Today, teens are brought up with stressful changes; one’s developing body can be one of those challenges, especially if it does not meet society’s beauty standards. 

Body image in college students is a great concern because body dissatisfaction is “one of the most consistent and robust risk factors for eating disorders and as a significant predictor of low self-esteem, depression, and obesity,” according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD).

In a recent study done by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, depression is a serious worry in college-aged students as suicide is one of the leading causes of death among college and university students. 

When teens head to college, they are most often placed in a group living situation such as a dorm, sorority house, or fraternity house. With this many teens living together, there are bound to be a lot of negative thoughts and complaints about one’s body and appearance.

Living in a communal living situation can be a very positive experience for college students, but it can also create body comparison issues because there is always going to be someone skinnier and more beautiful. These ideas and thoughts can lead teens and students to develop full-blown eating disorders.

IU Junior Katie Sullivan has struggled with eating disorders for a couple of years now. 

“In certain circles, especially in Greek life, there’s more of a toxic view on body image.” Katie also says she constantly hears phrases in her sorority such as “morning skinny” and she sees many of her sisters not eating before a night out so they can look their best. 

The rise of social media usage in today’s society can have many effects on teens’ body image including eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. 

According to NEDA, research has clearly shown that social media exposure can contribute to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. 

In a world so involved in social media, the internet is shaping our concept of beauty. With images constantly posted on social media platforms such as Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter, it is clear that there is a link between how individuals compare themselves to others and how they perceive themselves. 

“You look at people on the internet and it’s always like a comparative thing like someone will post a picture and you will be like oh my god she’s so skinny I wanna look that skinny, everyone thinks she’s so hot because she’s so skinny,” Katie Sullivan explained.

There is a major correlation between the time spent on social media and negative body image. This correlation is especially true when teens are scrolling through appearance-related content. This may include fitness accounts, influencers, or models on social media.

What most people don’t realize is that social media images are filled with people presenting the best versions of themselves. A majority of the time people on social media will only post their best moments; why would they want to show their friends and family their bad moments? 

When people are repeatedly seeing these perfect images in the media, it can hurt their own body image by constantly exposing themselves to the ideal body type. This leads to a continual comparison of yourself to unrealistic standards. 

Not only are these images toxic for Instagram users; at most times we fail to realize that they may not be real. 

Photoshop and apps such as Facetune have become a staple for Instagram users in order to look their best. 

IU Sophomore Hunter Rowan expresses how hard it is to see celebrities and influencers look a certain way on social media. “Using apps such as Facetune and transforming your body or face isn’t fair for the public eye to see because it’s not real life and it shouldn’t be an expectation for students.”

This may include hiding your pores, erasing acne, whitening teeth and even transforming your body into something that it’s not. 

These apps have become the new “normal” thanks to how easily accessible they are. Not only are these apps transforming us, but so are Instagram and Snapchat filters.

Filtered selfies can make people lose touch with reality, creating the expectation that we are supposed to look perfect at all times. 

These kinds of apps and filters can be extremely harmful to teens and college students as they are the main demographic of these social media platforms. 

College campuses are starting to realize how real these disorders are and how they are affecting students across the globe.

Colleges and Universities such as Indiana University have developed a program called The Body Project offered through student counseling services. 

The program works by helping college students become aware of the impact of society’s “appearance ideal” in our everyday lives. 

This program also teaches students skills to challenge negative body talk and increase body activism. 

The IU body project began in 2010 and is used at over 100 colleges and universities across the US and abroad. Based on years of research, this program has been shown to reduce the prevalence of body dissatisfaction, unhealthy dieting, and negative moods in college students.