Body image issues on campus

Young girls often feel like it’s impossible to please everybody and in high school there is along list of people to impress.

They deal with the stress of striving for an impressive GPA, keeping on the good side of parents and teachers and looking for the perfect boyfriend. And that doesn’t even include one of the daily problems that girls struggle with – maintaining their looks with modelesque features or showing off their expert sense of style.

“Girls my age are most definitely influenced by the world, more than they should be but it’s a fact,” said sophomore Julissa Vega. “Girls tend to usually get worked up really fast and then easily put themselves down.”

With body image, we mostly think about girls who just want to be thinner, but that isn’t necessarily the issue all the time. It doesn’t always depend on shape or size, it could be just any simple thing- big or small that a girl doesn’t like about herself.

According to the Emily Program Foundation, 1 in 5 women struggle from an eating disorder and 90 percent are between the ages 12 and 25.

“A lot of times in the spring mostly, I have cases of girls coming in because they pass out after going for a while without eating,” said Nurse Corey Scheuerman. “I don’t know if it’s because of the upcoming swimsuit season or if it has anything to do with it, but young girls in high school shouldn’t worry about that.”

“I understand what the girls are coming from as they fast, because they want to look good but I honestly think it’s ridiculous. There’s healthier ways too lose weight,” senior Bailee Compton said.

Body image affects a lot of girls, and it’s important to know that The Student Support Services office offers a group in student support services called Girls Empowerment Group which offers support for girls with any sort of issues.

“The role of social media, peer influence, and all the other things that can contribute to how we view ourselves and ultimately, what do we feel like beauty is?”  Social worker Colleen Arnold said. “Anyone struggling with body image can also come and talk with us individually and I’d be happy to meet with them.”

Only 10 percent of people suffering with an eating disorder will seek professional help according to the foundation. “Ever since I was little, I never really liked my smile, I disliked my teeth because of the way they were shaped and I was always getting made fun of. But my boyfriend and loved ones got me to feel comfortable and beautiful with myself,” Vega said.

It’s important for girls to keep in mind that although it’s not easy now,

“Ultimately, girls should learn to accept the skin they’re in,” Compton said.