In November of 2015, Alessia Cara, a Canadian singer songwriter, released a song that has changed the way we look at beauty, advocated self acceptance, and prompted everyday people, specifically young women, to love themselves.

Cara has been an advocate for authenticity and self-love since she first came into the spotlight with her hit single "Here" in 2015. She often appears on stage in minimal makeup and ditches garish costuming for casual attire.

Her debut album "Know it All" features an array of some of my own favorite songs. However, Track 10, "No Scars to Your Beautiful," is not only a song but a strong statement against mainstream beauty standards and the pressure placed on young women to be perfect. The song and music video have reached viral status. Cara sat down with the hosts of the view to open up about her lyrics and her own experiences with self acceptance.

"There are so many expectations placed on women on a daily basis, whether its the way we look, the way we dress, what size we need to be, what color we need to be" says Cara, "...often times because of this we feel that we need to go to extremes to love ourselves, whether thats altering our bodies or doing things that scar the beautiful we already have. I think that's so false and so twisted."

Inspired by Cara's honesty; this week I reached out to a few new classmates, in hopes to gain insight in the way other millennials define beauty. The response was absolutely overwhelming and inspiring.

Ashley, Wellesley College

"My definition of beauty is anything that expresses the thought of the person or entity without trying too hard." Khushali, Boston University

"We all have flaws that we wished were erased, but that's the reality with everyone, so at least it's reassuring to know we're not alone. So instead of focusing over those things we can't change, I would say that we try to reinvent a definition of beauty to be based on intelligence, knowledge, and ambition." Paige, Wellesley College

"I'm not a fan of makeup at all. It takes forever to put on, and forever to take off. Most days, I go makeup free because it's practical, and because it's fresh. I feel beautiful when people see me for me, and not a dramatic mask that I painted on myself. Plus, I think glam looks need glam events. Not an 8 a.m. lab class." Nicole, Wellesley College

"Beauty is such a complex and special concept that it's often misunderstood. Constant external pressures trick us into focusing on what we see instead of how we feel. Beauty, to me, is essentially happiness: people, feelings, moments... just "things" that make us happy." Michelle, Tufts University

"Beauty is a characteristic of something/someone that inspires pleasant feelings." Aria, MIT

Prom is time where high school students strive to look their best for their final high school dance. Raeniqua and Nafisa didn't feel their true beauty because of gowns or makeup, but rather the experience itself.

"I feel beautiful is not because of the makeup (I'm not wearing that much), but I love the lipstick. Not because of my outfit, although it makes me incredibly happy. Not my hair, although I've always loved curly/wavy hair considering my hair is really straight. But rather because I'm happy. I feel beautiful because I'm there with my beloved and we are both sharing a joyous moment. I didn't know how I looked in that moment, probably greasy with Miami humidity, but I felt beautiful because of how happy everything was at that moment." Nafisa, Northeastern University

"Beauty is being fully comfortable in your own skin, once you achieve that "beauty" comes naturally." Jessie, Tufts University

"Beautiful is being able to be comfortable in my own skin. It's allowing my hair to be frizzy and not done. I like my clothes to be baggy and comfortable." Tiana, Suffolk University

In a social media fueled society its not easy to feel comftorable in your own skin; particularly for girls aged 12-25. A recent study has shown that 91 percent of girls are unhappy with their bodies while only 5 percent of women possess what the American media portrays as a "perfect body."

"Society often looks to traditional femininity and aesthetic to define beauty, creating confining and exclusive standards that hide beauty's full spectrum. Beauty is not the absence of imperfection; someone who is beautiful is aware of his or her physical flaws and instead chooses to look past them. To me, I feel most beautiful when I appreciate the inimitability of my flaws and recognize that they do not define me as a person." Caroline, Boston University

"Beauty is the goodness of the soul that remains when you strip away physical appearances. When you live a life based on love, compassion, good humor, and generosity, you will radiate like a beacon of light, and you will always be beautiful." Lindsey, Boston University

"Beauty, as most of us know, comes in different forms and spirits. You can't compare two people, and ask "Who is more beautiful?" Beauty is loving yourself, and having the confidence to embrace both the parts you do and do not like about yourself. A beautiful woman is a woman who does not compare herself to others, but encourages others. A beautiful person constantly pushes themself to be a better version of themself." Lidya, University of Kentucky

Simmons College

Recent studies have show that the more reality television a young girl watches, the more likely she is to find appearance important. There is truly something wrong about the way the media chastises both men and women based on their appearance.

But the cruel, image-based remarks don't stop at magazine headlines. As women, we are constantly trying to move past the idea that as young girls we were always told to be pretty before anything else.

I want my ten year old sister to grow up in a world where "pretty" is second to intelligent, strong, ambitious and a million other adjectives that are so much more important than "pretty."

If we can accept that beauty comes in endless forms, we can change the mindset of the next generation. The most difficult task is accepting that we are all flawed; our flaws are the things that individualize us.

Alessia said it herself and I think we can all agree, "You don't have to change a thing, the world can change its heart."

Watch the full music video here

Stay Golden, Kayla

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