by Isabella Sansone ’18
IWL Student Advisory Panelist

On February 14, 2017 (Valentine’s Day!), the Institute for Women’s Leadership at Nichols College presented “Love Your Selfie,” an event that promoted self-confidence and positivity on campus. Students could write something that they didn’t just like, but loved about themselves on a whiteboard, and take a picture inside an Instagram frame with the hashtag #LoveYourSelfie. They left with a  print out of their picture, along with a motivational quote attached to candy to further promote self-love and healthy self-esteem.

When Valentine’s Day comes around, there is a lot of unspoken tension in the air. The pressure of relationships and having a “Valentine” can be overwhelming. All that stress can make us forget what is most important: to love ourselves. Every day on social media we see plenty of “selfies,” but are people really posting these pictures because they feel good about themselves, or just to get “likes?” We wanted to change that so they are posting for themselves.

“Love Your Selfie” was an initiative to bring confidence and positivity to campus, and it was without a doubt a success! Students left smiling with their pictures and candy, feeling positive and confident for the rest of their Valentine’s Day!