I have weird hair. It's not ugly, it's just…weird. Sometimes it's curly, sometimes not. Sometimes it'll act crazy, and at other times it's as calm as the Pacific. It's almost as unpredictable as the Champaign weather.

My hair was (and continues to be) a big challenge for me. I call it "a challenge," and not "an insecurity" because it's not only something that I disliked about myself, but it's also an obstacle in daily life! When you have frizzy hair like mine, simply leaving it down is not an option. You don't want to spend the rest of your day explaining to every person you meet that, no, you were "not struck by lighting," and, yes, that strand of hair is "standing up ALL by itself."

I grew up watching commercials of women with straight, glossy hair bouncing about, endorsing their shampoo with a brand new formula for silky hair. This only made me believe that my hair was not "natural." That hair was meant to be smooth, not fuzzy like cotton candy.

I tried everything. From strange contraptions made of hot metals to toxic serums and oils. Years of futile attempts at "fixing" my hair only made it worse. My hair had suffered enough damage. To top it all, I found out I had alopecia. This only made things worse. As a teenager, I became even more conscious of my hair. I was at the point in my life where appearances were everything. "Is my hair looking alright?" is probably something my friends heard more than "How are you doing?"

Wherever I went, my first concern was my hair. In math class, during dance practice, on a run and even at the movies! Who cares about the movies, 13-year-old Ipsita? It's so dark in there, anyway!

What I didn't realize was while I was busy taming my crazy locks, is that another girl was complaining about how her perfectly straight her would never curl. It took a while, but I have finally understood. My hair IS natural. It is naturally a mess.

I won't say that I have fully accepted this. Sometimes it's hard to fight the urge to check my hair out when passing by a car window. There are still times where I feel ugly because of my hair, which is why I am writing this article. This serves as a reminder to me, and to all those out there who don't feel comfortable in their own skin.

YOU ARE JUST FINE. Honestly, no one cares as much as you think they do. Go spend your time working towards more important things, like sending more girls to school and saving the planet, instead of wasting it thinking about your so-called imperfections. That being said, what I really want you guys to do is watch "Nappily Ever After." with a release date of September 21. I am really, REALLY looking forward to this movie. The trailer shows the protagonist, Violet Jones, talking about how she is always worried about her hair. Her obsession with controlling her hair resonates with her "perfect" life. This movie will definitely be worth your time.