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How to Be Your Authentic Self in an Artificial World

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Winthrop chapter.

Long voluminous hair everywhere, breasts that eat your chin and eyelashes that look like they are about to take flight off your eyes. They say that it’s the new thing, and it’s a fad and the latest trend–but is it really?

What does this definition of beauty have to do with how I view myself? Why is my unadulterated beauty not sufficient? With all of this plastic beauty going on, maybe I should tattoo the “TM” sign Barbie wears on her foot, or maybe even get “made in China” tattooed on my back, because in this supposedly “real” world, everything seems to be fake.

When you see women in the spotlight idealized for bodily enhancements, endorsed by their outer appearance and then selling you ways to become just like them, how do you decide to say no to this purposeless cause? There is no way you can run from the media or the female anatomy, due to you being forced to absorb it like a sponge–but there may be a way to resist it’s messages.

For starters, have a sense of self. Understand that your virtue and values will not come from ’14-day flat-tummy tea’ detoxes. Your self-awareness and your conscious knowledge cannot be defined from anyone but yourself.

As you unplug your mind and center it on the betterment of you, that is when you can understand others. Then your actions will not be so heavily persuaded by foul intentions of changing you. Developing the skills to deviate from other expectations is a process, but think of it as a dance. It will not be a learned experience from a book or a classroom, but by paying attention to your thought, behavior and emotions.

So, start paying attention to your thought, behavior and emotions, Collegiettes. Most importantly, start paying attention to the beautiful face in the mirror…because you are beautiful. 

 You’re one of a kind living in a world gone plastic; baby you’re so classic. -“Classic” by MKTO

My name is Shakeyma Irving or Vicky maybe Roxy all depending on the day of the week and how I'm feeling! I am a Sophomore Mass Communication major with a minor in Marketing at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. I love all things fun and spontaneous, and bringing joy into every atmosphere. My biggest aspiration is to become a Creative Director of a thriving magazine, and to run my own online business.
Winthrop University is a small, liberal arts college in Rock Hill, SC.