March 6th, 2010
Earlier this week, I wrote about how we should change how we see ourselves in order to be more confident in how we look. That sort of change had been a struggle for me when I was growing up, and from time to time it still is.
It’s hard to feel good about yourself when all your friends are complimented on how pretty they are, or how cute they are, while you’re just ignored or called ugly behind your back. People can be cruel without realizing they’re being like that, and it’s never easy to change how you look at yourself when 30 other people seem to disagree.
And it’s something I’m determined to overcome. I keep trying not to care, because I know that even if I were considered the most beautiful person in the world or something like that, I’d still feel bad about myself if I didn’t see myself at least in a similar way.
- Allyson
March 5th, 2010
Curfews suck especially when we are teens. When we are younger than 12 years old our curfew is around 8 or 9 at night. As we grow older our curfews go later and later. Right now I am about 17 years old. I do believe I have a curfew but it is not set in stone. Like my mother never said, “Oh, you must be home by 12 and no later!” She just calls me and says be home by this time. If I were to ask my mother to go out at 11 at night she would definitely say no. I think the latest she wants me to stay is like 10 or so. I did once not come home until late and she was really pìššëd. If I were to do it again I would be grounded until I die. Probably not that drastic but you know what I mean. Then there is my father. He sees teens out in the street hanging out and possibly causing trouble. He hates that. If he were to see me like that I would get a lecture of a lifetime. Boy I would hate that. In the summer I rather be outside than in so one day I tried staying out around 8 by myself and he was like “No, you can’t stay out past dark.” Even though parents put curfews on how late we can stay out it is understandable why they do. They don’t want us getting hurt or getting in trouble.
- Tatiana
March 4th, 2010
In a society built on hierarchy and rankings, whether it be the best schools or the most beautiful, we measure ourselves by comparison.
We measure how we look against the standards that fashion magazine editors, Hollywood casting directors, etc. consider beautiful, pretty, attractive. Essentially, these are imaginary standards to which only a few can adhere remotely closely.
When we fail to meet such standards in whatever way, our level of appreciation for our own physical characteristics are lowered, and are lowered still when others corroborate our views (or maybe the reverse happens). The worst point is when you cannot even face the mirror, disgusted at your own reflection.
Isn’t it ridiculous that so many of our insecurities root from this imaginary scale? Why let what one person’s, or even millions of people’s, often limited scope of beauty seep into our self-perception, and distort it then such that we cannot find ourselves comfortable with what we are, what we have been given?
It is by no means an easy task to remove from ourselves the constraints that society has placed on how people come to see us. But to overcome these limits, we begin with how we see ourselves. The mirror may be objective, a means of reflecting back to you exactly as you look, but how we interpret our own reflection is the only rigor worth conquering in coming to terms with what we have been dealt.
Change is only real, after all, when it comes from within.
- Allyson
March 3rd, 2010
So March is Women’s History Month. “Women’s History Month is an annual declared month in the United States that highlights Women’s history contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society.” I have two different opinions about that.
The first one is that I am glad that the United States has a month specifically to women, since a long time ago women weren’t seen as powerful nor should have any say for anything. As the women’s right movement progressed women stood up for themselves and contributed things to the new world. I think it is a good idea to recognize all the contributions that women have made over the many years.
My other opinion is from a guy’s perspective. A guy would see this and be jealous. Where is the men’s history month? Why aren’t there any celebrations for all the inventions that men made in history? Even though there are two different sides of opinions I still believe it is a good idea to highlight all the contributions women had made to society.
- Tatiana