Dear Incoming Freshmen Girls,
After my first couple of weeks at BYU as an anxious and excited freshman, my self-confidence took a huge hit. It seemed like everyone I met had a perfect 4.0 GPA; had been to 18 different countries on humanitarian trips; spoke at least three different languages; went running every morning; and somehow managed to effortlessly and flawlessly balance a full schedule of classes, work, service, dating and extracurriculars. Beyond that, I noticed that every girl on campus looked runway-ready—even during 8 a.m. classes. Pinterest-approved from the top to the bottom, these girls were dressed to kill every day of the year — even during finals week. In 2013, BYU was voted number one as the college with the hottest and smartest students, and for good reason. Every morning, I felt the need to change outfits 16 times before I finally found something acceptable enough to wear. I was afraid that if I didn’t step up my beauty routine, I would be unwanted and overlooked. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the atmosphere and the university, but simply put, I felt inadequate.
Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle, and we begin to feel invisible. I have now been at BYU for three years, and I have grown to love and cherish this university more than I ever knew I would. Sometimes I still feel invisible, but the knowledge that Heavenly Father loves me perfectly despite my insecurities reminds me to take pride in my divine role as a daughter of God. I’ve learned that it’s okay if you don’t have a 4.0. It’s okay if you don’t do your hair every day. It’s okay if you only speak one language or if you’ve never been to Europe or Asia or Africa. It is not your clothes, or your résumé, or your bank account, or your GPA that makes you valued and beautiful. You are not inadequate. To quote President Uchtdorf, “You are not ordinary, rejected or ugly. You are something divine — more beautiful and glorious than you can possibly imagine.”
So tomorrow, when you stand in front of the mirror getting ready for the day, remember to be imperfectly you, because that is perfectly beautiful.
Love,
A girl at BYU
