A table of fresh flowers greeted students in the Student Union Building on Tuesday, inviting them to create their own bouquets. Each floral arrangement symbolized something many college students need to hear, like every flower and every bouquet, every body — no matter what it looks like — is uniquely beautiful.
That body-positive messaging stemmed from Boise State’s Body Appreciation Week, a campus-wide initiative that hosted uplifting activities, shared resources about mental and physical health, and raised awareness about eating disorders, encouraging students to find healthier relationships with food and body image.
“Our primary goal is to spread that it’s okay to want your body to change, but not hate [your body],” said Emily Clay, registered dietitian and nutritionist (RDN) with University Health Services. “We can appreciate what our body does for us, and we can appreciate that we are more than just our bodies.”
The annual tradition, formerly called “Body Acceptance Week,” coincides with National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Rather than focusing specifically on eating disorders, the campus-wide initiative focuses on positive messaging about health and body image.
This year, the language change from “Body Acceptance” to “Body Appreciation” reflects the thoughtful care and planning Health Services and other organizers have put into the week’s messaging and activities.
According to Clay, “Appreciation” is softer, more specific and has a stronger positive connotation.
“Being appreciative of our bodies and what they do for us is important, because we always hear that we’re all supposed to look a certain way,” Clay said. “My hope is that [the new language] sparks some curiosity, and that it is a different voice than they’re constantly hearing.”
Clay works year-round as a resource for Boise State students, offering guidance on building healthier relationships with food.
“I work with students every day that are struggling with body image and eating disorders,” she said. “I want to spread awareness and let them know that they’re not alone.”
Clay said body appreciation messaging is highly important on college campuses because, for many students she works with, it is the first time they have opened up about the challenges they face relating to their relationships with food and body image.
“Students are really hard on themselves in a lot of different ways, whether it’s academics or [body image],” Clay said. “We’re pointing out that, ‘Hey, you’re not alone. A lot of people struggle with food. A lot of people struggle with how they look.’”
Some activities during Body Appreciation week focused on “moving with kindness” — exercising with a focus on how the movement feels rather than harsh diet-culture exercise plans. Other activities centered on the negative impacts of social media on mental health.
For students at the events, the body positive messaging served as a reminder that they are never alone — many students face body image challenges, and University Health Services has resources available to them.
“It’s such an awesome concept and such a beautiful thing to appreciate, especially during [a time of year] when people can feel very low about themselves,” said Tabitha Rager, a freshman studying Business Administration.
Rager heard about the bouquet-making station on social media and decided to bring her friends, illustrating the importance she sees in body-positive messaging at school.
“We go through so many challenges and we can feel so down about ourselves, so [it’s important to] take a moment to realize that you are awesome and that whatever shape we come in, we’re still awesome and amazing human beings,” Rager said.
Beyond Body Appreciation Week, University Health Services hosts events and provides resources year-round for students. Every second Tuesday of the month, “Yay! Cafe” at the recreation center offers resources about body positivity, health and nutrition through activities and giveaways.
“Talking about personal issues like our relationship with our bodies or our relationship with food can be really vulnerable,” said Amy Roberts, counselor at University Health Services. “Having accessible, forward-facing events where people can think about those things in a safe way normalizes that experience and can decrease barriers for treatment.”
Roberts also facilitates a group at Health Services called “Body Harmony,” which sparks conversation about themes related to body appreciation and challenging health and beauty myths. The group meets on Tuesdays from 3-4 p.m. in room 117 of the Norco building and is free for students to attend.
“There’s this continuum right of how we talk to ourselves about our bodies, and that can be critical, or that can be beautiful,” Roberts said. “Somewhere in the middle of those two can be appreciation and acceptance, and as we’re walking through that journey of how we talk to ourselves, appreciation and acceptance can feel more realistic or accessible.”
Students seeking support for eating disorders and body image can schedule an appointment or find more resources through University Health Services at (208) 426-1459.
