The search to find the next Miss Universe Australia is underway, with National finalists preparing to touch down in Melbourne later this month ahead of the national finals held at the Sofitel on Collins June 28.
We are chatting with Tamara Kordic, from WA who will be competing for the 2018 title of Miss Universe Australia.
So why don’t you tell our readers a little about yourself?
My name is Tamara, and I am 19 years old. I am currently studying a double major in business law and accounting at the University of Western Australia with high aspirations of completing a jurisdiction in law. I am a very passionate person about things I believe in, and I absolutely love going to university and love learning new things. I am kind and loving with a friendly, crazy and bubbly personality. I always love to make new friends and engage with new people and new experiences. I am of Serbian background, and I can fluently speak and write the language. I have a big family and a lot of them still live overseas, so it’s a bit like a second home for me. I adore learning and adapting to new cultures. I believe its one of the most important things that have shaped me into the person I am today and one thing I hold dear to my heart.
So you’ve just returned from the Miss Universe Finalists trip to the Amazing Allia Hotels in Bali …. How was the experience?
The experience was indescribable on paper. It was amazing! It is not something you experience, and we were so lucky to have this opportunity. It was just extraordinary putting together 32 girls and coming out loving every single one of them. All of the Alila hotels we were lucky enough to visit were insane, to say the least… and I would suggest to anyone to stay there when they go to Bali. From the yoga to the dinners and the laughs, to the friendships and road trips in the vans, it was something I will never forget and a memory I will cherish forever. It was endearing and inspiring to watch every single one of us supporting, loving and learning something new about each other, and being able to do it in Bali, just topped it all off.
We know there was an amazing program of things for you all, what was your highlight?
Defining my highlight means defining the friendships I made. To be able to call every single girl my friend now is so special. The formations of friendships and the support and love I received from these girls was amazing. This experience was just so inspiring, and we wouldn’t have been able to meet all the amazing people if we didn’t have this chance to do it. Especially having done so many activities with the WA girls, we have become inseparable, I have gained five sisters. Friendships like this stay forever.
So now you’re home and having undergone the best prep we can think of you know the sun, surf and Bali …. it’s not long till the national finals in Melb… how are you feeling in the lead-up and what sort of preparation are you doing, before finals week commences?
There is such a mixture of different feelings; good nerves, pure excitement, temptation and butterflies. I am so excited to see all the girls again and just get on stage with all of them and rock it. Leading up to finals I like to make sure my skin is looking nice, I am moderately working out and eating a balanced, healthy diet to look the best I can, the most comfortable I feel. I think it’s important for me to mentally prepare as well so I can minimise the butterflies. However, its just a ball of excitement and I cannot wait.
With so many of you all bringing an individual flair to the competition, what do you think will set you apart from the other contestants?
I think that every girl has something different that is going to shine out on that stage. It was so lovely finding out in Bali what makes every girl the person they are, the story behind them. Everyone has something special and something unique about them, even if they don’t necessarily know it yet. I’d like to think I am going to be my most confident self, come out with the biggest smile and let my personality shine through. No one is the same, individuality is beautiful, and that will show on stage.
Speaking of being unique we all have different motivations, what is something that motivates you daily or you would say is your passion?
My motivation is to be happy. You cannot achieve anything in life if you are not truly satisfied and happy with yourself. Happy with who you are, happy with what you are achieving, happy with what you are studying, happy with how you look. As long as you believe in yourself and you strive to be the best person you can be, you will achieve this happiness. No one can take away your glow if you let it shine through. Everything happens for a reason I like to tell myself, and I believe in myself to be the kindest, most confident and more beautiful version of myself and no one else.
What is something people might find interesting about yourself?
People tend to find interesting about me the fact that I can fluently speak and write in another language. It is just second nature now, and I am so grateful that my parents helped me to learn how to speak Serbian. Usually, people that don’t know me and hear me speaking it gets a bit shook and find it quite cool.
Where is your favourite place in the world to wind down and relax?
My favourite place would be at home (specifically my room). It is where I feel most comfortable and most myself. I am also surrounded by the people I love most.
The Miss Universe program has a long and proud history and focuses on helping women become the best versions of themselves, how do you think your experience so far will help move you forward in life?
It has taught me so much to just believe in myself. It is so inspiring to women who tend to doubt themselves and aren’t so confident. This program has embedded in us that the worst case scenario of getting up on that stage and being the best version of yourself is that you inspired yourself, you gained 32 new amazing friends, and you had the time of your life. It is a mentality that you gain through the experience that each and every girl is so beautiful in their own way and you have to show it.
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
I don’t even know if I could narrow this down. Funny things happen on a daily in my life. I would say in Bali, myself and Hannah were sitting and having lunch with the other girls and this massive hornet came into the cabana. Only Hannah and I were so petrified, so we got up and started sprinting, but we absolutely stacked it on top of each other, and it was in front of the whole restaurant, and a mixture of screaming and crying of tears. We laughed about it for about an hour after as well…
Name five things you can’t live without?
food, family, phone, my car, nails done
How would your closest friend describe you?
I think my closest friend would describe me as a crazy bundle of joy with a big heart. I take time to open up to people and be close with someone, but once someone has gained my trust I will go above and beyond for loyalty and love, and I think that it something every one of my best friends respect and love about me. Also, a crazy bundle of joy because we have some of the best and craziest times and I’m always up to having fun and laughing about.
How could you mentor young girls in prevalent society?
Having gone through such a special experience, I feel that I could be so closely involved in inspiring other young girls to be the best version of themselves, especially in this current day. Young girls are so influenced and invested in being the perfect ‘model’ character. I would love to show them that it’s not about that. I would love to show them how special they are and how they can be confidently beautiful and beautifully confident, just the way I have learnt over the past few months. I would preach that personality is key, and as long as you show that to the world, you are doing things the right way. Feel comfortable in your own skin and don’t let anyone bring you down. Every little girl should be inspired to make her dreams come true.
Tamara is also helping raise money for Toybox International as part of her Miss Universe Journey, Please consider donating by clicking here
