Recently, I found myself strapped for cash and needed a way to supplement my income. Like most people, I decided to try nude modeling! The gigs were usually just a few hours, and they paid well above minimum wage. Why not?

I called a few local college art departments. “There’s a shortage of nude models,” I was told. So, career advice No. 1: find an in-demand job, and there’s no interview necessary. Also, nudity is often a deterrent.

During my first class, things started out fine. I walked in, disrobed, ignored the goosebumps forming on my skin (note to profs: turn up the heat) and walked on to a platform in the center of the room as the professor gave me instructions for my first pose. It was pretty simple: I just had to sit still for twenty minutes.

But then my legs started shaking. It dawned on me that I was the only naked person in the room! I looked out at the rows of students, who were busily sketching me while their instructor discussed the angles and shadows of ‘the figure’ and I realized I was just their subject for the day. That’s it. And I took a deep breath and relaxed.

Now that I have done this for awhile, nude modeling has become just another way to make a buck. The other day I was standing in front of a professor, completely nude, while he discussed what he wanted the next pose to look like. And it felt perfectly normal. [Note: this took place in a classroom, not the professor's "private office." Perv.]

Besides the money, I’ve also gained more confidence in my body. Instead of hating it for what it isn’t, I can appreciate it for what it is: a unique work of art.