So, let's see what happens when Lily Gayle visits Section 36!
How did you celebrate winning the Miss Southeastern crown?
Well, whenever I won I was STARVING (because I hadn't eaten in hours and honestly...too nervous to eat) so I was able to go to a local taco restaurant and eat some amazing street tacos. We talked about everything that happened that evening and just sat there in disbelief that I actually was able to succeed with earning my goal that night. Needless to say, victory is sweet, but tacos at 10:30 at night are sweeter!
Well, whenever I won I was STARVING (because I hadn't eaten in hours and honestly...too nervous to eat) so I was able to go to a local taco restaurant and eat some amazing street tacos. We talked about everything that happened that evening and just sat there in disbelief that I actually was able to succeed with earning my goal that night. Needless to say, victory is sweet, but tacos at 10:30 at night are sweeter!
You recently finished in the top ten at the Miss Louisiana competition. What was that experience like?
Yes I did! It's pretty spectacular that making the top ten even happened for me. That was my third ever competition ever and I had just been crowned in January so being in that select few really solidified it for me that God has a purpose in my life and that I was on that state competing during finals for a reason. Before Finals on saturday, I was going through some personal issues such as being afraid of not even being called and I was torn between wanting to make top ten and not having to compete again and I was holding onto that feeling that I would be called no matter what because in every competition I've ever been in I've always placed. Not only in scholarship competitions, but writing, journalism and broadcast competitions as well, so I don't know what it's like to not place. That being said, I knew that I had to do some major soul searching. I went into a little stairwell near my dressing room and I put on my playlist on shuffle and the song "Who am I" by Casting Crowns came on. If you've never heard that song before, the overview is basically a prayer telling God that He is everything and that all I am is just a vapor in the wind that we know as time. We are here only for a moment and that moment shouldn't be spent worrying about what title or position I may earn next, but it should be spent in gratitude and awe because God is the one who made me who I am and no title or place could ever take that away from me. I prayed to make Top Ten and if I didn't I prayed that I would have peace. When Top Ten was being called, I was totally at peace, my heart wasn't pounding, my hands weren't sweating. I was alright with being who I was at that moment. THEN MY NAME WAS CALLED. I knew at that moment that God had me. He heard me and knew that my heart was in the right place. It was an experience like no other because I had surrendered all to God and He really rewarded me for putting Him first.
Yes I did! It's pretty spectacular that making the top ten even happened for me. That was my third ever competition ever and I had just been crowned in January so being in that select few really solidified it for me that God has a purpose in my life and that I was on that state competing during finals for a reason. Before Finals on saturday, I was going through some personal issues such as being afraid of not even being called and I was torn between wanting to make top ten and not having to compete again and I was holding onto that feeling that I would be called no matter what because in every competition I've ever been in I've always placed. Not only in scholarship competitions, but writing, journalism and broadcast competitions as well, so I don't know what it's like to not place. That being said, I knew that I had to do some major soul searching. I went into a little stairwell near my dressing room and I put on my playlist on shuffle and the song "Who am I" by Casting Crowns came on. If you've never heard that song before, the overview is basically a prayer telling God that He is everything and that all I am is just a vapor in the wind that we know as time. We are here only for a moment and that moment shouldn't be spent worrying about what title or position I may earn next, but it should be spent in gratitude and awe because God is the one who made me who I am and no title or place could ever take that away from me. I prayed to make Top Ten and if I didn't I prayed that I would have peace. When Top Ten was being called, I was totally at peace, my heart wasn't pounding, my hands weren't sweating. I was alright with being who I was at that moment. THEN MY NAME WAS CALLED. I knew at that moment that God had me. He heard me and knew that my heart was in the right place. It was an experience like no other because I had surrendered all to God and He really rewarded me for putting Him first.
You’re a journalism major, with a sports concentration. What do you see yourself doing in that field?
Well I am sports reporter as of right now, with a minor in administrative supervision in business. So I am capable of working in any athletic field. At this time, I am also an athletic marketing intern and graphic designer so I build a lot of recruitment graphics and help our creative team with photos, creating videos and setting up photoshoots. What I would like to do is work as a freelance sports reporter for an FCS conference like the Southland, I love the atmosphere of these schools and it's just the right size. But my dream would be a mixture between the late Carley Mccord and Emily Dixon at LSU: where I get the inside scoop on my particular team that I work for and when I don't work with that team, I travel with a sports station and report on live broadcasts at the games that I would be assigned.
How did you select your social impact initiative, “Lifter’s Project: Worth Your Heartbeat”?
So back in high school I suffered from anxiety, anorexia and situational depression. I was the oldest of four children and a very type A personality and perfectionist. I would get anxious about "what if I didn't make a good enough grade, will people hate me?" "What if I'm too much of a nerd?" I was a very awkward person growing up and I began binge eating. This all began after coming off the missionary field with my family back in 2012 after being gone for the entirety of my childhood, so getting back as a thirteen year old girl with no idea how a first world country worked, what the girls were like and moving into high school, I became very depressed. Then I began hating myself for being this way so I began to self mutilate and starve myself. All the weight I had gained from eating American food was gone within 6-9 months and every bone in my body you could basically see. I also attempted suicide three times within that time span. It only began to get better whenever I kicked in my mirror (that was warped, but I didn't know at the time so it had been giving me distorted images of myself to make me look bigger than I was). I told myself I would get better. I did get better, until I relapsed in the winter of December of 2017, I had a mental breakdown and one minute I was crying in the bathroom and the next my legs were so injured that I still have the scars to this day. I use my backstory to teach others how important it is to understand why recovery is so important and why relapse isn't a mistake. I created my SII to help people through their recovery and relapse because there are so many of us who are trying to get better but don't have the support or the resources to do so. I also help friends and loved ones cope and understand what it's like to live with a mental disorder because they need to understand too so that the person who is going through these disorders feel loved, accepted and understood. During this time I also created the "Three Ls": Listen, Learn and Love. So that people know to listen: let the other person speak on why they're feeling this way, don't put in your two cents until they are finished and they ask for advice. Learn: research the reasons for the disorders, ways to help and find resources for that person. Lastly, love: that person may be crying all the time, quiet, irritable and angry, but they aren't angry at you, they need you to love them. So love them unconditionally because in the end, love conquers all things.
As a talented pianist, what do you enjoy most about performing on stage?
What is your personal fitness routine?
So I am a powerlifter which basically means I lift heavy things VERY slowly! I workout 5 times a week with two days being leg focused, two days being upper body focused and one day more cardio and body weight focused. I've been doing this particular routine for about a year and half now with running on our football field in the afternoons in the fall. Wednesdays are usually my overload days on leg and just this past wednesday I was able to hit a personal record of 145 for two on back squat which is pretty crazy because that's twenty five pounds above my body weight!
If you could be a Disney Character for a week, who would you choose? Why?
If you had an extra ticket to a Astros-Rays baseball game, who would you take with you? Why?
If I had one ticket to bring someone with me, I'd probably bring my best friend. He experienced all of my competitions with me, so being able to bring him with me to a professional baseball game and enjoy that first time experience with him too would be something for my scrapbook.
Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience?
Honestly? I'd love to actually sit and enjoy a baseball game with a hot dog with extra cheese and a Dr. Pepper. Being in broadcast, I've worked countless baseball games on campus, but I'd love to just sit and enjoy it with some good food and cheer for my team.
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That’s definitely the best way to enjoy a game!
As always, I want to thank Lily for visiting with us, and for sending along the wonderful pictures to go with the interview.
As Lily continues her time as Miss Southeastern Louisiana University, I encourage you to check out her official Instagram account and her website. They're great ways to keep track of everything she has going on!
Thanks again Lily, and good luck!
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