Coming Back Different

Between hot girl summers, SAT studying, and college essay writing, students return to school looking and feeling different. Although Merriam-Webster defines a “glow-up” as “a usually dramatic enchantment especially to someone’s or something’s physical appearance,” students’ definitions vary. For some, a glow-up can simply mean changing their wardrobe; for others, it can be about improving on something less visible. While not all glow-ups are obvious to the outside world, the cultural implications of a “summer arc,” a term popularized online that is used to describe a period of intentional self-improvement over the summer, extend far beyond one’s physical appearance. The pressure to return to school as an improved version of oneself reflects the growing expectation that time away from school should be used for personal growth. 

Some students stand by the typical definition of a glow-up. Sophomore Jerry Dong stated, “Glow-up to me means becoming more conventionally attractive than your prior self.” For Dong, the phrase is certainly tied to appearance. His own transformation over the summer ended up being relatively simple: getting a haircut. Additionally, a glow-up may be tied to the social visibility of the change. “Improving yourself can be done in different ways, not just looks, and can be less of a social affair than getting a glow-up is,” he explained. For Dong, a glow-up isn’t necessarily synonymous with improvement; instead, the term inherently implies a change others can see. 

Conversely, other students argue that a glow-up isn’t just about how one’s appearance is perceived by society, but also about becoming closer to the ideal version of oneself. Freshman Angela Lau stated, “It’s you yourself. You’re improving something about yourself, but it can be physical [or] mental. [...] My understanding of a glow-up is ultimately becoming more yourself.” While some aspects of glow-ups can be external, many are also related to less visible parts of one’s life. In Lau’s opinion, glow-ups aren’t just about becoming “better,” but also about developing a stronger understanding of yourself, with outward changes following that internal shift.

Similarly, senior Vivian Lin views a glow-up as an internal change rather than simply an external one. “To me, glow-up means to feel more confident in yourself, like your appearance or just how you act around others,” Lin stated. Indeed, for some students, a glow-up can be defined without an externally validated transformation. “It is more about seeing yourself different and in a better light than actually being different,” Lin furthered.

Lin experienced this definition firsthand over the summer when she participated in a research program that fostered changes in her, even if they weren’t intentional. She noted, “One of my friends I met there showed me her whole college list, and that made me seriously start searching for colleges too, which I had been avoiding for a while. Another guy was extremely friendly and able to start up a conversation with anyone, which led to me also engaging in more small talk and forcing myself to expand my social circle.” Lin did not enter the summer with a concrete glow-up plan. Still, she considered it a glow-up because being surrounded by driven, social people changed how she viewed herself. She explained, “I would consider that a glow-up since being able to feel good about yourself is a huge improvement.” 

Summer break presents a unique opportunity for glow-ups to take place more easily. One reason is simple: summer offers more time. Without the constant demand of homework, tests, and extracurricular activities, students have more freedom to experiment. “During the school year, I did not care what I was wearing because I had five minutes to get dressed in the morning or I would be late. But now in the summer, I find myself exploring more outfits and finding my style,” Lin stated. In other words, summer gives students space to experiment with aspects of their life that they may not be able to during the school year. 

Summer break also creates distance. During the school year, students return to the same environment every day. Changes can be noticed and commented on almost immediately, whether it’s a new haircut, clothes, or shifts in how they interact. Rather than seeing only the final result, everyone sees the changes as they occur. Summer, by contrast, provides both the social and physical distance for students to experiment without quick judgement. “Since you’re usually alone in the summer, you can change on your own terms without outside pressures,” Lau explained. However, separation over the summer can create the illusion of an instantaneous transformation, even when the changes developed gradually over the course of two months. Lau elaborated, “If it’s happening over the summer, it seems to other people like it’s an immediate change.” 

Dong also presented a highly socially-oriented view of the term. “It’s largely about being more attractive for others,” he said, highlighting the role of social media and the perception of one’s peers in shaping one’s general understanding of what a glow-up is. “It pressures people to look better and improve themselves, but can lead to them thinking they aren’t enough and having worse mental health,” he said. With the popularity of before-and-after transformations online, glow-ups are often presented as a clear, linear progression. The format turns improvement from something personal to something measurable. Thus, students may view these changes as something that they are supposed to accomplish rather than as something they choose for themselves. 

Lin agreed, saying, “There is an expectation to go back to school and be different because of how much social media emphasizes summer glow-ups.” While there may not be a literal or stated necessity for students to transform each summer, Lin perceives a more subtle, cultural expectation instead. 

However, for Lau, that external component is what separates a true glow-up from changes made simply to satisfy others. “If all the thoughts that come up in your head during the process are like ‘she said this’ or ‘they want me to be this,’ that’s an indicator you’re trying to glow-up for someone else,” Lau explained. In her eyes, changes made entirely or almost entirely with the goal of complying with others’ expectations don’t carry the same weight as a personally-led improvement. Such improvement can extend beyond appearance, as well. Since Lau is starting at Stuyvesant this fall, she believes students are expected to return to school more mature and capable. She explained, “teachers in eighth grade say that high school is going to be a lot tougher.” The expectation isn’t simply to return with a new look, but with a new level of maturity—a change that may be less visible, but not less significant. 

Ultimately, across all definitions, a glow-up defines not a single type of transformation but a way of describing change itself. A new haircut or wardrobe may make that change more visible to others, while new friendships can help one feel more confident in themselves. Summer can provide students with more space to experiment with those changes, while returning in the fall provides an audience, developing a tension between improving for oneself and the desire to be seen by others as improving. A summer glow-up does not necessarily require students to return as entirely new people. Sometimes, it simply means returning with a clearer sense of who they already want to be.