Last time I checked, most girls that have a large thigh gap do not identify as curvy. Or they are very much in shape and work out a lot in order to maintain curves and that gap between the thighs that society is currently obsessed with. Yet on Barbie's homepage, if you navigate yourself to the section labeled "curvy," you find dolls with slightly wider breast, skinny faces with defined cheekbones, a tiny waist, and then the curvy aspect: Beyonce-inspired hips that do not have the thighs to match. It is easy to see what Barbie was attempting, skinny and curvy is in thanks to the big booty obsession that is permeating rap music, red carpet events, and at-home workout routines. It is evident that women like Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, and JLo all have widened the gap in what society considers pretty, yet these people also work extremely hard to maintain these images -- whether through workouts and diet, or in some cases surgery, playing into the idea of "curvy perfection."
I identify with this movement and certainly like the fact that this new beauty standard deviates slightly from the idea that women need to be super skinny with big breasts in order to be considered pretty (the kind of pretty Barbie has defined for decades). Yet Barbie's attempt at this plays into "curvy perfection."
This is certainly a step in the right direction. The doll does not promote obesity or the original Barbie image that has been proven time and time again as completely unrealistic. Yet the way Barbie chooses to portray curviness can cause an impact as well. Curvy Barbie seems to come with appropriate plus-sized clothes, dresses, florals, and cinched waistbands to draw the eye to the skinniest part of the body -- implying, as society tends to do, that women with curves have special attire they need to wear to look as skinny as possible.
Barbie is taking a step in the right direction, helping young girls identify with dolls that may look more like them. Yet it is important to realize that Barbies are still made to portray a sense of societal perfection -- regardless of the sizes, shapes, heights, or hair colors that they may be including.
Being from a smaller town (just outside of Buffalo, NY), going to a big city like Chicago was quite an experience. It was definitely part of the appeal to go to grad school in the first place, a chance to go somewhere new, meet new people and grow as a person.
I got great advice when I first arrived: Every big city has its small ponds. Look for those and get to know the communities of interest to you. Then a big city becomes much more personable and manageable.
Another interesting thing about my grad school experience is I took a 2-year program and I completed it in 1 year. I attended classes in the summer to make that possible. While it wasn't recommended by the university, they worked with me on it and it saved me a ton of money (loans).
So here are 6 reasons you should consider graduate school, regardless of where you are in your life:
You probably noticed that not all undergrad students were so keen on the learning part of the college experience. But in grad school, everyone is serious about being there for a reason: to study and to learn. Soak that up and you'll find it a productive environment.
By branching out to a new city, you'll find chances to network and land internships and other opportunities that you won't find if you stay where you're at.
It looks impressive to have gone to graduate school and it can give you a leg up to the competition you'll face in the real world.
The networking opportunities alone truly make grad school worth it, whether it be professors or fellow students.
Yes, you're spending money, but you're also giving yourself time to contemplate what you want to do next in your life. Whether it's uncertainty after undergrad or you're ready to chart a new direction years later, grad school is valuable time to figure out that next step.
And this may be the best reason of all. It'll be challenging but that's the point - challenge yourself and you'll be much better off for it.
So think about it! It may not be for everyone, but it could be for you. It certainly was helpful for me to grow as a young man and opened up awesome career opportunities, including the chance to move to NYC and work there for 3 and a half years.
