I am a fat girl.

But I prefer the term "chunky li'l thing" because it's cuter and it makes people less uncomfortable than the word "fat." I've been this way ever since I can remember, and yes, I'm OK with it. I consider myself to be fairly confident, and I normally go about my day giving very little thought to what my body looks like in whatever over-sized shirt I've thrown on for class that day because I'm still nursing a mimosa-induced buzz from yesterday's brunch. Between the huge flock of men who follow me everywhere I go and modeling agencies breaking down my door to get me to sign with them, I can say from personal experience that being a big girl ain't no cakewalk. And yes, that's a fat joke because, let's be honest, my whole life is just me walking around with cake.

I worked to get where I am today. I wasn't always able to laugh at myself and see myself as beautiful, and I'm still working on it. I still get a little discouraged when the largest size in the store is an L that won't go past my shoulders, or when I see those teeny-tiny, Lycra-clad girls at the gym just murdering the elliptical like it knows their secrets. But being older than you than reader and, thus, more experienced, I have some tidbits of wisdom to impart that you should definitely listen to but won't because you think you know more than me. Damn kids.

1. It's okay to like how you look. If Freddy Mercury is going to teach you anything in life, let it be this: Fat bottomed girls really do make the rockin' world go round. I get more positive attention for my body than negative attention because men are all kinds of creepy, which brings me to my next point.

2. Guys will like you despite your body, and guys will like you because of your body. Don't go out with someone who doesn't appreciate you. Never feel lucky that someone has taken you, a fat girl, out on a date. Don't spend the whole date hoping you don't have a double chin or that your Spanx have rolled all the way down to your ankles because both of those things are happening anyway without you worrying about them. Don't order just a salad. Unless you love salad. Then go on with your salad-lovin' self.

3. Go to the gym because it's good for you and it's fun. Don't worry about losing weight or going down a dress size. Learn how to lift weights and find an exercise class you like and go to it consistently. Don't worry about what you look like at Zumba because nobody looks good doing Zumba except the instructor, but it's okay because she's not a real person, just a fitness robot programmed to exterminate you with Latin-fusion dance core workouts.

4. Follow body-positive accounts on social media. If you see beautiful plus-size women having fun and living their lives and owning who they are, it will inspire you to do the same. Here are some of my favorite fatbulous Instagram accounts

@tessholliday

@effyourbeautystandards

@nataliemeansnice

5. Eat what you want when you want. Your body will tell you what it likes and doesn't like, and you are the only authority on that matter. Hit up Taco Tuesday with your friends, drink some of that green juice out of a mason jar, order dessert if someone else is getting the tab. The only person you have to listen to is you (and me, of course).

6. Develop your personal style and find stores that cater to it. Gone are the days where the store that sold plus sizes carried only loosely fitted, garish sweaters that you had to drape over yourself like Ms. Darbus in High School Musical. Now there are many plus size boutiques that carry a variety of clothes for every style. Try on everything you even kind of like because you have no idea what it might look like on you.

(I really want this if anyone wants to buy it for me...)

7. Go Greek. You knew that would be in here somewhere. But if you don't want to do that, you should definitely find an organization on campus where you feel accepted and welcome. College will be infinitely better if you spend the majority of it skipping class to go tanning.