I'll never forget the way they looked at me as I walked into the lab room. Barely making eye contact, but staring right at me. Laughing amongst themselves. Ponytail up, T-shirt and jeans, the way I looked was nothing to write home about, I thought to myself. Not my best, but definitely not bad. The moment stuck with me. The memory still pops up from time to time as I contemplate their reasoning for snickering at me.

It wasn't until later after some honest conversations that I realized the reasons behind their snide remarks under their breath as I walked into Anatomy and Physiology 101 as a freshman. I was too hott to belong there. Verbatim. They laughed at me as I walked in because the very idea that I, a thin blonde girl, could think that I belonged in this high level course was ridiculous to my junior and senior level classmates. Well. To be quite frank, I've never considered my looks, be them good or bad, as a measure of where I do and don't belong and neither should you.

I have them to thank though. I worked my ass off that semester. I studied every night for that course just to prove them wrong. I answered the difficult questions the professor posed during lecture while the people who made assumptions about me sat silent.

I have to be honest. This wasn't the first time this has happened to me and it certainly wouldn't be the last time someone would tell me after the fact how shocked they were at my intelligence, (or simply the fact that I had any all). It began to weigh on me. I went through a phase where I downplayed my looks in an attempt to make those around me respect me more. It seems silly to me that this was even an issue I encountered in life because I'm not ridiculously good looking. Only slightly above average at best. But apparently average looks coupled with two X chromosomes is too good looking to also be relatively smart.

Life is a journey though and part of that journey is learning that haters gon' hate. When a person feels inferior for whatever the reason may be they are going to attempt to cut you down so that they will feel taller. Don't let the haters win. Be you. These days I simply chuckle to myself when I'm faced with pretty ignorance. I don't have to prove anything to you or anyone else and I'm certainly not giving up my eyeliner and lipstick.