In a few weeks, there will be a plethora college-aged students and similar age alike squatting at the beach in an effort to achieve their ideal skin tone. Many people have already started to frequent the gym in an attempt to sculpt an "ideal" shape suitable for their potential suitors. What many fail to recognize is the ideal "summer body" is a social construct that has been nourished by insecurities and the media's perpetual disdain for people who do not look like the portrayed to be the happy couple below.

(I searched "summer body" on Google Images and clicked on the "beach" tab)

Working on yourself is something we should continually do because it will likely improve our overall quality of living. However, keep in mind that while you are building yourself up to be a better version, you may be simultaneously tearing others down. The concept of a "summer body" implies that there is a specific type of body that people should strive for during a specific time period of the year, uncoincidentally the hottest time of the year when you are more likely to wear less clothes.

Whether it be fat shaming, which is a prevalent issue in society, or subtle yet still offensive skinny jokes, there is no set "perfect" body because we aren't built uniformly, resulting in apparent physical differences. There is no harm in going to the gym if you have an ideal body you'd like to achieve. It is actually admirable to work hard for something that will only be achieved after changing not only your active life but also your eating habits. Be that as it may, be mindful of those around you because they too may be a road to self-renovation and do not need you dropping banana peels in your wake.

So if you'd like a summer body; have a body in the summer.