When I was in elementary school, I refused to go anywhere without my signature ponytail. My mom probably hated me a little since tiny me just had to have a perfect hair-do. Now that I think about it, I was definitely a brat about my hair. But it makes me think—hair really does matter.
Like when I was twelve and I stupidly allowed my sister to cut my hair. She was in high school and high schoolers knew everything so nothing bad was going to happen, right? WRONG. Let’s just say I ended up crying and hating my sister for a bit like the angsty tween I was.
But as I was saying, hair does seem to play a bit of a role in our lives. Some of us like our hair short (which I thankfully chose in high school) or so long that it reaches the end of our back. Either way, it tends to mean something.
Sounds corny but think about it this way. I used to be so attached to my long hair because I thought I would look like crap if it was only shoulder-length. The photo of five-year-old me that looked way too much like Dora haunted me for much too long. Also, I thought everyone preferred it long and luscious. My cousin constantly told me cutting it would be a terrible idea, but then one day, miraculously, I thought…screw it.
I had these annoying bangs that would fall on my eyes every five seconds so I decided impulsively—let’s get rid of them. And guess what? Best day of my life because since then, I don’t hesitate to cut my hair whenever it gets too long.
But like a lot of special things in our lives, society loves to apply these unwanted or unrealistic expectations on our hair. How commercials tell you in their own secret way that you have to look a certain way which honestly sucks. So the best way to show them they’re wrong? Doing what you want.
That’s exactly what I did the moment I cut my hair. If that means keeping it long, braiding it, slapping some bangs on, using layers—anything really, go for it! We already have enough people screaming at us to be; this and that, so why give them power over this?
Just like how you decide to wear your outfit and put on makeup or not, you’re in charge of your hair.
In a world where they tell us what to be, deciding for ourselves means a lot more than we think.