Fitting In

Middle school is hard enough—but for Naomi, the added anxiety of navigating her body image makes every interaction feel like a test she didn’t study for. And with the school’s annual fitness exam looming, staying under the radar might be impossible.

In elementary school, Naomi loved gym class—not because she was athletic, but because it was fun. It was her favorite part of the day; another excuse to laugh, play four square, and be a kid.
But in middle school, something shifts. When Naomi is weighed in front of her classmates, the laughter sticks a little longer. Even if things go back to normal afterward, she doesn’t.
Suddenly, people notice things they never used to. Her parents comment on how her clothes fit. Her friends watch what she eats. Everyone seems to have an opinion about her body.
“Maybe you should have healthier snacks?”
“Wow, you’ve lost weight—have you been dieting?”
“We just want you to be healthy, okay?”
They say they’re trying to help. But to Naomi, it feels like her body doesn’t belong to her anymore.
And to make matters worse, the annual physical fitness test is looming. It hangs over Naomi like a spotlight she can’t escape.
As she struggles to find her place in a world that keeps telling her to change, Naomi is trying to hold onto herself. Because lately, “fitting in” seems to mean becoming someone else.