Changing your hair can be a little like a roller coaster ride—there are lots of different feelings and ways it can go. We've all been through that one phase where your hair was so bad you just block out that part of your life. The biggest fear as a young adult is reliving the middle school hair situation in a time where you can't just laugh it off as an "I was a kid" moment. When you change up your hair drastically as an adult it can really end one of two ways: a new mature, more "wow" look, or a repeat of the sixth grade Dora triangle hair. Here's a series of thought one goes through when they decide to do the big chop.
1. "You got this! You need change."
We all know the feeling, when you have short hair you want to grow it out and when you have long you hair you have this dire urge to chop it all off.
2. "This will be fun."
You know, sometimes you just need a change. Lots of people find that their hair can come to define them, so changing it up can be nerve-wracking or just an adventurous way to explore a new part of yourself. New hair comes with a new vibe, which may be just what we need in the new year.
3. "So far, so good..."
So this is that moment when your sitting in the salon chair and they're making those first few snips. Your hair floats slowly to the ground and you feel content. All those dead ends leaving you and your life forever.
4. "Oh no, oh no, OH NO!"
And this is the moment when it feels like the hair dresses cut too much. Your hair is now falling to the ground in much larger chunks. Why did you sign up for this again?
5. "What have I done?!"
A big chop, a big chop?!?!? Who in their right mind thought this was a good idea? So what if it worked on your friends? You don't have their face shape or hair texture. This is all wrong!
6. "Someone fix this!"
Maybe you just went to the wrong salon. Someone has to be able to fix this fiasco, right?
7. " Ahhhhh, I hate it!"
Worst case scenario, a wig will do? Or you could just flee the country.
8. "What will people think?"
How are you ever going to show your face in public again? People know you for your [insert hair characteristic here] and now it's gone. "No one is going to like me now!"
9. "How does one even style this?"
Well, its done now. It feels so much lighter. Now that it's shorter and your hair isn't being weighed down, it actually looks fuller. But how should you wear it now? It barely stays in your usual ponytail.
10. " Wait...I actually really like this."
Wait, actually, you like the way you look. It's very low-maintenance too. This is going to be fun!
My experience with cutting my hair went down pretty much like this series of thoughts. I cut my hair from butt length to about shoulder length. To make matters worse, I did it myself. It was a very dramatic experience. There were some tears, some frustration, and a dad that had to come to the rescue, but now, about a month later, I have gotten nothing but compliments. I am super confident with short hair, and my shower time has been cut down drastically. What more could I want?
When I was freaking out about what people would think about my hair my best friend reminded me that, just like a piece of clothing or makeup, my hair is something that accentuates who I am.
When I felt dumb for writing a whole article about hair, I sat down and thought for a second about why it is such a big deal. Hair can hold a lot of meaning for people. It can have cultural and religious significance. It can be a way to outwardly describe how you feel on the inside. Hair is a big way to express yourself and your personality. There's a reason why a good hair day can change your mood.
This experience was my attempt at figuring out who I am without this huge part of my appearance. I got a lot of "Your long hair is who you are, Nandini" during my first semester in college. So this change was a drastic one. Personally, I feel like it was a way for me to portray myself in a new way, from an angle that maybe people haven't seen before: a more serious, more professional, no-nonsense kind of way. But the end result of this endeavor is an understanding that that side of me has always existed, no hairstyle is going to make it disappear. The difference exists in my confidence.
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"I thought you knew what you signed up for."
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