![Confessions of an accidental beauty queen](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/2749/554730/5fc0d55fb956f/Miss-Michigan-Teen-USA-2020-Miss-Teen-USA-Beauty-pageant-Young-adult.jpg)
“And the winner of Miss Michigan Teen USA 2020 is…Aneesa Sheikh!” Staring into the blinding stage lights and a beaming audience, it felt like I was dreaming. As former winners placed a crown on my head and draped a sash across my gown, the scent of the bouquet of roses in my arms reminded me that yes, this was *really* happening.
Let me say this right up front: I never thought of myself as someone who’d ever be in a pageant. My senior year, I was captain of the varsity figure skating team and captain of the debate competition squad. My makeup bag was basically three lip glosses and a mascara months past its prime. My closet is stuffed with sneakers, not sequins.
When I wasn’t doing school, sports or debate squad, I loved singing and songwriting and hanging out with my huge family. But, sadly, my schedule was so packed, I’d often be playing guitar in the car on the way to my before-sunrise practice sessions on the ice and doing my math homework on the bus to speech competitions. My life senior year was crazy, and tbh, super stressful.
One afternoon, as I was settling into a study session at a coffee shop, I looked up and there it was: a flyer to enter the Miss Michigan Teen USA pageant. I’d heard of the pageant before— a friend of mine from debate club had done pageants her whole life—but I’d never actually thought about being in one.
This story is from the December / January 2021 edition of Girls' Life magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December / January 2021 edition of Girls' Life magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![YOUR CLOSET IS ACTUALLY FULL OF Cash](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/0eMiAWjqM1716815631772/YOUR-CLOSET-IS-ACTUALLY-FULL-OF-CASH.jpg)
YOUR CLOSET IS ACTUALLY FULL OF Cash
You're about to clean your room, help the planet *and* find your aesthetic.
![WHAT'S YOUR LIFE PATH NUMBER?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/_UP_CL-iH1716815271006/WHATS-YOUR-LIFE-PATH-NUMBER.jpg)
WHAT'S YOUR LIFE PATH NUMBER?
ASTROLOGY GIRLIES, LISTEN UP: NUMEROLOGY JUST BECAME YOUR NEWEST OBSESSION.
![NO MORE SUMMERTIME Sadness](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/M2NPmgLex1716815084343/NO-MORE-SUMMERTIME-SADNESS.jpg)
NO MORE SUMMERTIME Sadness
School's out, the sun is shining and you're feeling...down in the dumps? Despite sleeping in, the newfound freedom from homework assignments, endless hours of leisure time and pool days aplenty, something's got you in a major funk.
![Hey girl drink your water](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/ko0BzWc4h1716814944760/HEY-GIRL-DRINK-YOUR-WATER.jpg)
Hey girl drink your water
In case you needed another reason to hit *add to cart* on that trendy tumbler...
![grief](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/t-z-lmUTs1716814824440/GRIEF.jpg)
grief
KENNEDY MURPHY WAS JUST 5 YEARS OLD WHEN HER DAD DIED-AND HER WORLD WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED. A DECADE LATER, SHE'S SHARING HOW SHE LIVES WITH LOSS AND HOW SHE HELPS OTHER KIDS COPE.
![Who's Your sunny Szn Bestie?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/G4SA2FMzN1716814632057/WHOS-YOUR-SUNNY-SZN-BESTIE.jpg)
Who's Your sunny Szn Bestie?
Your bsf packed her bags for sleepaway camp, leaving you stuck at home, hoping to find a friend to fill her flip-flops. So, in her absence, who's your go-to gal gonna be for the next 10 weeks?
![PRESENTING YOUR no drama summer](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/pmywEZkp71716814380867/PRESENTING-YOUR-NO-DRAMA-SUMMER.jpg)
PRESENTING YOUR no drama summer
You tell your dad you’re grabbing pizza with the girls…when you’re really headed on a date with that cutie from swim team.
![Dear Carol](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/dbxeYBTBm1716814019093/DEAR-CAROL.jpg)
Dear Carol
FRIENDS OR MORE? So I'm friends with this boy. People always assume he likes me because he is super nice to me and always smiles at me and stuff. What should I do?
![5 SUMMERY LOVEVE RULES TO LIVE BY](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/SxSyvNI5Y1716813762094/5-SUMMERY-LOVEVE-RULES-TO-LIVE-BY.jpg)
5 SUMMERY LOVEVE RULES TO LIVE BY
Sooo what exactly does a girl have to do to make her \"Cruel Summer\" fantasy a reality?
![WE KNOW WHAT YOUR CRUSH IS THINKING](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2749/1691662/qfMBGVWG11716813611094/WE-KNOW-WHAT-YOUR-CRUSH-IS-THINKING.jpg)
WE KNOW WHAT YOUR CRUSH IS THINKING
That infamous \"I think we should break up\" text pops up (ouch). Or your situationship keeps saying they can't wait to hang out with you...until band practice, math homework, a pickup game and, well, just about anything else happens to get in the way.