I overheard a conversation in line for Holy Grounds a few weeks ago where this one girl was saying how she went through her Facebook and deleted all of the photos of her ‘bad years’. Bad years as in braces, some extra flub, bad haircuts, and bad outfit decisions - awkward phases we can possibly relate too. Apparently it took her the whole night to delete these photos! What a use of time!
Although I understand the embarrassment these photos can sometimes cause you, I think that it develops a really good trait to keep them: humility. I can’t say enough how I despise this notion that some people just entered this world as flawless humans, even though today it seems that thirteen-year-old girls skipped the pimples and braces and go straight to wearing crop-tops and posting selfies on Instagram. Sometimes I’m envious of the fact that it seems pre-teens have it figured out, but then I remember no one has it figured out when you’re 13. You usually just go with what other people are doing. I understand why people don’t want their bad phase to hang over their heads, because a lot of us would like to move on from it. No one truly enjoys looking at photos of them from when they were in middle school for a few reasons. First, middle school is the absolute worst.Second, sometimes it can weigh on people in heavier ways. Personally, I think it is wonderful how people evolve over time, not only in appearance but also in personality. These evolutions, I think, give us a better insight into our friends and ourselves.
I wasn’t the most popular girl in school. Which, honestly, was the worst sometimes, but also was cool in other respects. I read a lot! (Sad?) I made genuine friendships with other people in the library though, and do you know why? We felt we had a connection of being awkward or insecure. I genuinely believe this to be a good thing, because, at the end of the day, all of those instances when I felt mocked gave me all the more appreciation for when I see that happening to others today. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that kindness is key. When we forget those times we were left out, we forget how those experiences made us feel. We forget that we should never impose that on anyone else.
I do not understand why my mother allowed me to go out how I did. It’s like she didn’t want me to have friends. An elongated bowl cut? Bermuda shorts? Why, mom?
It’s essential to own your poncho, gaucho, and skort phases, because deleting photos off of Facebook won’t make that stage go away. Can I believe the fact I thought gauchos were fashionable at one point? No. Do I regret wearing them? Maybe a little bit. These photos give more insight into who you are as a person today and what you’ve gone through. They build character. If I can evolve that much in the last six years, it gives me so much more hope for the next six. Awkward photos shouldn’t only remind you of what you’ve gone through, but how far you’ve come and the lessons you learn along the way. It all contributes to your character, and it would be a shame to forget it all. Don’t bury those memories from your past, because they are a part of you. Your past gives you the resilience for today, so celebrate it – don’t delete it.
