Prompt 1: The Body

I am exposed to all sorts of bodies of different shapes and sizes and thanks to the media we are all exposed to images and/or portrayals of bodies from every different segment of the population. The main body that I am exposed to in my world is that of the college-aged student. College students are mostly young, they don’t have to follow a certain uniform, and amongst them there are many different segments that identify with each other. Specifically, I am exposed to the body of the sorority girl. I am in a sorority and I live in my sorority house with 45 other girls who are my age and look and dress just like me. This body generally cares about how it is presented. Girls compare their bodies to everyone else’s. How fit their bodies are shape how well they are liked or accepted. They use material things to fit the norm and present themselves in a certain way.
The body functions as a canvas that we use to come across the way we want to others. We dress it up, accessorize it, put stuff on it (permanently and not), modify it and make it smell a certain way. We may do these things to our bodies because we simply like them. However, we also do them to present our identity to others or how we want others to see us. We know that we read people by their bodies, their body language and what they do to their bodies. Therefore, we do certain things knowing others are judging us. Some may argue there are people who simply do not care if they are judged by others and will not do things to alter their bodies in any way just for the way others see them. I would agree with this, however, they are still conscience of the things they do or do not do for their bodies and it is for some reason. Also, in the particular environment that I am exposed to, the bodies around me do care. There is also the point that if a body takes the time to present itself in a particular way, say in getting dressed up and putting makeup on, you care too much about how others perceive you and would be considered conceited by your peers.
On a regular basis, the student body may go to class not bathed and unpolished, wearing whatever they may feel like just to be comfortable. In our environment of higher education, we do not put an importance on body image. You generally are not judged on how you interact with others, sell yourself, etc. In the real world you have to dress and present yourself a certain way in order to give a good impression. The body in higher education is one who is humbled in the learning process, not yet having to get ahead in the world by having to fit a certain mold. And of course, there our always exceptions to this.