They’re long, tan and gleaming in the sunlight—two practically perfect, cylindrical objects posed at a slanted angle. One may look in the background and spot a tropical paradise or a swimming pool. However, these are not the legs of a woman enjoying a relaxing day by the water, but rather two hotdogs imitating its image.

The “hotdogs or legs?” craze is the latest viral sensation to hit the social networking world. From Tumblr to Twitter, hundreds of people are taking time out of their day to carefully position hotdogs instead of eating them. Some people poke fun at the scenario by covering their actual legs with ketchup and mustard, while others remain confused as to whether the limbs in an Instagram photo really do belong to a human being.“Hotdogs or legs?” may have started off as innocent humor, but it draws attention to the even bigger problem of self-esteem and body image facing the county.

Once students start their first day of college (or even high school), they are exposed to an entirely different world, one filled with late night cramming sessions before finals, and dozens of social outings. Some students are so busy and stressed throughout the day, they may not even realize what they are eating, or how much.

Those jeans you bought two months ago may start to feel a bit tighter, as the “freshman 15” fright starts to set in. Some students even lose weight. The growing body insecurities among young adults are startling, with fad diets, eating disorders and extreme work-out regiments becoming normal methods of weight loss.

This constant obsession to feel beautiful is something engrained within our minds since adolescence, particularly women. It’s hard to feel good about yourself when the media presents celebrity bodies like gods of worship.

Everyone comes in different shapes and sizes: fat, skinny, short, tall, big-boned and petite. It’s genetics, plain and simple. And no, a thigh gap isn’t always included.

One of the great things about UNH are all the facilities and healthy food options available on campus. Do some cardio at the Rec Center, get a side of salad with dinner, or grab a protein smoothie for energy, like the one recommended by groenerekenkamer.com. Never resort to anything that makes you feel less than beautiful.

It’s sad to see that the few inches between thighs have become a symbol of a healthy lifestyle, and it’s even more disappointing to see them compared to processed pork sausage.

“Frank”ly, it’s gone too far. The “hotdog or legs?” image has had its 15 minutes of fame, and deserves to retreat back into the realms of cyberspace.