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The Struggle to Look My Age

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Georgia Southern chapter.

Those of us with “baby face syndrome” and “baby body syndrome” are constantly frustrated because all we wanted out of puberty was to finally look our age and all puberty did for us was give us pimples and PMS. Puberty conveniently left out boobs, hips and everything else that screams “I AM A WOMAN”.

Even worse, we’re 20/21 still getting hit on my 15/16 year olds (btw, don’t give in, that’s illegal lol).

So how do we successfully look our age? To be completely honest, I have absolutely no idea. I’ve tried makeup, clothes, I even tried different things to make my boobs grow and I still look like I’m 17. One thing that I will say has helped is shorter hair. It sucks because shorter hair doesn’t work well with every head shape and not everyone even wants short hair. BUT shorter hair is proven to make you look older. 

When trying to change up your style to look older, it can be a hit or miss because sometimes instead of looking “older”, you end up looking like someone’s mother, which isn’t what you’re going for at our age either. Sophistication is never a bad thing but when you’re actually 20 and you look 16, but you dress like you’re 45, the message can get pretty confusing.

Makeup can be a hit or miss as well because doing makeup WELL is a skill that takes time to develop. Unfortunately, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick alone don’t make you look older, ESPECIALLY when you have “adorable” chipmunk cheeks like I do. I personally look more like a doll instead of an adult when I put makeup on. 

Now ladies, this isn’t to discourage you and to make you think that you’ll never look your age, because that’s not what I’m saying at all. It just requires skill. It requires strategy. It requires patience. If looking older right now really means that much to you, it’s not impossible to make happen.

OR you can embrace your “baby face” and “baby body”. I know we all get tired of hearing this, but because we look young now, we’re going to look AMAZING when we get older. We won’t need the work done that people get to look younger. The time will come when we’ll be amazed that we actually believed that looking younger was a bad thing. The same goes your “baby body”. There was a point (maybe 2-3 years ago) that I was convinced that I was shaped like a little boy. Of course I believed that because that’s what society and the people around me were telling me so it had to be true, right? Now? Not much about my body has changed, I eat better and work out more but my measurements are pretty much the same. But now people are ALWAYS telling me how pretty my body is and how they wish they were shaped like me.

Not looking your age doesn’t HAVE to be a struggle. 20 years down the road, it will be a blessing. 

Stay beautiful. Be educated. Dress Well. Get Money. Haute Sauce© Georgia Southern. Style & Lifestyle Blog: MyHauteSauce.com
Jordan Wheeler

Georgia Southern '22

Jordan Wheeler is a Junior Pre-Law Philosophy major who attends Georgia Southern. Jordan loves writing, singing, and hanging out with friends.