This is a testament to all of the short people out there, coming from a short person herself (I am 5’2). Let me be the first to say that this is only five of many complications that come with being below the average height. Bear with me people-- how many of you heard the “you’re not short, you’re fun-sized” phrase or maybe you have even seen it on a t-shirt? Wait, it gets better! How many of my fellow short people heard that you are just the right height to put their arm on your shoulder?
Let me first say proudly that there is absolutely nothing wrong with your height, whether shorter or taller in size. I am sure people who are taller go through difficulties that come from their height which, unfortunately, I cannot relate to. But here are five things that only short people face:
1. Not being able to see anything when at an event.
Whether at a graduation, a concert, a sporting event or the movies; the list goes on. If you don’t sit front and center, make sure you have good listening skills because they will come in handy and be more useful than your eyes will.
2. Walking with your tall friends is like running a marathon.
My calves are burning just thinking about it! In my personal experiences, for every one step my boyfriend takes, I have to take two just to keep up. I usually fall behind and have to do a little jog just to catch up to him. The worst is walking next to tall athletes. You should either mentally prepare yourself for a full cardio workout or just face the fact that you aren’t going to keep up with them no matter how hard you try.
3. Wearing pants.
Yes, you look cute from your top all the way down to your ankles. But then, all of a sudden, you have all this extra fabric dragging on the floor. These were supposed to be skinny jeans. Ha! This get me every time. What helps is buying petite sizes, but not all store carry that. Which, in turn, results in either wet, dirty or “holy” pants.
4. Grabbing something from the top shelf in the kitchen.
Keeping positive and being creative is the solution to this problem. For instance, say that you were drinking a glass of milk were yearning for something to go with it. Then you remember you bought that bag of Oreos the day before. You’re searching and searching until you open the cabinet and gaze upwards at the top shelf, thinking to yourself, "how the hell are you going to get them down?" Try the classic 'run and jump onto the counter,' or use a chair. Personally, I am lazy, so I am not jumping anywhere anytime soon. I am just going to get my trusty tongs out for the silverware drawer and grab those suckers.
5. Seeing past the steering wheel.
In my household we share “the family car,” as I am sure a lot of you do as well. I can tell you that if I am driving, my knees have touch the steering wheel. Otherwise, I cannot see over the dashboard comfortably. This is awful, I know, but it is better to be safe than to be sorry.
Yes, being short comes with it's fair share of complications, but it also has many upsides to it. You get the perfect hugs, being able to do the limbo without hitting the floor or breaking your back, you can wear those six inch heels that you bought for that special occasion, and you are an individual. Your height does not define you unless you let it. Embrace it and love yourself.
