There’s a lot of focus on the freshman-fifteen when you first go to college. Whether your parents are telling you to be careful at the unlimited dining hall buffet, your friends are so concerned it will happen to them, or others saying it’s a hoax, it happened to me my freshman year- and I really didn’t think it would. I felt a lot of emotions when my doctor told me I gained seventeen pounds in one year. She didn’t seem too concerned with it, but all I could think was how did that happen? I started to not feel comfortable in my body and my body image had never been an issue or a thought in my mind. I was constantly looking in the mirror or for excuses to feel bad about myself and my looks. My confidence decreased and it was too difficult for me to do something about it because I was oddly ashamed I let it happen to me when I was so sure I never would. I tried going to the gym and kept the mindset that I was there to maintain a healthy weight and improve my mental health. I couldn’t help but compare myself to the perfect bodies I saw around me. It was like I was sabotaging myself because I didn’t like the way I felt in my body, but I also didn’t like the way I felt trying to do something about it.
I started going to Monday night yoga classes with my freshman-year roommate to relieve some stress and get a good start to the week. At first, I thought it was pretty silly, as I had never done yoga before, but I started to learn a lot about myself and my body as the semester went on. Those Monday night yoga classes were the start of the journey to gain my confidence back and maintain a healthy lifestyle, mentally and physically. The instructor of this class really made an effort to let beginners realize that when you are on the mat and in the classroom, practice is what you want to make of it. She made an environment comfortable for anyone and constantly reminded us that anybody is a yoga body. This semester, my roommate is abroad, but I started going to more yoga classes with one of my friends Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. From last semester to this semester, I can really notice a change in my confidence as well as an increase in physical strength and balance.
Not only have I learned about the practice of yoga, but also what it tries to teach your mind and soul. Not everyone has the same flow and that’s okay. There really is no right or wrong; it’s all about what feels good for you and your body, and you cannot judge yourself for not being able to do something the instructor or the person sitting next to you can do. And most importantly, the journey of yoga is supposed to be a journey. You are constantly progressing and learning. By reminding myself of all of this, I have been able to appreciate my body more this semester and push myself for growth. Going to class and sitting on the mat is no longer a chore, but one of the best parts of my day. I am able to let go of everything from the day or week and just give myself an hour of pushing and supporting myself. Yoga has also taught me that gaining weight is not always a bad thing. Our bodies grow and develop over time, and maybe I needed that to grow into my adult body. I am still healthy and have grown so much since I graduated high school.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UNH chapter.