Four years ago, I was about to be a freshman in high school, and I was taking a fully packed backpack and my low self-esteem with me on my first day.

Now I'm packing up the college books I sold my soul for and my huge ego to take with me on August 24.

So many things in high school caused this drastic change, i.e. speech and debate, my new set of friends, my job, etc. But, one thing in particular stands out: my choice to grow out my body hair.

As a young female in the south, doing this kind of thing is shocking to most. Body hair on women is often treated as abnormal, unnatural and disgusting when it is actually quite the opposite. Women are so overly sexualized that they are shamed for making the simple decision to stop shaving.

Shaving became popular for women simply because of marketing. In the 20s, many companies began depicting women as hairless when selling their merchandise which soon caused body hair on women to appear as "abnormal." Before this occurred, body hair on women was completely normal and accepted, so what makes it any different today?

I won't be the first and I won't be the last to say that shaving is an absolute chore. In all honesty, that's why I stopped. I wasn't trying to make a statement or "fight the man." I was just tired of doing something that wasn't even for my benefit.

Although, after I stopped shaving, I realized how liberating it was. I was breaking the major rule when it comes to being an attractive female according to society's standards. I broke the measuring stick that had been used to gauge my self-esteem for so long. This last straw is what finally made me feel beautiful. I'm attractive according to my standards, and that is truly what matters. My body hair is what gives me confidence, and it is so important for all women to know that they should do whatever makes them confident and happy regardless of the beauty standards that have been set by society.

Regardless of my newfound confidence, I still have concerns that my body hair will disgust potential significant others or will bring about judgement from others. In truth, it has caused both of these things. However, this has given me even more reason to de-stigmatize body hair on women. It's 2016, I'm a woman, and I shouldn't be criticized for any decision I make regarding my own body.

So, my freshman year of college is going to be very different in comparison to my freshman year of high school. I'll be starting school with student loan debt, bright purple armpit hair and some killer self-esteem.