Well, Autumn is in full swing, and It’s also that time of year when the search to find Miss Universe Australia is well underway with state finalists being announced across the country.

So we thought it would be a perfect time to kick off some home state interviews with Aquila Bergstrom. Congratulations on making it through to the state finals, why don’t you tell us about yourself?

Thank you so much!  I’m from Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast. I love sailing, scuba diving and writing. I work full-time as a model and social media influencer/travel journalist for my blog as well as a freelance writer for Lonely Planet’s Indonesia and Philippines travel guides. My Instagram handle is @365daysofwandering 🙂 Feel free to check it out.

We all have motivations, Mine usually revolves around coffee but what was your key motivation for entering the MUA competition?

For me the competition isn’t necessarily about winning, it’s about making connections with a like-minded group of young women who also want to change Australia in a positive way. I really think the program is designed to push all of the entrants to strive to be the best version of themselves as possible while sharing their journey online with their social audiences. It’s a whole lot of fun and I am excited to represent Queensland 🙂

What part of the Miss Universe Australia program are you most looking forward to?

I think that the entire journey of the program is exciting rather than one particular event, so I am excited for the process and all that I will learn and grow from within this experience.  I’m definitely excited to see how we all work together and meet new people. The competition turns into a somewhat extended family as you go through the different rounds so it’s really nothing like what pageant life is made out to be on dramatised tv shows (thank goodness!). All of the girls are lovely and really amazing friendships can be formed through the competition.

We are all unique so what would you say is something that makes you stand out from the other contestants?

I suppose that’s rather difficult to answer without knowing the other contestant’s biographies. However, I think because I have travelled so much with my work, I have adopted a rather worldly view in the way in which I think or analyse situations. My dream is to sail around the world and I now am undertaking my post-grad at University where I study celestial navigation and inter-cultural relations.  I am definitely a go-getter type of personality if I want something I don’t quit, ever! Other than that I have an enormous joy for life and thrive on sharing it with the world through my social media platforms which hopefully inspires people of all ages to get out and see the world and follow their inner-child dreams.

With the state finals, less than a fortnight away, has your routine changed at all?

I have definitely been running a little bit more than I normally would haha. Although, I think it’s just as much of a mental challenge as a physical one so I have made sure to maintain a happy and healthy balance within my work, fitness, study and rest schedules.

What is something that you hope to bring out of the Miss Universe Australia pageant?

I hope to encourage girls to have the confidence to do something that may scare them. If everything in life was easy, there would be no change, there would be no room for personal growth. I want to empower others to put themselves out there with the knowing that they’re putting their best foot forward by just taking that first step out of their comfort zone.

We will wrap up with a few irrelevant and random questions, now that my coffee has worn off.
Name five things you can’t live without?

The ocean, my friends, my family, a passport and the freedom to travel wherever i want when I want.

How long does it take you to scroll through Facebook before giving up?

A quarter of a second. Social media consumes enough of my life as it is. The last thing I want to do is stalk other people and rate their coffee flat lays. My care factor for that is below zero. If i do see something of value for the community or an interesting article or some cool recipes even then for sure Ill give it a like and a share. I’m just saying that trolling facebook is by no means a daily habit or addiction for me.

How would your closest friend describe you?

An unpredictable optimism with a dose of hyperactivity and eagerness to see the world. An adventurer. Against the grain.

When You Dance, You look like?

A smiling fool haha. I dance to exercise and socialise so its by no means a graceful choreography.

Finally, and this one is important, so please pay attention… What do you think pets dream about?

Well, pets don’t know a language, so the way they think would be interesting indeed. I wonder if they would think only in visualisations rather than having voice or voiceovers in their dreams. I suppose if it were a series of just images it would look something like this; dog swimming, dog getting a belly scratch, dog smiling at their owner, food, chasing ducks, sleeping. They have a good life huh!?

So not long now until this highly anticipated event that will see 28 of QLD’s most beautiful women compete to secure a spot as a QLD National Finalist, and go on to compete in and represent QLD in the Miss Universe Australia National Final. Get Your Ticket Here