I went to the beach over spring break. The only people who were on the island were two girls, my roommate and I. We camped on the sand for three nights, four days. The first full day at the beach, I was blessed with a horrible sunburn. I told myself that I did not believe in sunscreen. Sometimes I tell people I do not like umbrellas or band-aids. I hate the things that are supposed to protect me from getting hurt.
I said, "f*ck that" when my friend told me to use sunscreen, but when I lay awake that night shivering with sun fever, I regretted that decision. I just wanted to be tan. I just wanted to be that girl who looks like she is glowing. I knew I should have used sunscreen. By the time I was back working after my trip, I was peeling. I went for a jog and I was bubbling. I was a dried up tomato, but not as good as the ones that go on margarita pizza.
Just a few weeks after my sunburning incident, I decided that change was necessary. I wanted to dye my hair. Procrastinating my homework, we dyed my hair out of a box. My hair turned strawberry blonde. I was brassy, like a trumpet. I matched my gold PT Cruiser's paint job. I needed help. Thankfully, my mother was in town so we went to get it touched up. Now, after at least $200, I am letting my hair grow out, wondering why I even thought dying my naturally sun-kissed hair bleach blonde.
We change ourselves to fit the newest trend. We eat kale and avocados with some sprinkled pepper. We say things like "low-key" and "swag." We compare ourselves to everyone else, changing, like a chameleon, to the newest trend. We tell ourselves change is good when we would probably be happiest with a new change to our look, maybe losing 20 pounds, or a new pair of lips, like the Jenners have. We join CrossFit gyms, update our Instagram pictures, download the new Rihanna CD. We're not ANTI pattern. Just like 1,2,3,4, we try to fit ourselves into the next pattern. It is in our blood to fit in, to follow the pattern. Anyone who saw the "Lego Movie" can relate to the feeling of a pattern. We get up, work our day jobs, go home, sleep, repeat.
If you could take anything from this article, I would tell you to wear copious amounts of sunscreen when you are laying on the beach. I would tell you that boxed hair-dye cannot guarantee your hair to look like the model on the cover. I would tell you that change is inevitable, it can be good or bad, but when you find yourself falling into a pattern, be spontaneous. You do not have to stick to a trend or a pattern. Sunburn will fade, but sometimes the scarring is permanent.
