Since this is my last column as a Mercer student, I wanted to do something a little different. I want to write about what I have learned through writing this column over the past two years. As cliché as it is, I have learned beauty truly is not just skin deep. It doesn’t matter how many lash-lengthening mascaras or lip-plumping glosses you own; if you are not a beautiful person on the inside, you will not be beautiful on the outside.
So, how do you achieve inner beauty? For each person it is a unique adventure but there are a few universal similarities.
First, be a nice person. Seems simple enough, but sometimes we are so self-absorbed that we forget kind gestures like holding a door open or saying “thank you” and “excuse me.”
Second, be caring. You may think this is the same as “be nice,” but by caring I mean take time to actually care what other people say or do. When a friend wants to talk, put down the iPhone and have a conversation. When there is a fundraiser event on campus, find out what it is for and how you can get involved.
Third, be positive. Yes, we all have bad days, weeks or even months, but staying positive may help pull you out of that funk. Being a positive person is a conscious decision.
I have loved writing this column and I hope you all have loved reading it. May your life be as beautiful as you are!
Kayleigh Irby is a senior at Mercer. She attended Central Georgia Technical College and obtained her esthetics license in 2008. Irby is a journalism major and believes beauty starts with a smile and ends wherever the lip gloss takes you.
Have a question for Kayleigh? E-mail your question to askkayleigh@gmail.com