When was the last time you felt free?

I don't mean this in the "1776 America" way, either. When was the last time you looked in the mirror and genuinely liked what you saw?

When was the last time you could honestly say, "I love my body" without a shred of doubt?

For most of us, answering these questions is more difficult than theoretical physics, and for good reason. We are so used to the idea that we can only be beautiful if we mirror the models in the magazines or the actresses on TV. While the media publishes issue after issue with titles like, "Quick and Easy Diets!" and "How to get skinny FAST!" they should really be called, "How to Create Unrealistic Beauty Standards That Cause Bodily Harm and Negative Body Image for Individuals Everywhere!" Because hey, at least they would be being honest.

Body image is more than calling yourself "fat" or "skinny" -- it's spending countless hours of the day wondering if you look terrible in your clothing. It's spending countless hours of the day pinching the fat on your stomach and thighs in the mirror. It's spending countless hours of the day laying in bed wondering if you are single because boys think you're disgusting. It's spending countless hours of the day wishing you were born in a different body because the one you have just simply isn't good enough.

From a young age, we are taught to be ashamed of our bodies, to cover up the imperfections, to shield the parts of us that we cannot control because "nobody needs to see that." Through years of being told that skinny is the new beautiful, we have lost ourselves in the labyrinth of beauty standards that cannot possibly be navigated by every human being.

This kind of mentality and culture have shaped individuals more than you can imagine. Negative body image directly leads to eating disorders, which run rampant throughout the world -- especially in the United States. To many people, eating disorders are brushed under the rug, like most mental health issues, because they're "not real problems" or they are "just in your head."

Here are some facts from ANAD that might get you thinking:

Almost 50 percent of individuals with an eating disorder meet the criteria for Depression 1.

Up to 30 million people of all ages and genders suffer from eating disorders in the United States alone.

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

An estimated 10 to 15 percent of people with anorexia or bulimia are male.

91 percent of women on college campuses have tried dieting to control their weight.

47 percent of girls in fifth through 12th grade reported wanting to lose weight because of the media.

81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat.

While the majority of individuals affected by negative body image and eating disorders are young girls in high school and college, it cannot be ignored that children are even beginning to cling to the trend of self hatred. Children in elementary schools who should be focused on learning, growing, and building friendships, are instead concerned about their weight. Negative body image has single handedly changed the dialog of the country, instilling an unwavering sense of inadequacy in the majority of young people today.

Instead of accepting the negativity, we need to accept the reality. The women in magazines are photoshopped and airbrushed; they are not reality. The beautiful girl with the "perfect" body who sits next to you in your lecture thinks that she needs to lose weight for formal. Don't forget that we are all fighting the same battle.

We need to stand up to the confines that have been set for us and fight to make a difference. I am a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon and I am co-running ANAD week which begins on November 2.

You're probably asking, what is ANAD? ANAD is one of our three philanthropies and it stands for "Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders". This organization aims to spread awareness and raise funds to help individuals suffering from body image issues and eating disorders. When I joined my Greek organization, I was thrilled to know that I was part of group of strong women who are dedicated to supporting the advancement of other young women. Through ANAD week, we will be supporting women and men across the country who suffer each and every day from these crippling diseases.

Want to know how to get involved? If you're a TCNJ student, you'll have the entire week to support ANAD. Here are our events:

Come out and show your support about a worthwhile cause and just remember, you are your own best friend. Next time you look in the mirror, remind yourself of that. It's okay to jiggle. It's okay not to be able to button that last button on your jeans. It's OK to go up for seconds.

You are the sun, the moon, and the stars, and none of those things are perfect up close.