Let’s talk about body image, baby.
We all know that as the days get colder, the uni work starts to pile on and Tesco deviously puts Ben and Jerry’s at half price (they know exactly what they’re doing) we might start getting critical of our bodies – because obviously, according to those silly weekly mags, we can only look banging in summer. The stress starts to become very real, as we transform ourselves from happy students on that new term buzz, confident we have our shit together, to frazzled caffeine-dependant-and-hating-it zombies.
Suddenly the holiday season arrives, or a random night out is organised, as all third and fourth years crave (although to be serious, who has the time?), and we’re looking at ourselves in the mirror and picking apart our angles. Why is it we reach our lowest confidence levels when we’re going out, or meeting up with old friends and family? What gives?
So this is where I give you some straight talkin’. Pay attention to this next bit. Please.
There is nothing wrong with your body. Nothing at all. Your body is awesome. It keeps you functioning even when you’re abusing it with caffeine and depriving it of sleep. Seriously. So yes, the Internet is going to get a little bit crazy this month with the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, which will promptly followed by Instagrams of said models with captions littered with #goals and #fitspo, but let’s not take that as a jab at our self-esteem. Let’s not sit like Honey Boo Boo and compare our bodies to underwear models, because if we’re honest that’s basically as dumb as Donald Trump becoming President. It doesn’t work, doesn’t achieve anything apart from alotta sniffing.
Who cares about that? Why does one person’s body need to be yours, when yours is great as it is. Don’t you know that’s the best bit? Your body is your own! No one else’s! No one else can love your body like you can. Not even cute humans you like. So stop picking it apart. You should stop fixating on other people’s bodies and focus on yours; how complete and fabulous you are. Be content.
Remember winter is all about layers and Christmas blend coffee, laughing at the library at 2 am from stress and red bull overdoses, Tuesday lazy mornings and warm foods that remind you of home. Winter is the time you’re a boss and own your workload, because you came here to get a degree and damn it, you’re going to get it
Life is so big and wacky and weird, goes far too quickly for you to give energy to negative body days. They suck, I won’t deny it. Those are Ben and Jerry craving days, (Tesco knows) with duvets and movies. But the biggest secret the billion dollar industries, the thing they won’t tell you? You flipping rule as you are. So own it.
Didn’t anyone tell you 2016 was about realising things, including self-love? Discover it.
See also:
Lou Ramsay Asks: How Do You Cope With Uni?
