who won. They did an amazing job and I couldn't be prouder of their accomplishments. However, I couldn't help but feel a little bit disappointed. All that I had worked for over the past few months, and I still lost. Did that mean that I wasn't good enough?
I was given an amazing piece of advice when preparing for competition, and that was that I should be proud no matter what because they did not pick "a winner from a group of representatives, but a representative from a group of winners." After letting myself feel that disappointment for not being this year's chosen representative, I realized that I had won in other ways. I completed a fitness routine that would've had me peeing in my pants a few months ago. I let myself be vulnerable in my spoken word poetry, talking about something that I have never talked about before. And most importantly, I met an amazing group of girls from who I learned so much. Even though I didn't necessarily win the competition, I am still a winner.
The Distinguished Young Women program was interesting for sure, but I grew from the experience. It was one of the most enjoyable things I've done this year, and I felt proud knowing I had overcome this challenge. I would 1000% do it all over again, and who knows? Maybe I'll try my hand at a few pageants and see where it leads. Overall, it was the experience that counts, and this is an experience that will always be special to me.
P.S. Have you ever had a similar experience or did you compete in DYW? Let me know in the comments! I want to know more about y'all's experiences
P.P.S. Are you someone who thinks they might enjoy the DYW program? Check it out at https://distinguishedyw.org
