LAS VEGAS - The after-pageant party began when Miss Indiana Nicole Rash stood on her parents' hotel bed, surrounded by more than 50 family members and friends.
Her family stood around her as the Ball State University junior fashion merchandise major named Miss America's first runner-up Saturday addressed her them during a casual, yet Champagne-filled party.
"I get all of the glamour and all of the recognition, but none of the responsibility," Rash said receiving cheers like someone returning from a long voyage. "I'm free."
Once her family members started to return to their hotels, Rash said becoming first runner-up was a surreal moment and that everything went by so fast.
Rash said her future has no limits and that she will use her experiences and connections with the people she has met to further her career.
"Even though it would have been an honor and a great privilege to be Miss America, I feel like I was put in a place for a reason [because] I have bigger and better and greater things ahead of me," she said.
The experience will help her develop a fashion career, she said, but the pageant could also open doors for modeling or even acting.
Although the future is bright, Rash said, she is still undecided about her future at Ball State.
She said the university will always be close to her heart, but her scholarship money has expanded her options to go to other places such as New York City and Los Angeles.
"You never know what happens to you in life," she said. "I could be going back to Ball State, [but] I don't know."
Her friendships from the competition will be a factor in her future too, she said.
She said she has thought about having the biggest wedding ever, with 51 bridesmaids.
Despite everything, her family celebration was what kept her going, she said.
"I couldn't imagine being here without these people because they keep me going and motivated and sane," she said.
During the party, Rash was the center of attention like a band member after a performance with her "groupies."
Her family asked how she felt when she heard her onstage question about Britney Spears' sister, Jamie Lynn.
Rash said the teen should not be fired from acting in a movie because of her pregnancy, saying everyone deserves second chances.
She delighted her family by saying she received a "thank you" from Jamie Lynn Spears' cousin, who was in the audience.
"I just said what was true to my heart, and that's all you can do," she said.
Dave Rash, Nicole's grandfather, said he was amazed his granddaughter had gotten so far in the competition.
"A little home-town girl from Plymouth being first runner-up; it's incredible," he said.
Co-director Frank Ricketts said the competition picked top contestants who were younger and more contemporary looking, which appealed to the younger audience.
Ricketts gave a speech congratulating Nicole and said the moment was not bittersweet at all. He said he denied it because Nicole was a true winner with scholarship money from the reality show and the competition.
"This is your night, you worked for it and you did it right and you have won, won, won," he said to her while she stood on her makeshift podium, overlooking the crowd.
The family party host and mother Cindy Rash said she was pleased with the result because Nicole won scholarship money and didn't have to travel 49 weeks out of the year as Miss America.
Cindy also said the experience let the family come together and experience something together firsthand.
As for the future, Cindy was only thinking in terms of tomorrow.
She said her family would stay in Las Vegas an extra day to relax and have fun before returning to Indiana's cold weather.
"We may all sleep in, we may all cuddle," she said. "I don't know what we are going to do."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
