Her last evening of Miss Indiana began in front of an audience of technicians.
Former Ball State University student Nicole Rash found herself doing a microphone check while wearing a purple dress and flip-flops.
It ended with her crowning the 68th Miss Indiana while wearing her old crown and an elegant dress.
Looking back on her title year, Rash said leaving her Miss Indiana crown and Ball State behind would be bittersweet.
"I am very happy my year has been so wonderful and that I've been blessed with so many things," she said. "But at the same time, it's going to be different."
It felt weird for Rash not to compete in the pageant and not having to rush through different costume changes, she said.
"I just feel so relaxed, and that's totally different from normal," she said.
She said she remembered being excited when she was first crowned Miss Indiana, and the excitement hadn't gone away. From her Miss Indiana crowning, she went on to prepare and compete in Miss America, where she was named first runner-up.
Aren Howell, co-director of the Miss Indiana pageant, said Nicole's year with the crown was exciting and being first runner-up added to the excitement.
"She's just a delight, and I think the people of Indiana should be really proud of her," Howell said.
And with the crown, Rash saw her influence grow, she said. She said she always had an opinion, but more people listened with the crown.
But with her Miss Indiana days finished, she said she would return to Los Angeles where she's had an internship with the fashion company American Apparel.
Rash will finish her bachelor's degree at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising starting in September.
Her next journey as a fashion designer will begin in early July when she moves to California, ready for a new journey.
"I love Ball State, but I just feel like L.A. is the place to be for a budding fashion designer," Rash said.
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