As school creeps up all too soon and we all start to move into dorms and mentally prepare for the very long semester ahead, there is one thing that will help everything move along quicker. Being secure about who you are will help with test confidence, peer confidence and so much more. While you will change during your time at Iowa State, remember to do things for you, not for others.

The public has formed an image for people, especially actors and actresses, to fall under. Most of them need to be tall, skinny, good looking, etc. Dakota Johnson was especially criticized for the gap between her front teeth. This gap was either loved by the public, adored because her flaws made her all the more relatable, or she was hated for it, for having flaws when she was playing such a flawless role. She and others have used plastic surgery to change their natural features that make them unique into something more accepted by the public.  

Johnson recently had some dental work done and closed the gap between her teeth. This action, which some of the public thinks is a good idea, was possibly motivated by the casing of another movie, The Peanut Butter Falcon. Many actors have work done due to the opening of a new movie or criticism from fans.

Many of those on Twitter have stated that they miss her gap. One fan on Twitter stated, “Logged on to find out tha[t] Dakota Johnson, the only person who should have a gap in their teeth, got rid of hers… please Venmo me during this difficult time.” Another fan said, “This is the saddest i’ve even been. RIP Dakota Johnson’s tooth gap.” While I’m glad to see that the public appreciated her, flaws and all, we will not know the true motive behind this change until she confronts the issue herself. 

The only thing I have to say about this is, if Johnson really felt insecure about her tooth gap and got it fixed, I don’t see the problem. However, if she got it fixed due to negative comments from the public, it might not have been for the right reasons. No matter, it was her choice. 

For the future, if you are trying to change yourself for others, don’t! There are so many people who love you for who you are. If someone deliberately does not like you for how you look or how you act, they don’t deserve to be around you. While changing who you are because you want to change is one thing, being peer pressured into a personality or appearance change is not right. And while we might not all be naturally superstar beautiful or on display for the public to see, critics can be everywhere. Find a version of yourself you feel comfortable with and stick to your guns.