This summer we saw the rise of the “that girl” aesthetic. She works out strictly in cute sets, drinks green juice like water, and somehow manages to excel at everything while looking perfect. She is who everyone wants to be – but is somehow still unattainable. Being an overachiever (and an avid Pinterest user), I set out to try and become “that girl.”
As I began my transformative journey, I realized some things were not going to happen. I was not going to get up at 5:30 in the morning every day. I was not going to drink green juice because it tastes like grass. And I was absolutely not going to fly overseas and have a beautiful, perfectly aesthetic vacation on the Italian coast. I was stuck with myself, my hometown, and my own motivation to be better. I realized that the person I should try to be was just the fullest, happiest version of myself. I didn’t want to become someone else, I just wanted to feel like I belonged to myself. I made it my goal for the summer to become my own definition of “that girl.”
I started with small, easy habit changes: drinking two 32-ounce water bottles a day, eating more greens and proteins, establishing a workout routine, and getting up at the same time every day. Doing these things made me feel balanced, like I was finally in control of my body and my mind. I also started adopting practices that made me feel peaceful; a big one was reading. I bought a Kindle at the beginning of the summer and still love it. It’s my escape at the end of the day, a way to wind down and quiet my mind. I bought clothes I felt beautiful in, not just clothes that were trendy. I found myself straying away from trends and gravitating towards clothes that were more consistent with my style, clothes that I felt like myself in. I ended my summer feeling balanced and true to myself – an attitude I seem to have lacked in years past.
In this first month of school, I’ve done my best to carry these feelings and practices with me. I still drink lots of water and work out regularly (walking just about everywhere helps too). I read as much as I can and never leave the house without feeling like myself. This summer, I learned a lot about who I am and who I want to be. I think that’s really what college is about, isn’t it? Finding yourself. Finding your own version of “that girl.” So, whether it be changing your habits, finding your style, or learning more about yourself, I would encourage you to explore who you want to be and how you can get there from where you are now. And you don’t have to be perfect (and truthfully, it’s better if you aren’t). You just have to be the best version of yourself.