In early August, I went to the hair salon with naturally-colored light brown hair and left with a lavender mane. Although this may seem like an impulsive action, I had spent months deliberating whether I should dye my hair, and a couple more months contemplating colors and consequences. After I got my hair dyed, I had no regrets. Now, more than two months later, I still have no regrets. Within the last few months that I’ve had this color, I’ve realized how certain aspects of my life have changed for the better. Before you pick a color on another spectrum, it’s best if you think about the following consequences of coloring your hair:

1. You don't have to put as much effort into styling your hair

Forget styling it in the morning, the color of your hair is already a style. Plain ponytails transform into extreme ponytails. Bedhead is now a fuzzy cloud of fluorescent beauty. If the hair thing just isn’t working for you at all, people will be too caught up in the color to notice your untamed cowlick.

2. No one cares if they see your hair roots

Those who go from one natural hair color to another constantly have to re-dye their roots to keep gray hairs from showing or weird contrasts from occurring. Clearly, my hair isn’t naturally this shade of purple, so I have nothing to hide. Also, you can have fun monitoring hair growth by seeing how much of your natural color shows from week to week.

3. You form an unspoken bond with other people of unnatural hair color

When I cross paths with another color haired beauty, you can't help but feel giddy. In fact, I made a new friend solely because we both have purple hair. Not to mention, I have no problems complimenting the different hairstyles I see as I trek around campus and other people are just as excited about my hair as I am about theirs.

4. You can easily distinguish which people are worthy of your friendship

To begin with, don’t let the judgments of other people get you down. Love your hair and love yourself. Equally important, for every individual who disapproves of your hair, there is one who absolutely adores it. With that in mind, those who make hasty generalizations based on the color of something as impermanent as your hair are not worth your time.

5. Your confidence improves

Once you dye your hair a crazy color, you suddenly feel like a brand new person with a world of possibilities ahead of you. You may see a prettier person in the mirror who is comfortable enough with themselves to ignore conventionality. You’ll become more comfortable in your skin and you may even receive some compliments every once in a while.

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Moral of the story: it’s okay to dye your hair neon pink, grass green, firetruck red, or sky blue at least once in your lifetime. If you’re at a point in your life where a new head of hair won’t prevent new opportunities from being presented, dyeing your hair is definitely an option. Once you do the deed, the approval of others becomes trivial and a new, more confident you begins to blossom.