Why hello again, Timehop...
You
seem to be causing a lot of drama and mixed feelings whenever you
notify me each day that I have potential #tbt posts, awkwardly
filtered Instagram pics or fascinating five year-old Facebook
statuses awaiting me if I just swipe my thumb and open you up...
On the one hand, as I've said before, Timehop is mostly entertaining and can sometimes bring back good memories or give me 'oh my gosh, that was a year ago TODAY?! Freaky!' moments (I've once met up with my dad for a drink at Waterloo station only to check my Timehop while he orders at the bar and seen that exactly one year ago – almost to the minute – we were doing this exact same thing, in this exact same place. We had just switched seats...) HOWEVER, on the other hand (my right one, which is definitely the wild card of the two) it can bring back a little unwelcome pain with old photos of myself and ex-friends half-pissed with pizza or events I attended and hadn't enjoyed, but that comes with the territory. You must bear this in mind as you download the app; the past can hurt (but you can either run from it, or learn from it! Thanks, Rafiki). Lately, though, the thing that's been hurting me is... Me. Past me. Early 2014 me. When I had a heart-shaped face and perfect ombre hair... And I was almost two stone lighter. My collar bones jutted out perfectly, my stomach and waist were happily coexisting in a sleek slim state, my legs didn't have a gap between them by any means but they were more discreetly shaped... If that makes sense? I wasn't happy with my slightly chubby upper arms, but I made my peace with that. I hated my obnoxious big boobs and the attention they seemed to crave – hence they always peeked out of my shirt or burst buttons on a blouse – but most girls weirdly seemed to wish they had that problem themselves, so I never complained. The only body hang-ups I harboured seem so menial and petty and petite now. I see selfies or group shots on Timehop now and wonder what the hell I was so self-conscious and hateful about.
On the one hand, as I've said before, Timehop is mostly entertaining and can sometimes bring back good memories or give me 'oh my gosh, that was a year ago TODAY?! Freaky!' moments (I've once met up with my dad for a drink at Waterloo station only to check my Timehop while he orders at the bar and seen that exactly one year ago – almost to the minute – we were doing this exact same thing, in this exact same place. We had just switched seats...) HOWEVER, on the other hand (my right one, which is definitely the wild card of the two) it can bring back a little unwelcome pain with old photos of myself and ex-friends half-pissed with pizza or events I attended and hadn't enjoyed, but that comes with the territory. You must bear this in mind as you download the app; the past can hurt (but you can either run from it, or learn from it! Thanks, Rafiki). Lately, though, the thing that's been hurting me is... Me. Past me. Early 2014 me. When I had a heart-shaped face and perfect ombre hair... And I was almost two stone lighter. My collar bones jutted out perfectly, my stomach and waist were happily coexisting in a sleek slim state, my legs didn't have a gap between them by any means but they were more discreetly shaped... If that makes sense? I wasn't happy with my slightly chubby upper arms, but I made my peace with that. I hated my obnoxious big boobs and the attention they seemed to crave – hence they always peeked out of my shirt or burst buttons on a blouse – but most girls weirdly seemed to wish they had that problem themselves, so I never complained. The only body hang-ups I harboured seem so menial and petty and petite now. I see selfies or group shots on Timehop now and wonder what the hell I was so self-conscious and hateful about.
I
didn't have a double chin – and nowadays I feel it creeping in when
I move my head or angle my gaze a certain way. My face is a solid
chunky slab that absorbs all the light from a camera flash and glares
back at me when I check my camera roll later on. I didn't stress out
when it came to removing a layer of clothing (i.e. a jacket or a
cardigan) because my wide sides and upper arm chubs would be exposed.
I never put my hands on my hips in a sassy pose and was amazed at how
far apart my hips were.
I
miss the 10 me. Size 10, under 10 stone, with (arguably, comparably)
perfect 10 assets. She was gorgeous and didn't know it.
I've
aired out these worries numerous times with friends and family
members, and for a long time nobody seemed to get it. For the most
part, the response was to be grateful that I was in possession of a
healthy body, full stop. 'You're still in recovery', 'everyone feels
like this', 'the steroids are still wearing off', 'you see yourself
this way'... Then sometimes it would be a matter of my living
situation: 'everyone puts on weight when they come home from uni!',
'You're not cooking for yourself any more, and food at home is
plentiful!'
I
do feel like these are tired excuses now, though. The only one that
actually carries some weight (ZING!) is the fact that I work in a
cafe with access to pastries, luxury hot chocolate powder (perfect in
a mocha) and cheesy paninis all day every day. 50-hour weeks do all
kinds of damage to my poor tummy.
However,
the other day I mentioned it again. A photo had cropped up on Timehop
of 'early 2014 10 Me', and she was sat happily in a restaurant with a
massive thin-crust pizza covered in veggies and leaves, every colour
imaginable, resting obligingly on the table before her. Her
heart-shaped face glowed with pre-pizza excitement and also general
clear-skin pride; her collar bones were prominent as could be, her
shoulders seemed somehow broader, and her arms were out for all to
see under a daisy print vest top. I envied her instantly. I actually
asked myself: why don't I look like that any more? Why on earth not?
This
sent me into a rapid shame spiral, so I sat and stewed and cried over
it for the millionth time.
Then
a thought came to me – I'd thought it before, I'm sure, but it had
been forgotten and buried under a pile of burned up self-esteem...
Metaphors, man...
I
was thinner, I was lighter, I was arguably prettier. But I was, most
of the time anyway, stressed and stretched-out and miserable. And
ill.
Back
in early 2014, 10 Me was not happy. There had been a fair share of
hideous fallout and general drama (most of it starting in actual
Drama lectures, then following me home) in the run up to Christmas.
In the early months of 2014 I was actively avoiding people (which is
stressful as hell and actually probably contributed a fair bit to my
major weight loss); I would spend as much time on campus or in town
as possible, anything so I wouldn't have to go home and face all the
unpleasantness that awaited me there – I would run errands for
friends in town if they were busy and needed a hand (even if they
didn't, I was eager to help!), I would run up and down the staircases
in the library all day before coming across an empty desk and then
sitting there until 2am writing an essay that wasn't due for maybe
months, I would visit my friends' houses as much as possible, even if
they were super impractical to get to and I was only popping in to
borrow something...
I
set up camp at my boyfriend's (and best friends') pad which was
situated 2 miles and a 40 minute walk from the place where I
reluctantly paid rent. I never even considered the fact that it was
quite a way to walk just for a few hours (which would then become a
full night and morning) of peace, happiness and genuine comfort among
friends. I would even ask my friend who lived there/bribe her with
sweets to whizz me back to my house from time to time in her car so I
could dash inside, grab more of my essential belongings or change my
clothes before jumping back into the car and heading back to the
happy flat for a few more days.
Another
factor, obviously, would be my feelings of anxiety and upset. Anxiety
over failing friendships, health concerns, looming deadlines and
future plans; upset over hurtful individuals and hateful groups
ruining the final days of my uni experience.
The
tumour probably didn't help, either. In fact, looking back at most
photos from around this time last year, you can see in my face and my
posture that I was seriously unwell even if I had no explanation for
it yet. I think that was just a contributing factor, though. Not
everything that's gone wrong in the last year has been down to that
one stupid thing.
So,
it's taken me a whi-iiii-le to get here, but here I am. I'm uttering
some truly cheesy but totally necessary words after fighting with
myself and my self esteem demons.
I'd
rather be chubby and very aware of it; chubby and trying to do
something about it; chubby and alive; chubby and happy. I'd rather be
chubby and happy than skinny and hateful; skinny and stressed; skinny
and scared of the future or lack thereof; skinny and miserable.
Reaching
this moment of realisation, uttering these words aloud, looking down
at my heaving tummy and knowing I could be much worse off... That
calls for some cake.
(Now)