So How Do I Look?

PHS Newspaper: Kyle Melvin and Brooke West

Most high school students feel the need to continuously impress their peers through purchasing materialistic things. Teenagers are influenced by societal images claiming that you look a certain way. Therefore, teens are depending on clothing and makeup to seek confidence. True confidence is said to be reached by being comfortable with one’s own natural self. However, can teens be blamed for attempting to hide true confidence when their taught to hide behind materialistic things? Some students truly feel more confident in themselves when they are made up. They express that they feel better on the inside, when they look better on the outside. We took a survey among PHS high school students asking if it took more confidence to be natural or hide behind a made-up appearance. Most all students claimed it took more confidence to be natural, giving reasons such as,” when you’re made up, you’re just trying to fix your own flaws” and, “teens are always too worried about what others think, to be confident is to love your natural beauty.” Reponses like some of these examples make it clear that students agree being natural takes more confidence, but how many students actually aren’t scared to be natural? Which is why we asked students another question, do you think your peers judge you more when you’re dressed up or dressed down? Again, most students agree that they feel more judged when their dressed up. Some responses include, “If you dress up you’re at more of a risk to get torn apart.” And, “people are more vulnerable because they could be hiding behind their materialistic things.” Thus, confidence is everything. Being comfortable with your natural self is true beauty and there is nothing wrong with materialistic things, if they make you feel good on the inside, then don’t let anyone judge. However, you don’t have to look good to be confident, but you shouldn’t allow materialistic things to take your confidence away.