Growing up, in general, is difficult. As I have grown up through the years, I have realized that it's not easy being a girl in today's world. No, I'm not just talking about the feminist views on being a girl, but I'm talking about a lot of things other those that we have to deal with.

Probably one of the first things that we encounter as a child is the fact that we are constantly told that we can't play with the boys or get down and dirty outside. We get handed Barbie Dolls because we are not allowed to go climb trees with the boys since "it's for boys." We get this idea in our heads that we can't do certain things just because they're out of the norm. Girls can't be doctors because that's a mans job. Girls can't be the main supporter of the household because they have to be the ones staying home and taking care of the kids, not the man. We are taught to diminish our worth and potential just to fit into this little box that society has made for us.

The next thing that we deal with is the dreaded monthly gift. We learn about this in about fifth or sixth grade and then eventually get it around seventh or eighth grade. We begin dealing with the cramps, bloating, the emotional rollercoaster, figuring out how to use a tampon, the list is endless. Also, worrying about it going through our clothes. We are constantly on edge and going to the bathroom to make sure that we're still good. Constantly being asked by boys, "Are you being bitchy because you're on your period"? No I'm not, you're just being a dick.

Being cat-called. Something that all of us have experienced at one time or another and probably more than a few times. You can be wearing workout clothes and be drenched in sweat but you can't escape those guys whistling from their cars as they drive by. Along with that, we learn that we can't go anywhere alone. We are taught to live in fear of the darkness and the unknown outside of the four walls of our house or apartment. I get texts from my mother occasionally reminding me, "Make sure you're not walking to your car at night alone." Why is it that as girls, we need to be afraid of every person we see when we're out walking at night? I'm afraid to run outside on a busy street in broad daylight because I never know what might happen to me as people I don't know drive past me. When did the outside world become such a scary place when you're a girl?

Body image. That unrealistic-Barbie Doll-figure that girls strive for. The image that causes eating disorders and poor self esteem. It breaks my heart when I hear my friends say, "Oh I look fat in that picture don't post it." We are constantly fed the idea that we are not good enough if we don't look like the Victoria's Secret models on the cover of the magazine. We are worried about flat stomachs and thigh gaps. We watch what we eat and sometimes even skip a meal because we think about our beach bods that we are working towards for spring and summer break. We see other girls on Instagram and wish that we could be as skinny or as pretty as her. Thinking about what it would be like to be "pretty." It's a vicious disease that infects each of us at some point or another.

Being a girl in this world is tough, so no I'm not saying that boys have it easy but we do deal with a lot. Power to all my fellow girls who are rocking it with pride and confidence each and every day. Don't let the words of others get to you. Keep on shining.