It's pretty safe to say that I've never been a looker, except maybe with a little help from my giant makeup bag. I had a very long "awkward" stage that didn't really end until my senior year of high school. I was so excited to go away to college because I could start with a blank slate. I hadn't really had any boyfriends in high school and I wasn't one of those girls that the boys whispered about to each other. But I thought things might be different in college. In the beginning of my freshman year, I went to my first ever fraternity party. I was nervous and excited, and I had no idea what to expect. My friend and I stood next to each other, taking it all in, and excitedly talking about how cool it was to actually be at a college party. Then, a cute boy came up to us. My heart skipped a beat a little because I thought maybe he came up to ask me to dance. But then he turned to my friend and said, "You're beautiful, would you like to dance with me?" She looked at me for a second and I nodded my head, telling her she should go. But inside I felt so stupid and embarrassed. It was my first college party and I was already being overlooked, just like in high school!
Maybe I should've worked out more, or dressed more provocatively, or been more outgoing. I thought of all the things I should've done that might land me a dance with a cute guy. While my friends often grabbed boys' attention at parties, I didn't. It was something I became used to, and I let it go after the first few parties. It's okay to be the girl that's overlooked. I had a lot more on my plate to worry about, and I was getting more and more involved with college, so I didn't have time for a boy anyways. Between club meetings, class, and trying to stay fit, I realized that maybe God had other plans for me. So while my friends talked about their hookups, I laughed along with them, but I stopped feeling bad for myself just because boys overlooked me.
Since my freshman year of college, I have grown immensely. One of the things I've learned is that the opinion of college boys does not matter at all, nor does their opinion determine my worth. However, I still see many girls base their worth on what boys think of them. This should not be the case because we should value ourselves enough to know that we are great and that we don't need others' opinions to validate our self-worth. To all the college girls out there: don't feel upset if you don't get any attention out at parties. In the bigger scheme of things, to strive to be noticed by boys is quite meaningless. Instead, focus your energy on becoming a better you. Realize what your strengths are, and work on your weaknesses. Resolve to love yourself, and you never know, maybe the right guy just might come along when you least expect it!
