When we think of models, our minds probably immediately jump to one of many modern-day multimillionaires (whew, try saying that fast three times): the Kardashians (and Jenners), the Hadids, the Crawford-Gerbers, the Beckhams, the Smiths, Ashley Graham, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas etc... These celebrities have all worked their way up in a vicious industry that is so zeroed in on minute details and mistakes that it turns to advocate for synthetics and photoshop in many (but not all- Priyanka would never) cases. But I think we're forgetting to account for the REAL models: kid models. And better yet, self-acclaimed kid models. Let me explain the difference.

On one hand, you have the children whose parents are so bored that they scour the local newspapers, which are miraculously still in print, for child pageants and local commercials. These are typically the fashionistos/fashionistas who end up being fabulous child actors. Sometimes, they last, like the infamous Sprouse twins, and sometimes, we don't hear from them after their main glory days, like Taylor Momsen (the one and only Cindy-Lou Who). Of course, they are all icons in their own ways.

On the other hand, you have your local superstar kids who simply think they take up all the attention in your hometown when they are actually far from doing so. Hi, that's me. Sorry in advance for the cringe you are going to witness.

Since I was young, I have always been super expressive emotionally- cue camera roll spam.

Wow, look at the It Factor I possess.

Sass? AND a bob? Me

This was peak angst in 7th grade Featuring neighborhood cat, Boots (AKA Fresca).Me

As I have probably covered in past articles, I now try to only express all of that emotion through writing or when I'm around people I'm close to. However, being an Athens native for about 16 years has a certain price for a super expressive Pisces.

If you're from around here, let me just pretend like you've noticed my lovely face on the tiny mural in Sandy Creek Nature Center, pictured below.

"Yup, that's me!"- Raven Baxter Me

That iconic silhouette is from the verrrrrry sophisticated photoshoot pictured below.

This baby realllllly didn't like strangers. Me

You'll notice that I am not brandishing (yes, I know that's not good verb choice) the infant in the actual mural BUT that's only because clearly, the Lyndon House Arts Center recognized my star potential and decided to just go with me as the main subject of the artistic masterpiece squished beside the fire alarm.

However, that's all past fame in my view. Around age 15, I became a go-to Christmas-elf recruit for the Lyndon House Arts Center Holiday House. A very tall Christmas elf at that. My job was to entertain the little kids with storybooks and questions about their Christmas lists while they waited to take their own pictures with the Special Guest. This gig usually came with the occasional spotlight posted on Facebook, which I embraced.

Me with the Toy Maker.Me

Recently, a very terrifying "photoshoot" that I didn't know was a real "photoshoot" has come back to haunt me. Let me draw your attention to this lovely video made by Radar Production around the time of last year's Christmas Parade in beautiful Downtown Athens.

Holiday Highlights 2017drive.google.com

Around the thirty-second mark, you get a face full of hideous Christmas elf just beaming at the camera. That's me, unfortunately. Now, me, being a high schooler still, was very confident that my second family at Lyndon House would just be uploading this lovely video to their Facebook and maybe Online Athens or something- that's usually the highest level of stardom achievable in Dawgs nation for a lame high-school senior. However, I was very, very wrong.

disgustingMe

This ghastly close-up I mentioned earlier has resurfaced this holiday season of 2018 and has apparently been making its way around TV Channels and stream services as an advertisement for Downtown Athens. While I am very honored to represent this lovely town...I DON'T WANT THAT PICTURE TO BE THE ONE THAT GETS PUBLICIZED. Also, I only became aware of this when multiple- MULTIPLE- classmates I went to high school with, as well as new college friends, started spamming my Snapchat with this hideous thing. I got many many questions and comments, ranging from "HOw?", "What?", "Are you serious?" and "iS THis real?" to "wow", "amazing", and "yikes."

Yikes indeed.

In this stressful finals season, I am now supposed to be eased by the knowledge that my friends who are currently binge-watching New Girl on FX get to be jump-scared by the 5-foot-9 Christmas Elf, Snickerdoodle, and her pudgy little cheeks.

As distressed and Grinch-like as I sound in this article, I guess my soul is just trying to wish everyone a happy holiday season since my actual body is too immersed in chemistry, Spanish, and human development to do it. And that I think my modeling days are over, as beautiful as they have been. Please let them be over.

Happy Holidays, readers! Thanks for bearing with the kid pics.