When I began my pageant obsession, people judged pageants as 'stupid', 'only caring about beauty', and 'dumb girls that can't use maps'. Nowa days...since my pageant obsession took off (circa 2010), I find my twitter-feed full of people's Miss (teen) USA favorites and people commenting on everyones final answer and giggling at the girl who trips (trust me, its hard to walk in a gown with a train!). Ultimately, I wanted to share with you guys a little about the lady that I look up to the most!
Yup, that's her! Meet Alyssa Campanella, Miss USA 2011.
(read: I posted this picture because I'm still literally obsessed with that dress)
This is the first time Alyssa tweeted at me and I'm pretty sure I freaked out and told everyone I knew because she acknowledged my existence.
By following her on twitter, it gave me (and everyone else who isn't her number #1 [because thats me]), a splash into her personal life and where a bouts! The greatest thing about celebrities having twitters is that their fans can personally connect with them by tweeting at them...the only problem that you only have 140 characters to express your admiration & appreciation!
Brief background: Campanella was Miss Teen New Jersey USA 2007, then competed in Miss NJ USA 2009 and placed first runner up. She then moved to Cali to pursue her modeling career and was soon crowned Miss CA USA 2010. From that point she trained constantly and little to her knowledge she would become Miss USA 2011, and a stylish red headed icon to many.
Yea....I'm pretty dorky..but hey she answered!
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Reason #17834382 why my beau is the greatest: He tried contacting Alyssa for my birthday. He somehow found her email address (One thing that I never found....which I don't understand how I didn't..) and emailed her asking her if she was coming back to the dirty jers' anytime soon because meeting her would have been the best present ever. The cutest part was when he said to her, "You actually just tweeted at her and she called me freaking out because she was so happy." (Makes my heart melt) Yup, I told you I was her number one fan...but I thought it was so cute. Ultimately Alyssa is a verrrry busy girl but seeing this email was the best birthday present I could ever ask for!
So with that in mind, I started to bug my entire twitter feed and group of friends to tweet at Alyssa to have her call me for my birthday. I was so nervous she was actually going to call me that I showered with my phone on loud in the bathroom, as well as at my birthday dinner, my mom and boyfriend jokingly took my phone away for I had it on the table and my eyes were literally glued to it. So during dinner my phone randomly lit up so the boyfriend said I could check it! drum roll pleaaaase.....It wasn't a call -- but it was a tweet, and that was the second best thing I could ask for! (Ok, maybe like third because the first best thing would be meeting her!!)
I was supposed to meet Alyssa the first weekend in April...but due to last minute planning I couldn't go. A great friend of mine who I've made through the pageant world went and got a signed photo for me. When she sent me the picture, I was on cloud 9! I also have many many spazz attacks when she writes on my wall.
Whenever I get the opportunity to write about anything we'd like for my classes, I always try to find a way to write about MUO or Alyssa. True story: the other night I had to write a speech for speech class and we had to introduce a famous person...and who did I choose? Yeah, you guessed. It was so fun though and luckily I popped it out in under 20 minutes. True number one fan problems here.
I am so fortunate to have a role model that really communicates with me which is so hard for many girls who look up to their favorite celebrities. Being that she is a celebrity 'on the rise' (but already super famous in my heart), she has time for her fans and I hope that is one thing she never stops, regardless of where she ends up in the future.
Curious as to where you've seen her recently? Her
alter ego can be found getting angry at people who don't 'respect the tech' in the new 2014 Kia Forte commercials. Check it out
here!!!
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I know this post is so long, but I really admire her more than anyone else in the world! I hope you read all way through and with me, follow to see where Alyssa goes next! ...Hopefully we'll be seeing her hosting her own television show soon!
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Alyssa: if you end up seeing this, please know I am totally not trying to creep you out. I admire your work ethics, leadership skills, fashion style, and overall generosity when it comes to your fans and donating your time and effort to the community. You are truly an inspiration, and most importantly, mine.
