Before you beat yourself up too much about your “spring break bod,” take a look at everyone around you. Normally I’m not one to encourage comparing traits to others, but no one has a Victoria's Secret model body, so why do you need one?

Perfection. Since we were little girls we have been taught to compare ourselves to others and to look better than the girl next to us. Almost everywhere we turn we are bombarded with the message that we could look better.

Spend five minutes glancing over ads and you’ll notice that that every model used to sell a product has a thin body and perfect features. You can actually feel your self esteem drop the longer you stare at these images. But these photos that we see are so processed and airbrushed that even the women in the images don’t look like that in real life.

According to the media, in order to be considered pretty we need long legs, flawless skin, and amazing hair, while maintaining a certain weight and sustaining a respectable reputation.

This ideal thinness that the media displays is physically unattainable to a majority of women. What is real is the insane pressure that is placed upon females that causes them to resort to extreme diets and skipping meals. Sometimes the result of these distorted body images lead to eating disorders, which can cause stomach problems, irregular periods and psychological damage to one’s body

So what is beauty if the media has it wrong? Beauty isn’t measured by a dress size nor is it determined by the curves on our body. Beauty is not limited to how much makeup we wear nor the brands we buy. I believe beauty is learning to accept oneself as an individual and to conquer the insecurities we hide. Growing up a woman is far from simple. True beauty can be defined through loyalty, compassion, ambition and essentially anything that reflects what it means to be a determined woman.

Don’t be disheartened this spring break by the swimsuit bodies. Go out and enjoy your week away from school.