Last week, as a method of procrastination, I decided to browse through the iPhoto application on my laptop for the first time in years. Beginning at my high school graduation, I continued to scroll — past my senior trip, past the pictures of potential dorm bedspreads and room décor and onto the first events of freshman year. Nostalgia swept over me as I clicked through images depicting quickly-formed, freshman year friendships, my debut college football season and documentation of delirious 4 a.m. antics with my roommate.
   As the pictures flashed by, I realized a significant portion of my nostalgia was devoted to my physical size at the time. The second I reached this realization, I was instantly disgusted with my superficiality. College has been such a growth period in my life, and the fact that weight gain was on the forefront of my mind as I reflected on these years was despicable. But the more I thought about it, I began to cut myself a little slack. After all, negative body image is quite an ominous obstacle to overcome. Throughout college this rings particularly true.  When virtually every facet of your life changes, sometimes it’s a comfort to know you can go to McDonald’s at 2 a.m. and not be disappointed by inconsistency. (Unless you’re trying to get them to use the ice cream machine. If that’s the case, good luck.)
    Brown University recently conducted a study on the origins of negative body image, and in my opinion, its most prolific finding was that negative body image is for the most part self-inflicted. Now, I know this sounds like common sense. The negative thoughts are technically your own, but the amazing flipside of this self-inflicted turmoil is that we as individuals have the ultimate upper hand. We hold the power to end the cycle of negativity.
   This article is perhaps the most hypocritical thing I have ever written. I have always been my toughest critic, in this department especially, but I find hope and encouragement in the fact that I am not alone in this negativity. In an article on levo.com, Tiffany Dufu gives the public a view of her own path to positive body image. She explains the various trials of each stage of maturation, and in conclusion relays this piece of wisdom: “You can change so many circumstances in your life by changing your mindset about them. In fact, understanding you’re the most powerful change agent in your own journey is critical to elevating your well-being.”
    This quote is so valuable because not only is it a reminder that you are the master of your mindset, but it also instills the fact that a positive mindset is a journey. This ideal is a constant within so many tribulations faced in college. So, you slept through your entire first day of college — big deal. You call your parents, sob, email all of your teachers apologetically and you move on. Maybe that only happened to me. Who’s to say? The point is, everyone faces new challenges in college, and you have to push forward. Creating a positive self-image falls into the same category.
   Physical change in college is essentially inevitable. Your schedule changes, your responsibilities increase and your stress levels shoot through the roof. The one constant can be a positive outlook. And when put into perspective, a few pounds here or there are totally worth the late-night study trips to Taco Bell.