Winning a beauty pageant is not all that different from doing really well in a competitive exam. You have to work hard, and take nothing for granted. Always know that your fellow contestants are always trying to be a step ahead of each other. Do your homework well, try and improve how you walk, talk in public, or your smile, for instance. Glancing through videotapes of winners of yesteryear often helps you understand what exactly it is that the judges want from you.
