In high school, it is pretty obvious that most people have a large number of insecurities; mostly everyone in their teen years are fairly insecure about something in their life. It comes as no surprise that college kids aren't actually that much more secure in themselves as high schoolers are. A lot of us think that we are going to go away to college and all of our insecurities will lightly float away into nothingness. This is most definitely not the case, and I think that it largely has to do with social media.
With Instagram in particular, these types of visual platforms serve as a sort of frame for what a successful, beautiful, and happy person should appear as. Influencers such as Alexis Ren, Alissa Violet, and Kendall Jenner don't exactly help the self-love movement. These types of Instagram models idealize being skinny, tan, and constantly sexualized.
Society often acknowledges that this isn't healthy for younger girls to be surrounded by this, but what about older girls in their early twenties? Here are some of the answers I received when I asked my 6 closest friends what their main insecurities were:
1.
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"My biggest insecurity is my skin."
This insecurity is a pretty common one, but the imperfections on our face is truly what makes us unique. As someone who struggled with her skin throughout high school and a part of college, acne is something that is so human.
2.
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"I have always been insecure about my weight."
This is another very common answer, and one that I previously mentioned as being highly due to social media. Being super skinny is not always beautiful. Curves are just beautiful, and maybe even more unique. However, it does go both ways; some people are super insecure about being skinny just as others are with being overweight. It is so important to be healthy, because I truly believe that it is the highest level of beauty.
3.
"The biggest insecurity that I have always had is my slightly bigger nose."
This makes me so sad because the person who has this insecurities is one of the most beautiful people I know. It breaks my heart that something that is such a defining feature about someone can cause so much insecurity. Noses come in all shapes and sizes and at the end of the day it makes you who you are.
4.
"I am super insecure about my little booty."
This insecurity is something that may be caused by various social media influencers. This may also be due to the over-sexualization of women. Who is to say how big or small certain parts should be? Any booty is a cute booty.
5.
"I absolutely hate how my tummy isn't flat."
A flat tummy can be so hard for a lot of woman to achieve because of biology. Some woman carry weight in their tummies, while other's may carry it in their thighs or arms. It is so important to love yourself and love the way your body works. Luckily this is something that can be fixed in a healthy and natural way, as opposed to other more permanent insecurities.
6.
"My biggest insecurity is how crooked my teeth are."
Most people do not have straight teeth due to the high cost. A lot of people, especially in other less developed countries, never even think about fixing this. Your smile is one of the main parts about you that make you, who you are. The amazing thing about smiles, it that everyone has a different one. It is something that is so unique to each person and really makes you stand out!
All of the responses about what insecurities people may have turned out to be physical. Not one person answered about something internal, which was quite interesting. This small data pool shows just how insecure the average college student is about their image. Whether it's having a smaller booty, or not having clear skin, mostly everyone dislikes some aspect about themselves. While it is nearly impossible to completely rid yourself of these insecurities, it is very possible to increase the amount of self-love. Once you begin to see yourself as truly beautiful, these insecurities seem to matter less and less. I truly believe that being in love with yourself and finding yourself gorgeous is the overall key, at the end of the day.
