BeYOUtiful December 2022 Zine

to my to my A letter A letter middle-school self middle-school self

Dear Middle-School Me, Dear Middle-School Me,

owadays,nooneasksthatquestion eanit.Howareyoudoingrighthere, dingthisletteratthebeginningof thestartjuniorhighschool?Orare ontograduateandcontinueon ol?I’msurethatnomatterwhere gtime!

t. eschoolwouldbeeasy Imean, danypartsoftheDiaryofaWimpy bookssuchasthatcanexaggerate chool,butsomethingswillnever real,schoolisstillchallenging,and nnewways,findingyourself

middleschooldefinitelywon’tbe cthighschooltobeacakewalk, fthejourney!Whereveryouare erymomentandthesweeping stthereandnowhereelse No ngthroughcurrently whether ntheclassroomorwithissuesmore throughit.Thingswillgetbetter,I youformakingitthisfar,andfor spiteallobstacles,youwill persevere Youwillreachnewheights

Likeapilot,youwillsoar.

to my to my A letter A letter middle-school self middle-school self

I’llgiveyouaglimpseintothefuture:I’mpartofa wonderfulclubcalledBeYOUtifulattheAcademyof OurLadyofPeace.It’saclubthatstrivestoempower youngwomentoriseabovesociety’sstandardsof beauty,toloveandacceptthemselves.I’mnowa Co-presidentoftheclub,anditismyfourthandfinal year!Istillcan’tbelieveit.

Whenourclubdecidedtocreateamagazine,Iwas soexcited.Ilovewritingaswellasadvocatingfor self love whatbetterwaytoputtwoofmybiggest passionstouse?Forthelastyear,myfellow leadershipmembers,clubmembers,andIhave beencraftingamagazinebrimmingwithmessages ofempowerment,respect,and,ultimately,love.This magazinewasmadewithpureandoverflowinglove forourreaders,forourschool,andforourselves.

IwishIhadthismagazinewhenIwasyourage,Mia. Whileyouwillnevergettoreadit,Ihopethatthe middleschoolersenjoyitasyouwouldhave.Ihope theyreallylistentothemessagesthroughoutand takethemin.Ihopetheyrealizetheyarealways beyoutiful.

Me in 12th grade in 12th grade

Mia Davis Mia Davis

Editor-in-ChiefofBeYOUtifulMagazine

Ask a Big sister

WrittenbyLaurenSuerth

I remember being in middle school, scared for high school and having so many questions running through my head.Oneofthebestconversationsfor astudenttohavewithanotherstudent is when they are both uninformed on thesametopic.Whatasighofreliefitis knowing that you aren’t the only one that is unaware of the directions. I had thissamethoughtenteringhighschool. Knowing that other girls had the same questions as me made me feel a lot more comfortable in my uncertainty. I gathered questions from multiple girls from various middle schools with questions they had for high school. In this article, I will be answering questions from a sophomore’s point of view and hopefully give future high schoolers a sense of guidance and relief. Paulina Odish from Hillsdale Middle School wants to know, “What’s the most challenging part of high school and what advice do you have for maintaining straight A’s?” For me, the most challenging part of high school has been knowing when to stop andgivemyselfmentalbreaks.

It's important to remember that you need to take a step back from all the stress of homework, studying,andtests.IamcurrentlytakingaHealth class and we are learning about mental breaks; youshoulddowhatevermakesyouhappyduring your mental break. A few ideas could be pampering yourself, eating your favorite food, or watching your favorite show. Maintaining straight A’s is hard, but it is an achievable goal. Turn in yourhomeworkontimeanddonotprocrastinate. It's better to be early than late. Audrey Hernandez from Hillsdale Middle School wants to know, “Do you still have a lot of the same friends from middle school in high school?” Yes, I am still friends with girls I went to middle school with. The great thing about high school is that there is a group of friends for everyone. Lastly, Antonella GreenefromHolyTrinitywantstoknow,“Whatwas a surprise to you when you first went to high school?”WhenIwasafreshman,astruggleforme was finding where my classes were and the names of each building. I asked older girls to directmetowhereIneededtogo,andtheywere happy and willing to help me. News flash, not all upperclassmenarerudeliketheyareportrayedin movies. The best advice I can give is that high school is the best years of your life, so soak in everymomentwhileyoucan.

Self Care

Doyoudrinkenoughwater?

It is very important to stay hydrated, especially if you are active in sports or value physical activity. Even when you’re not active, it is essential to drink plenty of water in order for your body to function properly.

Itisokaytosayno!

You may feel guilty for saying no to requests from others - but sometimes, you need a break or may notfeelcomfortablewiththerequest.Giveyourself somekindnessbyfollowingyourgutandsayingno tosituationsthatmakeyoufeeluncomfortable

Callafriend!

Calls can be great, especially when you need to laugh with a friend. It is a good idea to keep your friendsinclosecontactwithyou,especiallyduring difficulttimes.

Acceptmistakes.

Youdidn’tgetthegradeyouwanted?Thatisokay!

Learn to release the tension and learn from your mistakes. You tried your best, and that is all that matters!

Getexercise!

Whether you exercise by playing a sport, working out, or just walking, you should try to exercise as much as you can It is a great remedy to counteractstress.

Stayoffdevicesbeforebed.

Watching videos or scrolling through your phone before sleeping can be relaxing, but it interferes withsleep!Ifyouwantagoodnight'srest,Isuggest you stay away from harsh lights, especially those from phones, computers, laptops, and other electronicdevices,beforegoingtobed

Studyingforatestthenightbefore?

Studying through cramming can be extremely detrimental to your mental health Plan ahead, prioritize, and take action on study methods such as spending a few minutes a day studying beforeatest.

Spendtimewithlovedones.

To those who enjoy being in company withothers,youshouldaspiretohangout with family and friends. This comes with the responsibility of planning and communication, but the memories made with your loved ones will be worth the effortyouputin!

Feel like you’re overwhelmed after hangingoutwithothers?

Don’tyouworry.Thisisusuallyasignthat you need time alone or just a relaxing break! Take a hot bath or shower, read a book, practice a certain hobby, or take a nap!

Listentomusic!

Music is a great way to feel. Explore differentgenresofmusicandfind outwhatmakesyoumove!

Women in Sports

WrittenbyMarissaWilfahrt

One of the greatest parts of being an athlete is the healthy competition. You strive to excel in your passions, to be recognized for your commitment, and shatter personal boundaries. But it can be difficult to stayoutofyourheadwhencompetingandtobalance the sports you love with your daily life. When you are losing to somebody else, isn’t it easier to just let them winandcomeupwithanexcuseforyourselfafterward?

It wasn’t my game. I was feeling off. I slipped. The truth is that if you trust your physical abilities in competition thewayyoudoatpractices,thensuccesswouldcome a lot easier. As athletes, we push our bodies to their limit. We push them to their breaking points and then finish the job with a little mental push. So, why do we doubt ourselves sometimes when it comes to trusting thatpush?

The first thing I noticed helped me was that when I became more comfortable with discomfort and became more socially confident, my mental health gave me stamina. It allowed me to truly believe that I was good enough to win. It especially taught me that even if I face a loss or am not proud of my race, I did everything I was capable of in that moment, and nobody is criticizing me for that I’ve found it helpful to zone everybody else out for a bit. Think about your competition as just you versus you. If you challenge yourself and learn something new every day, then you will find personal improvement and become a better personeachday,too.

It takes a lot of determination and both mentalandphysicaldriveto be an athlete. I hope that this summary of my personal journey to enhancing my physical fitness while balancing all the other aspects of life will help you through similar circumstancesinyourlife!

It is also easy to succumb to your emotions in the moment. Maybe you ' re angry at a player whohurtyouwhennobodywaslooking,orsomebodysayssomethingrudeorprofanetoyou, oryouthinkthatyoushouldgiveup Youhavetorememberthatwhenanegativeorhateful thought comes into your head, that will drive your actions, whether you mean for it to or not (sometimesitcanbeokaytoallowsomeemotionintoyourperformance,butnotwhenthey overwhelm all others). It’s not worth it to let that emotion build and then let it all out for temporary relief. You must have confidence in your mentality and, again, in your physical abilities.Ifyouhaveputintheeffort,thenyoumustbeconfidentinyourperformanceandlet that carry you through your competition. Practicing slow and deep breathing while clearing yourthoughts/warminguptothesoundsofthearenaarealsoeffectivewaysofeasingstress. Balancecanbeatrickyvalue.Itissomethingthatyouhavetobeabletorecognizeyourselfto achieve, and to know how much personal stress you can handle. It can seem like a lot to be jugglingschoolwork,sociallife,worklife,andsports,butifyougiveyourselfachallenging“to do” from the beginning, you will become adapted to that fast pace and will start to look for things to do when you have empty hands and thoughts. You also must find the things that help you relax and feel genuinely happy to keep mental balance You will perform better knowing that you are prioritizing your health in every way and that you are prepared to take oneverychallengepossible,inandoutofyoursport.

Rememberthatyouhaveeverythingittakestobeanathlete,andthatyouwillalwaysgetthe resultsoutoftheeffortyouputin.Enjoyyourathleticjourneyasithelpsyouthroughallangles of life, and stay fearless. Your dedication will walk with you all your life, and will always be theretopushyoutodotheunexpected.Always.

Loving Yourself: "Control"

Growing up, I have learned that the only thing you can control in life is yourself. I have always been a perfectionist and the type of person to put others around me first no matter what. I used to feel the need toputeverythingonmyownshouldersandcouldnever letgooffaultsImadeorhad.Iwasn’tjustprioritizingthe needs of others before my own, I was completely disregardingmyownlifeinordertoliftupthosearound me ThiswasdetrimentaltomymentalhealthbecauseI was unable to set boundaries and find a balance between giving and receiving in my life. It got to the point where I always needed to be strong so that I couldn’t bring others with me on my downward spiral. I was unable to love myself for all that I am: my flaws, mistakes, successes, appearance, and personality I held in so much stress to be perceived as perfect and liveuptothestandardsofothers,thatIlostmyselfinthe process and didn’t have the confidence or proper resourcestoovercomethis. Finally, I realized that my anxiety and depression was gettingsoextremethatIcouldnolongerhideitfrommy loved ones because I felt I had lost complete control overmymindandactions.Mymaingoalwastoprotect those around me and make them happy; once I came to the conclusion that my desolation was inevitably inhibiting this, I was able to open up completely for the firsttimeinaslongasIcanremember Foronce,Iasked for help. This saved and changed my life forever. Although I hadn’t found many close friends, I was fortunate enough to be able to turn to my sister, mom, dad,andevenmysister’sfriends(whohadbecomemy bestfriendsaswell).

WrittenbyJillianNowicki

grow & flourish

I reached out and started going to therapy where I learned life lessons and strategies to find myself once again. I began training myself to look at the big picture instead of always looking at the world in a negative lens, solely focused on my mistakes and problems. I started making friends and connecting with others with my newfound confidence. In addition,Iregainedcontrolofmylife,mind,body,andactions I realized that when others go through difficult times, I cannot blame myself; when I make a mistake, I cannot let it consume me; and when an obstacle tries to bring me down, all I can control is my reaction. There is no way for me to control the actionsorfeelingsofothers,andmostofwhathappensinlifeis completely out of my control I can offer a helping hand or shouldertocryon,worktosolveaproblemwhileacceptingthe assistance of others willing to help, and even challenge myself to break walls I put up for myself. However, at the end of the day,thereisnowaytolivetoperfectionandcontroleverything thathappensinlife.

accept

To this day, I strive to be the best version of myself, working to becomethefriendthatallofmylovedonesandevenstrangers can turn to when they need help. I don’t, however, continue to hold the weight of the world on my back when things don’t go asplanned.Wehavetoloveourselvesbeforewecangivelove to others. Getting help or putting yourself first is not selfish or weak, it is a sign of strength No one is perfect, and we are allowedtocareforourselves.Istillstrugglewithunderstanding theselessons,butIhavebuiltafoundationofknowledge,trust, andstrengthsothatIwillneverlosemyselftomyoldways.We areallincontrolofourownconfidenceandself-love.Although weneedtoletothershelpus,weultimatelyhavetodothework togrowandprosper,whichIcanconfidentlysayIhavedone

I am...Puzzle

WrittenbyMiaDavis

Ifyouarestrugglingwithself worth,knowthatyouarenotalone.Youare loved,andyoudeservetofeelloved.Searchforthepositiveaffirmationsof self-loveinthewordpuzzle-youareeachandeverywordthatcanbe foundbelow

New Clothes, New You?

WrittenbyLaurenSuerth

Imaginethis…you'reagirlinhighschoolin2022andyou areflippingthroughaVoguemagazine.Thepagesradiate withbeautifulmodelswearingnewchicandstylish clothes.Yourmindstartsspinningwithnewideasofways tochangeyourstyle.Maybeifyouwearrippedjeans peoplewillthinkyou'recoolandedgy,butmaybeifyou wearashirtwithyourfavoriteshowonit,peoplewillthink you 'reweirdandnerdy.Shouldyournewstylebevintage soft,bold,orstreetwear?Shouldyouweartheclothestha youdon’tpersonallylike,butotherpeopledolike?Will peopletreatyoudifferentlyifyouwearotherclothesthan whatisconsidered“instyle”?Thesearethethoughtsthat rushthroughagirl'sheadeverytimetheygoshoppingor areexposedtonewtrends.Shouldyourpersonality changeifyourclotheschange?Thisquestionshouldbe verysimpletoanswer,butforsomegirlsit'sunclear.When youchangeyourstyleyoudonotchangeasaperson.

Wearingnewclothesdoesn’tmeanyouhavetopretendt besomeoneyouaren’t.Somegirlsbelievethatifthey changetheirstyleofclothestheywillbetreateddifferentl andbeincludediftheyweartrendyclothes Ifyourmotive forchangingyourstyleistofitinwiththecoolkids,your headisinthewrongplace.Wearwhatyouloveandwha makesyoufeelconfident!Ifyoulikeit,wearit.Beyourself andwearwhatmakesyoufeelspecialandbeautiful.I knowthatitisbasicandannoyingtohearthat.Butin simpleterms,whocareswhatotherpeoplethink?They aren'tyou.Youarethepriority,notthem.Clothesare expressive,sowearwhatrepresentsyou.

Current Trends

Nowthatwehaveclearedupwhatitmeanstobeyourself,let'stalkaboutsomenewfashion trends Currentlythe80’slooksaremakingacomeback,includingscrunchies,baggyjeans,large graphicT shirtsandhightopshoes.PersonallyIamgladallthesetrendsarereturningbecauseI lovethisstyleofclothing.Anothertrendistohaveeverythingcroppedandtorevealalittlebitof skin.Sweaters,shirtsandjacketscanallcomecroppednow.Fashiontrendschangesofrequently it'shardtokeepupwith.Bythetimeyougetyourhandsontheshirtthateveryonewantedand thatwasoutofsaleeverywhere,it’soutoftrend.Shoppingcanbesodifficult!Sojust enjoythejourneyofshoppingforclothesandhavefuntryingnewthings!Just rememberthatclothesdon’tchangewhoyouare.

Weknowthatlifecouldbechallenginganddifficult. Wouldn’tyouwanttoknowsometipsandtricksto helpguideyou?HerearesometipsthatIpersonally usethathelpmewithmydaytodayactivities!

Life Hacks

WrittenByLindsey Danganan

Irecommendbringinga tide to go stick everywhere you go. You never know when you wouldneedit.Especially when you go out with friends you might stain your shirt, and the tide stick could be your lifesaver! I also like having it in my bag just in case an emergency happens.

You might be wondering, why would you need to use tape other than for fixing rips or for packaging boxes? Well tape can help for these two reasons.Firstyoucoulduseit to help you paint your nails. You could put tape around your nails, and this serves as a purpose to help you avoid getting nail polish on your skin. You would paint your nails normally, and once you finish you just remove the tape around your nails and voila! No need to touch up around your skin! Another thing you could use tape for is to help make the perfect cat eye We know how difficult it could be to use eyelinersometimes,especiallyforthosewhoarejustlearning to use it. A hack that you could do is put a strip of tape diagonally on the side of your eye. This is meant to help you create a wing Drag the brush or the tip of your eyeliner from thecornerofyoureyeoutwards.Thenyoucouldfillinmoreof your eyeliner as you please. Having the tape there helps you make your wing a straight line. And you could make your linder symmetrical with the other eye. Once you are finished, youjustpeeloffthetape,andyoucouldcleanuptheeyeliner if needed. Remember to have fun with it! Use these tricks to helpexpressyourselfratherthantoachieveperfection

Periodsareapain,andthattimeof t y unexpectedly. That is why I recommend having a period kit in your bag. You could have a little toiletry bag in your backpack full of pads, tampons, andanextrapairofunderwear.Thisperiodkitcouldhelpyou if you get your period and you weren’t prepared. If you don’t want to carry this kit with you, I recommend just having at leastonepadortampon(whicheveryouprefer)inyourbag at all times. You could add whatever products you feel comfortableusinginthiskit.Ifindthisusefulbecauseyouwill at least have something to use in case you do get your periodunexpectedly.

shesandwealsolove ut we also need to to take care of them. brushes and beauty ng beauty blenders is only need a bowl of microwave. First you abowlofwater,Then uty blenders into the the bowl into the ty seconds. Once the timerends,takeoutyourbowl,startmixingand squeezing the beauty blenders with your hands. Make sure you let the water cool off before it gets too hot before you start mixing. You will see the dirty water as the beauty blender becomes more and more clean! Repeatthisprocesstwomoretimes Dumpout your dirty water and add in new clean water. Once you feel your beauty blender is completelyclean,leaveitoutonatoweltoletit airdry.Onceitisdry,itisreadyforuseagain!

Schoolcangetverybusy.Something thatcouldhelpyoustayorganizedis creatingastudyschedule.Justlikein school,wehaveascheduleforeach classandascheduleforeachbreak. Youcouldcreateonejustlikethatat home! For example you get from at 3pm, from 3 3:30 is your snack break.From3:30 4:30youcouldwork on any homework you have. Then at 4:30 4:45youcouldhavea breakto chilloutforabit.Youcouldgoona walk,stretchforabit,orhangoutwithyourfamily.breaktochilloutfora bit. You could go on a walk, stretch for a bit, or hang out with your family. Once you are done with your break you could work on more homework from4:45 6orwhichevertimeworksbestforyou.Againyoucanalteryour schedule and make it fit however you like. Especially if you have after school activities, you might need to manage your time differently. This studyschedulecouldhelpyoustayontrackanditcanhelpmotivateyou. Something you can add as well is you should finish your homework and studying by a certain time, so after that you could spend on self care or anything else. This study schedule helps you balance school as well as otherdaytodayactivities.

“Ithinkhavingabigsisterisoneofthebestthings it'slike having an older friend that gives the best advice. It also helpsthatIlivewiththem”(LilyGoncalves,mylittlesister).

Having someone in your life you feel comfortable enough to ask questions to is such a valuable thing A sister is someone you can confide in and someone you can look up to. Unfortunately, there are some people who don't have this figure in their life. “Ask a Big Sister”, is a safe placeformiddleschoolerstoaskoldergirlsinhighschool questions they might have about life or their education. SomequestionsIgotwere:

Q.Howdoyoumakegoodstudyhabitsforyourself?

A.Ifoundoutwhathelpsmebestthroughtrialanderror.I tried flashcards, notes, and studying with other people. It alsohelpsifyouknowwhattypeoflearneryouare.Doesit help you to physically hold what you need to study? Do you study best when you are with a group of people or a partner?Ihavefoundthatthebestwayformetostudyis to make Quizlets and then have my friends or a partner testme.ThenwhenIamalone,IgoovertheonesIamnot confidentinuntilIfeelIamreadytobetestedagain.

Q.HowdoIknowwhatclubsarerightforme?

WrittenbyAliceGoncalves

don't be afraid to ask for help Ask a Big sister

A. It's always a good idea to look further into something thatinterestsyou,forexample,iftheclubnamehastodo with serving others and you know that's something you enjoy doing, you should absolutely look into clubs that focus on community service. The best way to find out whatclubisbestforyouistotalktofriendsthatareinthe club or talk to the club president. Don’t be afraid to ask! You can get information about what the club does, what their goals are, and if it interests you, it won't hurt to sign up. Signing up for various clubs, especially during your Freshman year of high school allows you to learn new things, have new experiences, and meet new people. The best advice I can give is to try out all of the clubs that interestyouandovertheyears,youwillfindwhatyouare trulypassionateaboutwhetheritiswhatyouexpectedto enjoy or something you never even thought you would growtolove.

Q.HowdoImakefriendsinanewschool?

A. Something important to remember is to be confident. Most ofthepeoplearoundyouareinthesameboat,lookingfornew friends in a new environment. If you are more of an extrovert, goinguptopeopleandstartingconversationsisagreatplace to start. It only takes a small conversation with someone to form a strong bond, and pretty soon that one person will introduce you to new people. Then, those new people will introduce you to even more people, until you have your own friend group where you feel like you naturally belong. For people who are a little more introverted, joining a sports team isanamazingwaytogo.Teamsportsforceyoutogettoknow otherpeoplebetterandhelpforteamworkonandoffthecourt. Basketball, volleyball, football, cheer, and soccer are all sports thatinvolvetalkingonandoffthecourtorfield.Youwillbeable to grow closer to these people through teamwork, victories, andlosses.

Attempts to Fake Perfection

WrittenbyLaurenSuerth

We are living in an untrue era. Noses can be changed, stomachs can be tightened, and body fat can be removed and relocated. Face Tuning apps can change our complexion, the color of our shirts, anything! We can all lie about our lives, changing who weareandwhatwelooklikewiththeclickof abutton.

This is the impact social media has on our lives - we believe we must be perfect. We believe that everyone must have a certain body type to be considered desirable The media puts an unrealistic expectation on the human body. Social media created so many myths,rules,andlifehacksabouthowtoget our bodies to look perfect. It’s hard to distinguish between the ones that are truly beneficial and the ones that are meant to hurt us. Social media companies profit off of ourinsecurities.

Whenwefollowmodelsthatwecravetolook like,webecomeobsessedwiththem,feeding into the unrealistic beauty standards. Social mediapreysonourvulnerability Wecanlook at these models in two very different ways. The first way is admiring their beauty and work and still being confident in ourselves. The second way is wishing to look like them, consumed by their appearance. In this way, ourselfesteemislowered

One of the largest beauty myths of all timeistheBodyMassIndex(BMI)chart. This chart does not apply to everyone. Weight distributes differently on each body type. Two people can weigh the same, practice the same workout, eat the same foods… and still look completelydifferent.Forexample,Iplay sports,eathealthyandweighahealthy amount for my age and height but according to the BMI chart, I am consideredoverweight.TheBMIchartis an inaccurate measure of body fat contentthatdoesnottakeintoaccount musclemass,bonedensity,andoverall body composition Beauty standards and the “ideal body type” are everywhere, although it may not be obvious. We see this through interactions with TV shows, social media,andevenchildren’sbooks.Every charactertendstofitinthesamemold

Another beauty myth is beneficial products or should I say, fake products. These new products supposedly unlock your beautiful and flawless natural self. In reality, these serums and new makeup launches are justrepackagedmaterialthateveryone has seen and tried before just with a new name. Also do not forget the lie that every skincare brand says: “This product works for all types of skin and people!” This product gives me clear skin along with every other person in theworld?Whatablessing!Toobadit's false. Every person’s skin reacts differently to skincare products. These brandshavetosaythosethingssothey can successfully advertise their productsandreceivetonsofpublicity

The Power of Women in SPorts

Powerful.Resilient.Passionate.

These are three words I would actively use to representfemaleathletesinourpresent dayworld. Forgotten. Overlooked. Underestimated. Sadly, these are also adjectives that describe women in sports pastandpresent Oftentimes, female athletes are seen as inferior to male athletes because of sexist stereotypes that women are and should be delicate, weak, and subservienttoothers.Throughthemedia,coverage of women is more likely to reference a woman’s family life, appearance, or age In comparison, coverage of men focuses on their power, independence, and domination of their sport. Only 4% of all sports media is about women, even though women occupy 40% of all sports participants. On average, women in sports like basketball, tennis, soccer, baseball, and golf make anywherefrom15%to100%lessthanmen.Because of these obstacles and inequalities, women who are breaking stereotypes and gender norms through their competitiveness and work ethic are not being recognized, appreciated, or praised enough Serena Williams Mia Hamm Sue Bird Simone Biles. These are a few female athletes that have revolutionized the world of sports for young women around the world forever. They have opened doors to new opportunities for girls and redefined the perspectives of female athletes. Sadly, there is so much work to still be done for women to be seen as equal playmakers and monumentalachievers.

Written by Jillian Nowicki

For instance, when you search “female golfers,” “female surfers,” or “female tennis players,” some of the first results are “Hottest … ” . Female athletes are constantly criticized for what they look like as well as sexualized for just playing the sport they love. For example, Serena Williams was always looked down upon because of her body, skin color, and hair even though she has won 23 grand slams was ranked number 1 on 8 separate occasions by the Women’s National TennisAssociationandcontinuedtodominatethetennisworldevenaftergivingbirthtoachild. MiaHamm,afamousU.S.women’ssoccerplayer,hasbeenjudgedforheraggressiveandgritty play on the soccer field even though she has earned two Olympic gold medals and two FIFA World Cups. Sue Bird is also overlooked constantly as a basketball player even though she is regarded as one of the greatest players in WNBA history for her 4 WNBA championships, 5 Olympic gold medals, 4 FIBA World Cups, and even more. Finally, Simone Biles, 7 time Olympic medalistandregardedasthegreatestgymnastofalltime,hasbeencriticizedforherdecisions to take care of her own body instead of taking part in the entirety of the 2020 Olympic Games. Female athletes are constantly told to please others, when in reality, they should not be controlled or constricted from being themselves and doing what makes them happy. It is our responsibility as OLP Pilots and future pilots, is to spread awareness about these issues as well as spread news about strong women in sports so that we can change the world of sports, just likethesepowerfuliconshave.

advocate for yourself & trust in your abilities

Personal Anecdote

ByMarissaWilfahrt

Overcoming

influence, much of which can convince us that we need to look or act a certain way to earn the approvalofothers Ihope that my personal anecdote can be helpful to you and motivate you to see the world in a ent light, jus learnedto.

I’m sure you have heard once or twice about how scary high school is or how nervous everybody is to meet new people. I never understood why people focused on these things all I could think about was how high school would jump start my life and open metoopportunity Iwantedafreshstartonthesocial aspect, the challenging classes, and the initiative. I could finally control my development with no limitations.Butstartingineighthgrade,Ibecamevery conscious of myself, and I thought that if I tried to changemypersonality,I’dbecomemorelikabletomy peers.

Then,Imadethemistakeofgettingsocialmedia. Sure, it helped me get in tune with some of the referencesmyfriendsmadeindailyconversation, butIstartedgettingsuggestionsforinfluencerstolook at I wondered to myself, what makes these girls so famous?WhatdotheyhavethatIdon’t?

Thenithitmethatsomeofthemseemedto have a more slender body type (I had little knowledgeofgeneticsormetabolism).So,I lost a ton of weight in the interest that a more lean physique would help me in sports and social life. But, it was far from that. As soon as I saw my health start to decline, I decided that I would go back to the way I was before: happy. No, I would exceedhappytoshowtheworldthatI

wasbackincontrol,andIwouldneverchangemyselfforanyoneelseagain.

One day at my cousin’s house, I overheard my uncle say to my father, “What happened to her?” Comments like those always meant so much more to me than the ones about how good I looked. My uncle has always been one of my top fitness supporters, and he always takesaninterestinhowI’mdoingincompetitions TohearhimsaythatmademefeellikeI’d failedhimbylimitingmyself,andIwantedtomakehimproud.Idecidedthatthenexttime hesawme,IwouldhavemoremuscleandmorepowerthanIeverdidbefore.Hiswordsstill ring in my head today. They remind me that no matter how hard any of us try to please everyone, there are always going to be people who try to inhibit us and get in our heads. Thosearethepeoplewemustnottakenoteof.

When I started getting more serious in weight lifting and fitness, I started getting more muscularandwhatsomepeoplemightsaywas“toobulky.”ButIlovedlookinginthemirror and seeing strength with a newfound intelligence I learned about all the types of exercise, anatomy, genetics, and metabolism. I learned about things I wish I would’ve known when I felt like an outsider from my peers. Putting my fitness first and learning about my body’s natural state saved my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the people in my life who weretheretohelpme,althoughIhadtolearntoopenupmorefirst.Theyweretheretotell methatitwasokaytoeatwhenIwouldhavegonetobedhungry,talkedwithmesincerely, and helped me discover the science behind how I was creating long term problems for myself.

Eventually, I started outperforming people I used to look up to and got compliments from peopleIdidn’tevenknowweretakingnoticeofmyprogress.Ifeltbetterthanever,andwas fuelingmyselfmorethanever.Asmuchasexceedingtheseexpectationsfeltnice,Iremind myselfeachdaythattheonlyexpectationsIcareaboutaretheonesIsetformyself. Wearestrongerthanwegiveourselvescreditfor.Ifyoueverfeellikeyoudon'tfitin,thatyou shouldwearcertainclothes,changeyourself,orbemoreself conscious,defythatvoice Go outinyourcomfiestsweatstogetsomeicecreamwithfriendsorfamily Talktonewpeople likethey’veknownyouforyears.Confidenceandin

Fail over and over again for days, months, and years because that is what’s burrowed under true, honorable success. Get hurt by others over and over again for days, months, and years because you’ll emerge stronger than before. If it means late nights at work and early mornings, so be it. If it means dragging yourself to the gym before school, so be it. If it means putting yourself under some stress, so be it. Whatever it is that you can handle without goingcrazy,ifyouputintheeffort,yourresultswilltakeyou far.StayBeYOUtiful,FuturePilots.

Let's Talk About It: Important Topics

ByAnnyaApodaca

The stages of a plant are similar to our journey of personal growth

Think of a house plant your favorite and dearestgreenfriendthatsitsbyyourwindow. You know three things about this plant, it’s green, needs water, and needs sun. Now, what happens if your plant is not getting enoughsunlightorwater?Itwillstopgrowing and deteriorate. In order to maintain your plant in a healthy state, it needs to be cared for and given enough sunshine and water. Then,yourplantwillgrowtallandstrong!

People need sunlight and water too Not only literal H2O and Vitamin D but affection and support to grow as well. You undergo many changes that ultimately affect your well being during your formative years. Just as a plant, you go through many stages of life, frommanagingaheavyhomeworkschedule to experimenting with a new wardrobe. It is important that as you experience change, youfeelsupportedbythepeoplearoundyou.

For example, being a part of a friend group where you can be your most authentic self allows you to grow to your fullest potential. Lifting each other up, and encouraging each other to tackle whatever challenges life throws at you, arecriticalfactorsofgoodfriendships.By being surrounded by a good solid group of friends, you are given the resources to growanddevelopasaperson,justasthe plantgrows.

Goingbacktoyourplant,youmaynoticethatnotallplantsgrowinthesameway,orinthe sameenvironment.Somecangrowinabedroom,andothersneedtobeinyourbackyard atalltimes.Asateenagegirl,youwillrealizethatyouthriveinanenvironmentwhereyou feel safe and confident to be yourself. This may be different from your friends, and that’s fine!Yourfriendmaythriveinsports,andyouthriveinartclass,buttheimportantthingis that everyone ends up where they are supposed to be, doing what makes them happy andfulfilled Yourplantinyourbedroomgrowsbeautifully,andtheplantinyourbackyard

Together, they make up a beautiful green scenery, just as you and your friends all contributetomakingtheworldabetterplacewithyourdifferenttalentsandabilities.

Sometimes, you may notice that your plant is taking some time to grow, or some leaves are falling. That is normal! You as well, will go through some tough times where you need to remember that everything happens for a reason. It is essential that when you go throughatoughtime,youaresupportedbypeoplearoundyouandfeelloved.Sometimes youwillfeellikeyouareafailurebecauseyouearnedabadscoreonatest,orthatyouare abadsisterbecauseyoulashedoutatyouryoungerbrotherorsister.Youwillhavemany feelingsandthroughtheyearsyouwilllearntoadaptandrecognizewhatyouarefeeling. You will make mistakes and you will fall, but all that makes you a human, and helps you becomestrongereveryday.Hardtimeswillcome,butgooddayswillfollowaswell!Before you know it, your plant has overcome its growth stunt and is now looking greener than ever,andyouhavealsoovercomeatoughtimeandarenowstrongerandwisertoo!

Photosby RobynScherer