The world is made up of all different types of people but for something like height, there is an average depending on where you live. People who are shorter than average often get additional attention simply because of their height. Here are some daily occurrences that short people face:
1. People ask you how tall you are. If you say 5’1-and-a-half inches, they’ll say that the half of an inch must make a big difference to you.
2. People rest their arm on your head and tell you that you are the perfect height for that. You know what’s the perfect height for an armrest? One that’s built onto a chair and doesn’t move or have feelings like humans do.
3. People constantly think that you’re 16-years old. You blend in with high school and middle school students as if you never left. The teacher that yells at you to get to class when you’re visiting assumes you never left.
4. People tell you that you’re cute because you’re so little. Even when you’re angry, it’s cute. Shorter people don’t think our anger is cute--we think our anger is serious.
5. Because you’re smaller than many of your friends, you are always in the front row of pictures. People can stand behind you and not worry about being blocked by the person in front of them. You also get lifted in a great deal of pictures just because you are smaller than average.
6. You have to ask your taller friends to get things off of the top shelf for you. The top shelf is not your friend unless you have a step stool or chair handy. There are things you won’t find for ages because you don’t know that they’re up there.
7. Your neck often gets sore because you’re constantly looking up at people and at things. When you hug people you often get smothered in the process.
8. People make jokes about your short stature--like you’ve never heard them before. Sometimes people even say, “Wow! You’re really short!” Wait--I’m short?! I never knew! This changes everything! What am I going to do now?! My whole life is a lie!
9. People give you nicknames related to your height/size. These nicknames are not accepted like the ones you give yourself. Only you are allowed to decide your nicknames.
10. Good luck buying pants--or any clothes for that matter. The school sweatpants are not one length fits all. Floor length dresses or skirts swallow your feet. Find stores that carry the short version of pants and never let those stores be forgotten.
11. When something has to be done in a small space, you’re the go-to person for the job. You can shimmy into small spaces and do intricate things with your hands. Your friends likely try to fit you in spaces that are way too small just because they’re curious if you can fit.
12. Your relatives always point out how it won’t be difficult to find a romantic partner that is taller than you. You know this because even when you wear heels, you’re normally still shorter than the majority of people you see.
13. You have a whole community of people that are shorter than average with you. You often bond over things on this list because taller people don’t always understand your situation.
