When I was young and saw my first pair of crocs, I thought to myself, “what the actual hell are those?” I was confused and unsure why anyone in their right mind would wear shoes that incredibly ugly. I was probably around 12 at the time. The rubber monstrosities only got worse when people began putting little charms in the holes of their crocs. When I saw that I really was convinced that anyone that would walk around in public wearing those things was a total nutcase, even small kids (I don’t discriminate). Eventually, I just accepted that they were here to stay and I just put them out of my mind.

Fast-forward about seven years when I was in my first year of college. At this point in my life, I stopped caring so much about my looks. Between the stress of school and work I just wanted to be comfortable. Wearing fashionable shoes just lead to blisters and bloody backs of my heels. I literally have a pair of shoes that numb my feet because they are a pair too small but I just HAD to have them.

One day I saw a good friend of mine wearing crocs and it was as if my 12-year-old self had returned and I became immediately disgusted and confused why I associated myself with this person. I asked her why the hell she would ever wear such heinous rubber eyesores as shoes. She would not stop telling me how comfortable and light they were. Literally she acted as if they were a gift sent to her from the heavens. Then she told me to try them on. I was extremely skeptical and also confused as to how a man with size 12 feet was going to fit into a women’s size 6 but that was beside the point. Although I could only fit about 50 percent of my foot inside, I knew that MY life was about to be changed.

“Crap”, I immediately said. I instantly knew that I was in trouble because the crocs were working their magic on me. It was like I was standing on a cloud. My feet felt like they were being made love to, soft and delicately. I was feeling so many types of ways. At this point, I knew what I had to do. It was time to cross over to the dark side and purchase my very own pair of crocs. That same day I went out and became the proud owner of black size 12 crocs and I haven’t taken them off since.

Today, I rock those shoes. I wear them with basically any outfit and I am always comfortable. Whenever it rains, I need not worry about getting my shoes soaked because the rain just rolls right off that beautiful rubber. Sometimes I get stares from people and I can tell they are judging me for wearing crocs. I just smile to myself and feel sorry for them. They remind me of myself when I was ignorant and naïve. Crocs changed my life for the better and my advice to anyone that thinks they are ugly; just get over yourself and try on a pair.