Spring Break reflection
By Jaclyn Luscomb | Staff Writer
Spring Break is almost here. Visualize sand, surf, sun and the age-appropriate drinks to accompany you on the beach.
However, young adults don’t think that going straight from classes to the beach is an easy thing to do. Getting the perfect beach body takes time, persistence and a whole lot of sweat. It’s not easy to roll out of bed, put on a bikini and strut your stuff all the way down the shoreline.
There are several articles floating on the Web that guide us to the perfect beach body, giving us tips on how to lose weight and tone up. Salons all over America are gearing up for this time of year with deals on fake tans.
Do we really need all that?
I admit, I’ve been a victim of this craze. I’ve done the whole routine of tanning, running, YouTube ab video and buying a new swim suit before I felt I could lie peacefully on the beach.
Let me tell you that again. I wanted to work out non-stop for a month so that I could feel good about myself while I was lying around on a beach.
Who is it we feel that we need to impress? Is it really necessary to tan, tone and trim my body before I can feel okay walking around without a shirt over my bathing-suit? Will a little pudge ruin all my fun?
A surprising number of young women think so. According to David Walsh’s online article at medialiteracrclearinghouse.com, “by the time girls reach the age of 17, 78 percent are dissatisfied with their bodies.” This means four out of five girls wouldn’t feel comfortable sporting a swimsuit alone and walking around a crowded beach over Spring Break.Why? Because Hollywood has gone touch-up crazy.
Every model in a commercial, every leading woman on the big screen and every pop star half-naked in a music video, is made to look as if she were born with abs of steel, outstanding cheekbones and hair that styles perfectly just out of the shower.
Although we all know this just is not possible, it is still a fact that a lot of college-aged women are having trouble getting past.
Girls are watching unrealistic, stick figure women strut around in front of them and are feeling worse and worse that they can’t seem to mock that image.
The only positive influence on television anymore is the Dove commercials that all end with real women campaigning about real beauty. Real beauty means being healthy, unique and happy in your own skin. Real beauty means having curves and natural looks.
Real beauty isn’t caked on makeup, an expensive outfit or elaborately styled hair. Those things don’t belong on a beach anyway. Looking like a prom queen won’t do anything for you once you hit the surf or sweat off that make up.
For me, being happy in my skin is more important than having washboard abs any day. I would rather eat dessert and laugh with my friends than obsess over trying to look perfect in my bikini.
Here’s a tip: most guys will pick a girl with confidence and charisma over a girl who’s constantly obsessing with her looks.
Men are looking for a girl they can play around with, not a girl they would easily break.
The boys who are looking for something shiny and perfect are not worth your time in the long run anyway.
Don’t sweat the small things people. Go on your trips this break, soak up the sun and live it up. We are not young forever.
