Confidence Within (CW) is a club at MHS that aims to help students become more confident in their minds and bodies by educating students about the importance of health, fitness, lifestyle, and mental health, President Vy Dinh said in an email interview.
Since the establishment of CW, the club officers have tackled subjects such as beauty standards and their unhealthy effects, the importance of self care, exercise precautions, and mental health. CW also educates students about anatomy and physiology, according to their Instagram @cwithin.mhs.
Dinh decided to create CW to spark a change in the Milpitas community, she said. “I created this club knowing that our school lacks a club that advocates for self-love, motivation and wellness. I know many young people now with social media, find themselves constantly comparing themselves to others they see on their social media accounts, wishing to be someone they cannot be.”
Dinh discussed the overarching message she wanted to convey to students through her club. “My club wants to show others that we all matter and that we are unique in our own ways, though sounding very cliche, it is very true. Success and happiness should be found on your own terms.”
Dinh explained her journey to self love, which ultimately led to her decision to create CW. “Growing up, I have always been insecure about myself, my skin, and my weight. My journey to self love really derived from a spiteful start. I forced myself to have a glow up. I started working out, waking up early morning and doing miles, four hours a day with the starting weight of 145 lbs, and it was painful and excruciating.”
After Dinh was able to reach her target goal of 120 lbs in three months, she was still unhappy which led her to reflect and realize that she was becoming the person others wanted her to be, rather than doing it for her own happiness, according to Dinh.
Dinh also discussed the meaning behind her club’s name. “I chose the name ‘Confidence Within’ because I know many people like myself struggle with being able to speak their minds, strut on their walks and be an outgoing, beaming with a halo of light … that is where confidence comes in.”
Junior Audrey Tran, a mentor for CW, discussed how her experience with body image issues helped her become a better mentor, in a Zoom interview. “Because I am an athlete, I had constant pressure on keeping my body looking good. If I didn’t have an athletic body, I felt super insecure because I had to maintain my body image to maintain my status.”
“During my wrestling season, I battled with an eating disorder because I was so hung up on my weight,” Tran explained. “I did a lot of research on that, and I can help students understand eating disorders, and how to diet properly, and educate them about weight too.”
Tran further explained how her experiences allow her to become more understanding of other students going through similar issues she faced. “I feel like because I’ve gone through it personally, I know what it’s like so I can resonate more with the student when they’re asking me a question, or trying to vent, and I can also give advice on what I have done that’s helped me.”
Tran also revealed what made CW stand out to her. “I don’t think there are any other clubs like this on campus. There are other clubs on campus that will build confidence from different ethnicities, or different, different qualities within the students, but I feel like our club is the only one that is all inclusive despite gender, or ethnicity,” Tran said. “Our club is fully open to everyone.”
“I feel that true health and wellness is sometimes overlooked and glossed over, especially in teenagers,” freshman Satvika Iyer said in an email interview. “I think it is important to publicize [healthy habits] along with the aspect of fitness, because a lot of negativity also motivates fitness in adolescence.”
Iyer also discussed her feelings towards the club.“ My favorite aspect of this club is the community we have,” Iyer said. “I can tell we are going to be able to cultivate an opportunity for discourse on wellness, self love, and fitness through the platform of this club, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us!”
