Considering going gray but worried about it? Allow me to address some of your questions! I was blonde my whole life up until a few months ago. I took the plunge and swam in the cool waters of fierce locks. I've been gray since then and there's no looking back. You can do it too!

1. Concerned about the cost? Consider a beauty school!

A lot of people worry about the financial strain of going gray, a totally valid concern seeing as salons can charge hundreds for it. Being a poor college student finding an alternative to shelling out so much money was an absolute god-send.

Absolutely do not do it at home yourself, the results won’t be what you’re imagining, I’m just being real with you. Consider instead checking out your local beauty school! The students there will be glad to have the experience and they are carefully supervised by thoroughly trained professionals.

When you show up you fill out a little sheet telling them what you want and you’ll be paired with the student who is the best match for it. In my case I was paired up with Holly, queen of color and absolute hair goddess. Any concerns I had about going gray were instantly washed away when I saw her rainbow locks, which I later found out she did herself. My hair was in good hands, and yours will be too.

While there is only one true Holly, there are so many lovely hair wizards out there who share her knowledge and can help make your locks fabulous. I will admit that I spent a long time in the chair and with my head in the sink but I could not be any happier with the results. Shout out to the tremendous folk at Continental, Holly especially. I’ve been gray for months now and it still looks top notch.

2. Upkeep? Well, yes, but it's really not so bad!

If you’ve had your hair colored before you’ll already know the routine. Moisture, moisture, moisture. I recommend Dove’s Quench line of shampoos, conditioners and leave in products (which were recommended to me by hair goddess Holly).

Picking up a purple or blue shampoo would also be a wise plan, as it will put back any gray that you may lose over time as it occurs with any hair coloring situation. Shimmering Lights is a quality brand, Redkin makes some as well, but even drug store brands like Pantene have products for silver hair so fret not, you won’t have to break the bank.

I ended up splurging for a $17 bottle of Joico's magic gray potion (not the actual name of it but if you ask for purple shampoo, the lovely ladies at ULTA Beauty or Sally’s will be able to help you out).

I only use a smidgen of it once a week, so I’ve been getting a lot of bang for my buck for sure. LUSH makes one too, I've heard it smells top notch but I haven't tried it yet. Options are out there! Worried about your roots? Don't be, they look cool, I love my hair more and more every day.

3. But what will people say? What will they think? Screw them, do you.

You might encounter several people who will try to dissuade you from joining Team Silver Fox. This is actually a good thing, as it will offer some excellent insight as to who you should consider removing from your life.

Do you boo, and anyone who tries to stop you from doing you is just a bitter Betty, you don’t need that tomfoolery. Going gray is a big time ballsy move for fierce folk, anyone who can’t handle that clearly has some stuff of their own to be working on if they’re hating on you. Post hair coloration some people might make jokes about you looking like their grandparent.

Their grandparent must be hella foxy then. GILF status.

4. How will it look in pictures? Great. That's how.

I’ve found that my selfie game has increased 10-fold since going gray. I love it. What I love most about it is that it was my choice, something I did for me despite any discouraging words or self-doubt. Going gray is a reflection of my self-confidence, and it can be for you too.

If you want it then go for it, your appearance is a reflection of who you are and should be what you want it to be.

5. Afraid? Don't be!

First and foremost, you’re gonna look great. There’s not a human being on the face of this earth who wouldn’t look stupendous with silver tresses. But if you end up changing your mind, that’s okay. Do you, boo. What you have when you go gray is a totally blank slate as far as hair color goes. You can add whatever you want to it.

Go brown, go blonde, go purple, do whatever makes your heart happy. You can do it with ease and, if you want, you can always go back. Hair is hair. It grows, it flows, it’s just an extension of your noggin. What you do with it is up to you, so do you.