How close are you with your parents?

 

By: Madelyn Cooper  

    My parents are like my best friends in a way, no seriously. But if someone would have told me that ten years ago, I would have laughed in there face. My parents and I needless to say have not always had the best relationship. My mother and I would argue constantly when I was in middle school. There would even be days were we would hardly even speak three words to each other. Now I even have certain people in my life who are jealous of my Mom and I's relationship.        

    Now almost ten years later, in college I call my Mother every day. I honestly don't know what I would do without her or my Dad. I call my mom when I need outfit advice, someone to cry to for anything really.      

    I often remember saying the hurtful things I would say to my mother and father growing up, and I regret that more than anything now. I only now realize that my parents just wanted what was best for me. However growing up, my father and I were much closer than my mother and I were. Growing up I was much closer with my dad than my mom, people would always joke with me and tell me I'm a daddy's girl which honestly, its still true. Some of my fondest memories growing up were spent with my dad, from riding bikes together to going to UNC basketball games together.   

   My mom and dad are some of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever met. And I know it sounds cliche but yes they really are like my best friends. I know they would give the shirt off there back for someone if they needed it. 

    My parents are only getting older and older and I can see it every time I come home from school.  But I know its just a matter of life watching your parents get older.  

    My parents living close enough by to my university to be able to visit on the weekends makes me so happy, they have truly helped me grow so much as a person. Without my parents influence I would not be the person I am today. This all goes back to High School when I was going through one of the hardest periods of my life. Struggling with an Eating Disorder (ED), was not something I ever thought I would have to go through. However, my parents were there to help and support me. If it wasn't for my parents, I'm not quite sure I would still be here today. I personally think me struggling with an ED during my teens years is what brought us so much closer together.

    Overall, I am incredibly lucky to have supportive and loving parents in life. They are truly the light in my life. I am excited to take a new path in my life once I graduate college, but I will always remember my background and how my parents have influenced me to this day.                                                 

Feminist issues in male dominated sports

 

    Its no secret, females have always been discriminated against in sports. This goes all the way back to the early 1900s when it was even worse. But the main issue here is that male dominated sports such as wrestling, football, baseball, and many others. Females are almost always held to a lower standard in sports like these. 

    Most people will tell you, that the reason why "females" should not be playing male dominated sports is because of exactly that they are only for males... However there is a specific term for this called "misogyny" which in short terms mean a heavy prejudice against women. A few examples of this include but are not limited too Serena Williams being verbally attacked for the way she looks and female wrestler Ronda Rousey being constantly questioned about her sexuality. 

    There are several statistics that also show that many women once they are participating in male sports are so heavily looked down upon that many females eventually drop out of the sport. 

It is also important to note that, with this many feminism issues in sports it can also take a huge toll on females physical and mental health. For example, Serena Williams has had several issues with her own mental health in the past because of discrimination for the way she looks. 

It has also been found that even with younger adults, such as teens in High School many parents show discrimination about females playing on there male teens team. 

One of the most serious issues with this is shocking to me, after reading an article on how "women are treated differently in sports" it discusses how female athletes experience eating disorder symptoms due to the feminism and discrimination issues they face.  This is mostly because women are required to wear different things when playing a male dominated sport. No on should be focused on this and instead more on how well females can play. 

              

Personal Column: Madelyn Cooper

 

Struggling through an Eating Disorder through my teen years.         

        Eating Disorders are brutal and creep up on you silently; on the outside, you appear to be just fine. Smiling, happy, at least thats how it was for me. My experience with an Eating Disorder was not the typical one.      

    To this day, I can still remember most of it, it all started back in freshman year of High School.  I weighed  around 140 pounds and wanting to shave off a few pounds. At first, it started with fun workouts with friends and small diets just to "lose a few pounds". As time went on, these became more of an obsession...    

    I would start working out for 5 hours everyday and eating only eat 2 meals daily, but I loved how I  looked. I wanted to try to shave more and more pounds. My boyfriend at the time would tell me things like, "Wow, you've never looked better" or "I like you better that way you look so much healthier," or my favorite "Keep up the great work, you just need to lose a few more". But thats okay I know my worth much more now. As the next few years went on, things would only continue to get worse, not only with my weight, but also with my mental well-being.   

    By the end of my freshman year I was already down to 120 pounds which I was still above average weight for my weight. My parents would start to become worried about me and so would my close friends. At this point I was leaving school early most days due to not feeling well from not eating enough, which would of course make my blood sugar drop almost making me pass out several times. And of course, this would put me even further behind in most of my classes but as always I managed to pull through in the end. 

    My Mom and Dad at first would brush this off, but at the end they saw where I really needed help. But it seemed as though know matter how much help I got things would only continue to get worse... I was crying out for help on the inside but no one could hear me.

    By the end of my junior year of High School I was already down to 102 pounds. People often ask me why I think my ED started in the first place, its weird to say but I really can't blame anyone but myself. You see, females get all these images in their head of beautiful "instagram models" and the thoughts of needing to have the perfect "bikini body". It is so sad how this happens at such a young age. I would ask myself continuously and almost obsessively, "why can't I look like them."? 

    Over the past few years I have learned that there is no such thing as a "perfect bikini body". Every single woman is beautiful in there own way, and I have certainly learned to embrace this.    

    During the first few months of my freshman year of college, things were starting to get better slowly but surely I started eating more, working out less, and had a great friend group. But of course this means, I would start gaining my weight back. This would inhibit even worse eating habits for me alongside the pressure of school.  

    Towards the end of freshman year I was the thinnest I have ever been at one point I was down to 95 pounds. But in my unhealthy mind this wasn't a huge deal, with all the stressors of freshman year in general such as trying to make good grades and finding my friend group this is the last thing I needed.  

    Personally, most people may find this surprising but the hardest thing for me during all of this was growing out of my old clothes and having to look for new ones. Looking at myself in the mirror I barely even recognized who I once was, it was like my once bubbly, outgoing, and smiley self had been stripped away. But you see, know one else realized this because I loved to put on a facade in front of other people pretending I was okay but deep down I really wasn't. 

    Looking back as a now senior in college, I should have never put myself through something like that. My freshman year was supposed to be the "highlight" of my college years. But because of having an ED it was anything but that, I was supposed to be able to enjoy the great food options HPU offers and the weekly food trucks but instead I was keeping myself isolated most days in my dorm room. 

    As I am now ending my senior year of college, I can happily say I am doing much better than I was once was but that doesnt mean I never have bad days. However, I no longer count the calories or carbs in my food I don't work out for several hours every day, and I am finally back a weight that I am very happy with. Going through an eating disorder is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But I will say I came out much stronger in the end than who I used to be.  My only hope is that in the next several years I can spread more awareness for those struggling with an eating disorder. 

    With my intended audience for this article, I am hoping to reach both young  females and men who are ever struggling feeling uncomfortable with their weight. I am here to say you are never alone. Eating Disorders can affect anyone and everyone at any age, do not be afraid to ask for help, I know myself it is a very brave thing to do and it can be very scary.