Every time I get a pimple, it’s the end of the world. I don’t usually get pimples but when I do, it’s just a huge one that looks like it is swallowing my entire face. At least it looks like that to me.

When I wake up to that unexpected little bundle of redness and puss, I wallow in self-pity and self-loathe. I focus all of my attention on this small insecurity and begin to conjure up ways to hide it, diminish it, and make it disappear from my life forever.

I immediately run to the store to buy some sort of acne cream I’ve seen on TV because I’m clueless and desperate. If this does not work quick enough then I’ll impatiently settle for some home remedies such as applying toothpaste on it or apple cider vinegar. If I have to reveal my face in public then I’ll rally up all the makeup I have and smear it all over the blemish until I feel the sense of societal acceptance. If a week goes by and the relentless zit is still in sight, then I’ll even consider putting a fun sticker over it that serves as a distraction. If that doesn't work I'll cover it up with a Bandaid and make up a story of how I fought someone and they “should have seen the other guy.”

Every time I get a pimple I repeat this process. And then I proceed to ask myself why. Why do I do this? Why do I attempt to hide my pimple when I portray myself as being so confident? Why do I care SO much about something that is SO small?

As I rub that glob of concealer over that little red bump, I begin to realize how shallow I’m being. I’m putting so much of my time and effort into something that is so meaningless.

Yes, pimples suck. But it is not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean that I’m ugly. It doesn’t mean that I repulse people. It doesn’t make me inferior to anyone. It just means that I’m human.

Everyone gets pimples and subsequently, as humans, we “freak out” about them. We analyze their every curve. We wonder why “bad things happen to good people.” We feel insecure when we have them. We feel ugly. We feel sad. However, what we need to do is realize the truth in the matter.

It is just a pimple.

A pimple is an inflamed bump on the skin resulting from a bacteria-infected oil gland. It is completely normal and natural. Anyone can get them, even those flawless girls on the front cover of all those entertainment magazines. This means that having a pimple is not a rarity that we should be attempting to hide. Pimples are simply infected oil glands that unfortunately leave a red bump. However, what is underneath that red bump has not changed.

You are still who you are. That pimple, no matter how massive you think it may appear to be, does not define you. That pimple is solely a reminder of how nobody is perfect. Everyone has flaws but that does not change who they are.

If you think that boys won’t talk to you because of that pimple then they are not worth your time or energy. If you think that pimples cause your peers to think you are ugly then your peers are not worth your time and energy. Time is precious. So instead of wasting it on worrying about that pimple you need to cover up for that boy or group of friends, spend it on something productive. Maybe spend that time doing something you love, something that makes you happy. Spend it on hanging out with your loved ones, watching movies, listening to music, playing sports, watching plays, or my personal favorite, eating good food. My only advice would be to stay away from chocolate, you don’t want to get another pimple! (*winks and hopes that her sarcasm is evident in her writing*)