Self-love has become an all-too-familiar word, but what do folks actually think about it? In response to this, I interviewed Victoria College students about their views on self-love and how they practise it.
“I think self-love is beautiful,” says Mikaela Moore, a fifth-year student majoring in history and English (and the Associate Arts and Culture Editor). “There has been a huge shift towards embracing yourself and your insecurities since the early 2000s that I’m so glad I get to live through.”
Moore also reveals her thoughts on the importance of self-love. She explains, “Being kind to yourself and your body not only makes you feel happier, but I find that when I’m feeling good about myself, I feel more confident […] and that my relationships [with others] are better.”
Jusleen Mehta, a first-year life science student, shared that “Many of us don’t realistically have the time to do the glamorized and lengthy self-care and self-love routines/challenges that we see on Instagram or Tiktok, and it sometimes discourages us from taking the steps needed to become mentally and physically healthier
When I asked Mehta about what self-love is to her, she said, “I think we should all find ways to incorporate daily actions involving self-love and care into our lives…in a way that actually forces us to assess our daily habits and lifestyle.”
She also mentioned that she believes “that making time for reflection and for small daily/weekly self love/care actions for ourselves would be the most effective way to incorporate self-love and self-care in a sustainable and meaningful way.”
A first-year life science student who asked to remain anonymous also mentioned something similar: “Putting effort… into me helps me ground myself, which leads to productivity and peacefulness in many ways. Because I feel better about myself, I can then start thinking of [how I can] helping others and how I can help my community,” she explains. And indeed,these students remind us that helping ourselves before others is not about being selfish but being responsible for ourselves as human beings.