10 Things Only Short People Understand

It's up to you to decide what height is "short"... I think most people consider 5'1" and down short. I'm a whole 5 feet tall... so I'm pretty universally short.

1. You're always mistaken for being younger than you actually are.

This probably happens to me the most often, regardless of where I am. In my sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school, I was mistaken for a freshman. There would be freshmen who approached me asking if I was a freshman too. Sometimes, even the teachers thought I was a freshman. Sometimes my teachers would mistake me for a freshman if they saw me from behind. I even attended a workshop at Weill Cornell Medical College for high school students interested in the healthcare field… and the registration people asked me if I was a middle schooler.

And that's on being forever 12 years old.

2. You can't reach for things on high shelves at the supermarket and need to ask for help.

There have been multiple occasions where my mom and I went to Trader Joe's and she's wanted me to go get something from a different aisle to make the trip go by faster. I get filled with dread when I realize that the item is on the top shelf. It gets even worse when I realize that I can't just poke the box at the edge of the shelf and dislodge it just enough that I can reach it on my tiptoes or catch it as it falls off. (Shout out to all the people who see me struggling and reach it for me.)

3. You get lowkey embarrassed when kids younger than you grow taller than you.

As much as it sucks, this one is unavoidable. It just be like that. These kids just get the tall genetics.

4. You need to push the driver's seat closer to the pedals.

I started learning how to drive in January, and the first thing I have to do is adjust the driver's seat so that I can reach the pedals better. But I am also a relatively new driver who's scared of her feet slipping off the pedals (especially the brakes), so I make sure I can press on the brakes fully.

5. You become people's armrests.

Is it just a thing for people to use their shorter friends' shoulders or the top of their heads as armrests??? Is it fun???

I hope it's comfortable, I guess.

6. You need to wear heels/insoles.

Wearing heels to a formal event isn't even a choice, it's a necessity. Consequently, we're pretty good at walking in heels, but the pain from wearing them for hours is no joke. :")

7. Your face gets smooshed into people's chests on crowded subways.

This is the WORST during rush hour in New York City. If I have to get off the train, I literally have to yell "excuse me" and carve a path through the crowd.

But at least I don't have to awkwardly turn my head away from a person of the same height to avoid breathing the same air.

8. You can't see anything or be seen unless you're in the front of a crowd.

I think short people become the epitome of "go with the flow" in crowded areas--otherwise, we might get trampled.

At least I'll always be in the front of any group picture. If I don't want to be in a picture, no problem! I can easily hide behind a tall person.

9. You're able to save money because you can still fit into kids size clothes or shoes.

Arguably one of the best things about being short, especially for sneakers! The prices usually jump a considerable amount when you go from kids' sizes to women's or men's sizes, so being able to save that extra $30 or so is just really convenient.

10. You get lots of legroom in economy class!

Also applicable to cars, especially when I go on long road trips. This is probably my favorite thing that comes out of being short, especially because I frequently fly back to the Philippines. A direct flight is 16 hours long, but flights with stopovers can take anywhere from 12 to 14 hours depending on the country we stopover in. Imagine being all cramped in that seat for that long... I can't. I'm cozy wherever I go. :)