Empowerly

Student profile

UVA students paint messages on Beta Bridge when they want to share information with our community. What would you paint on Beta Bridge and why is this your message?

If I had the opportunity to contribute my words to UVA’s Beta Bridge, I would eagerly paint the phrase, “You are Enough”; I would paint this message in bright appealing colors, in order to ensure that even the most hurried of passerby would catch sight of it. In today’s social-media driven society, anxiety over one’s self-worth is becoming more and more prominent—social media platforms are saturated with posts from the luxurious and often unattainable lives of celebrities each minute of the day, and the difference between these individuals in ‘real life’ compared to their ‘Instagram’ persona is rarely acknowledged. Personally, most of the content I come across on social media, posted by my peers and celebrities alike, contains the user in perfect lighting, with a perfect smile, as they go about their candid and perfect life. It is intimidating to be constantly surrounded by such false perfection, as it is easy for one to feel as if their life, person, and goals are not enough. Undoubtedly, every person passing by Beta Bridge could use a brief reminder of their own self-worth and the value to our world they possess. No matter our path or successes in life, we will always have ourselves—and ourselves are enough. I choose to make “You are Enough” my message because as I look forward to pursuing a major and career in Biomedical Engineering, I know that I will undoubtedly struggle, encounter challenges, and oftentimes stumble. However, I have faith in myself and my abilities, and I wish for others to feel the same.