By Satyne Doner, Editor of Arts & Culture
Dear college student,
It is January 1. You roll over in bed and stare into your phone screen for the first time today. Immediately, you are confronted with video after video, photo after photo, with the following captions:
“Here’s how to lose 10 pounds of stubborn holiday weight this month!” One reads.
“Download this app and get started on your New Year’s Resolutions today, it can help you fix all of your bad habits,” says another. “30-day guarantee.”
Of course, these captions are fictional, but they are not far from the truth of what an average adolescent sees day in and day out. The pressure put on college students like you to ‘be better’ is immense. Every single aspect of a college student’s body and mind is commoditized and, in the eyes of most social media platforms, can be made better by a quick fix. That quick fix could be an app, a product, a diet, or a Build-A-Butt workout program.
In fact, according to the Mental Health Foundation, 40 percent of teenagers and adolescents worry about their body image and cite social media as the source.
So, dear college student, how does this relate to your New Year’s resolutions?
Let me be clear. It is not that making a resolution for yourself is bad. Taking some time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the one ahead is not a bad thing at all. However, these goals can be severely skewed because of social media.
Immense pressure from the culture that we live in can lead to unrealistic goals and expectations for young, impressionable minds. No, college student, you do not need to lose 10 pounds and clear up your skin by February 1. You do not need to work out twice a day and only make Bella Hadid’s favorite salad to eat.
Here is what you need to do: be smart about your goals. Julia Ahaus, a graduate student in her second year of Saint Leo’s MBA sports management program, has ideas on how you can do just that. She also runs the personal training program at the Wellness Center. She noted that usually, there is a large surge of students in the gym at the beginning of the year, but those numbers start dropping off drastically around March. She shared insights on how students can be more consistent, realistic, and kinder to themselves with their goals and New Year’s resolutions.
“The major reason why people struggle to keep their resolutions is because they are unrealistic to achieve in the given time, counting in factors like schoolwork, life, and friends,” said Ahaus. “When goals are unachievable, confidence and motivation often decrease, which leads to people not keeping their resolutions.”
Ahaus also believes that social media can be detrimental to setting these goals.
“The media shows us unrealistic body images,” said Ahaus. “This can be harmful to both mental health and body image.” said Ahaus.
So, dear college student, what can you do this year to make sure your resolutions stick? There are certainly ways to not get swept up in the hype of social media. Right?
“Be honest with yourself,” said Ahaus. “Is (your goal) something you can do with your other responsibilities? If the answer is no, make it a bit more achievable. The important aspect is to create new long-term habits that can be held up ideally for the entire year. Once a habit is created, we can build on those at our own speed.”
At the Wellness Center, Saint Leo students like you can enjoy free group fitness classes every day besides Sunday. They have a little something for everyone- from Pilates to cycling and even gym introductions if you are just starting out. Just visit their website at wellness.saintleo.edu and click on the “group fitness” tab!
College student, I want to leave you with this: in 2023, be gentler with yourself. Be realistic, but not harsh. Do not overextend yourself to fit into an ideal that society sets up for you. Do what feels right, and you are already halfway there. Happy new year!
