In today’s society, people use social media to compare and make themselves look better than others. Social media was made to connect with friends, but it has evolved into a competition of who can get more likes and followers.
Lately people have been experiencing low self-esteem according to some Sedro-Woolley High school students. Loving yourself helps you appreciate life. Self love is important for everyone.
Jenna Everson, a senior at SWHS said she believes that self love is, “feeling comfortable in your own body.” To others it’s being able to put yourself out there without feeling that someone is better than you.
The thoughts you have with the way that you look are positive when you love yorself, no matter what other might be telling you in an attempt to drag you down.
Kamryn Poirier, a sophomore believes that it is, “being able to look in the mirror and accept yourself.”
Many people value what others think, and therefore do what others expect or want them to do. It shouldn’t be important to us, because we should value ourselves. Hillary Tacazln, a senior at SWHS said, “I think the way your friends see you is important ‘cause the people you surround show who you are. If you didn’t have yourself, you wouldn’t have anyone. You have to have confidence in yourself before you could have confidence in anybody else.”
According to Pew Research, forty-three percent of teens say they feel pressure to post content that makes them look good.
Many feel the pressure to always look good. “People on social media Facetune and Photoshoot their photos to make themselves feel more confident and I feel like models these days are set at such high standards and girls want to look like them. But its not, like achievable, it’s all fake,” said sophomore Kendra Newman.
Facetune and Photoshoot are Apps that alter your pictures to make you look ‘perfect’ and make your pictures sharper.
Many people find themselves comparing their bodies to someone else on social media. “I feel like at least everyone looks up to someone or wants to feel or look different in a type of way, but it just comes down to liking yourself,” said Newman.
There are many things in this world that could negatively impact self image, it’s important to remember that we are all individuals. It can be hard for teens to absorb that message when there are so many negative impacts on self image.
“Social media wants kids to be perfect, skinny, flat stomach, big thighs, fat ass. They want people to have a perfect vision and not everybody is that and so they get down on themselves,” said Tacazln.
Students often face problems with self image; mostly because of what someone else has to say, but Tacazln disagrees. “What matters is what you think and how you think of yourself and no one else’s opinions matters, so stay on your high horse and stay up.”