Who Am I REALLY? (In the words of a high school teen)

It can be hard to accept yourself for who you truly are at times. With constant peer pressure, you can start to doubt your appearance. One thing I want to let know you is that you being who you are is what makes you beautiful. I know it may sound like a cliché but you are going to think of yourself as the most beautiful girl in the world after reading this message. When you look in magazines or on TV, these thoughts may run through your head: "I wish I could be beautiful like her", "She's so beautiful", "Why can't I be pretty like her?" I hate to break this to you but everything isn’t as it seems and you may not be witnessing “natural” beauty when watching your favorite stars and idols on TV and online.

Most of the photos of models in magazines have been edited by Photoshop. Photoshop is a computer editing software that many photographers use, to change, enhance, and manipulate their photos. For example, if a photographer took a picture of a really skinny girl, that photographer can use Photoshop to make her face and body a little thicker so she looks she like has a fuller body. So images that you see in magazines of your favorite celebrities are actually “touched up” images of them.

When you look at yourself in the mirror and say; "I wish I never had bushy eyebrows", or "I wish I could change my skin color", think about this, you wouldn't be who are without those little things that make you so unique. It’s like you’re not embracing your features that you were designed to have. If everyone had the same nose, skin color, eye color and eyebrows then no one would could truly be labeled an individual. Beauty comes from the little things that make you who you are. You should never feel ashamed and discouraged about your appearance. You and me are awesome being our true selves.

Elise Frazier is a high school senior and graduate of Girl Talk Charlotte!