I’d like to sleep in but, because I’m up so early during the week, I’ll probably be awake around 9am.
I’m always on the go and things have gotten really manic since I was named Miss Universe Ireland with lots of interviews including a nerve-wracking one on Serbian TV.
Serbian is my mother tongue, I speak it every day and didn’t speak English until I was three, but it’s different on live TV when I’m not used to giving interviews in Serbian.
When I came off the live broadcast my Nan rang me crying. I was so emotional all day about it.
I’m off to Mexico soon so the next few weeks will be crazy with videos to make and dress fittings to attend.
I’m excited and scared but I’m trying to live in the moment and enjoy the experience.
During the week I have porridge but at weekends I like to have something tasty like eggs and avocado with a cup of herbal tea.
Myself and my mum rarely go out for breakfast because we love to cook and eat together – it’s a lovely bonding experience.
Every couple of months we’ll treat ourselves and go out but we prefer to cook and eat at home.
An ideal Saturday would involve me waking up and feeling truly refreshed.
My week is so busy because I’m studying Criminology in UCC. I could go on to do a Masters in Law to become a solicitor, go into youth work, or work with the Gardai or prison service.
I would like to be a human trafficking investigator. It’s a very challenging sector but something I’m passionate about.
I think the problem is more prevalent in Ireland than people realise and rising rates mean it’s important to have people who specialise in this area.
I’ll go to the gym and then myself and my boyfriend will take our dog for a walk. We like to go somewhere for a change of scenery – access to the beach is one of the reasons I love living in Ireland so much.
Weekends are a time to reset before the next week comes around. Myself, my boyfriend and brothers have very different schedules midweek so I try to dedicate time to seeing them on Saturdays.
Sofia Labus: Having had personal experience of homelessness, I don’t think it should be a taboo topic. I think it’s a systematic problem.
I’ll pop into town and get a vegan ice cream from Swoon (I’m lactose intolerant) or wander to the Marina Market for a chicken salad from Hansum or something from Poulet Vous.
I like spending time by myself – that’s when I do most of my thinking – I can decompress and my brain can defrost.
I think it’s important to be able to enjoy your own company and to have your own interests especially if you’re in a relationship.
When we were younger myself and my brothers would go to Serbia for the whole summer.
I’d love to go there this winter – I love seeing my family and there’s so much to do at that time of year.
I call my grandparents every day. My Nan’s Facebook is full of ‘Sofia our Queen!’.
My grandparents lived in Ireland for two years after I was born so they basically raised me. I walked out of my Nan’s arms, they’re like parents to me, they live for us.
I love to watch true crime but I don’t like gratuitous things like the Jeffrey Dahmer series on Netflix. People are so desensitised to this stuff – people were dressing up as him for Halloween – they don’t seem to realise that there are real people involved.
I like true crime podcasts by Kendall Rae, Eleanor Neale and Danielle Kirsty. People are always so shocked that I am interested in crime and that I study criminology but it’s all so interesting, contemporary and relevant.
I only go out on a Saturday about once a year. I like going to events but I’m not into the club scene at all. I don’t like being around drunk people.
I’m not an introvert though – I’m out a lot of the time, so when it comes to the evening, I just want to be comfortable.
I love being around people and hearing their stories – the biggest thing I took away from the recent Miss Universe Ireland pageant was that there were 27 women who put themselves in the limelight to tell their stories.
I’m really excited to meet the finalists in Mexico – it’s an experience of a lifetime and I’m so grateful to be there.
I’ve had comments like ‘Why is such an intelligent girl doing such a bimbo competition?’. Pageants are not just about looking pretty, it’s about the ‘power of the sash’ and what you do with the platform.
Part of the Miss Universe pageant involves a project called Voice for Change. My topic is homelessness and emigration.
Both these circumstances make you lose your place in society – you’re socially isolated, lose all sense of self and your everyday control.
People who live fairly regular lives don’t realise that there are people who wake up in the morning and don’t get to decide what they do that day.
Many people automatically think of a homeless person as someone on drugs but the reality is people couch-hopping, getting evicted, not having enough money to pay rent…
Having had personal experience of homelessness, I don’t think it should be a taboo topic. I think it’s a systematic problem.
- Sofia Labus will represent Ireland in the 73rd Miss Universe Competition which takes place in Mexico on November 16, 2024. Instagram @missuniverseirelandorg.