I decided to cut my hair when I was in my sophomore year of high school. Up until that point I had always had long hair, the shortest cut only being slightly past my shoulders. When it was long, styling my hair was always a hassle because no matter what I would do, there was always a portion of my curls that were too frizzy or tangled. As a result my hair spent my entire elementary and middle school years tied up in a messy ponytail or bun. But then finally, that November, I shaved the sides and back of my head, leaving only a few inches of curls on the top. I would soon discover that this would be the best hair decision I would ever make. Here’s why:
1. It takes so much less time to style
When I had long hair I would never wear it down. I would slick it back into a bun and absolutely drench it with hairspray. I would only ever wear it down when it was a holiday or I had a special event. If I ever wanted to wear my hair down, I would need to shower that morning and wait 30 or so minutes for it to dry before trying to style it. I’ve never had to regularly straighten my hair, but for everyone out there who does, I know it can take a long time. With my short hair, it takes less than five minutes to style my hair in the morning, and I am able to show off my curls– something I almost never did with my long hair.
2. You save so much money on hair products
Simple–the less hair you have, the less product you have to put in it. I used to use handfuls of conditioner to get through all my hair. Now I can use one pump of conditioner to get the job done. I know what it’s like to live on a college budget, and cutting your hair can be really cost effective in the long run.
3. No need to worry about heavy hair in the summer
Cutting your hair takes such a weight off your shoulders…literally. The first summer after I cut my hair was so nice. I remember having my hair constantly sticking to my neck in the sticky hot New Jersey summers. My heart goes out to everyone with long hair who lives in the South…I honestly don’t know how you all do it. Not having to worry about tying up my heavy hair was such a relief. Of course the obvious downside is that you don’t have any hair to warm you in the winter. A tip to all my friends out there who plan on cutting their hair: invest in hats. They are your new winter best friend. Bonus: It also becomes so much easier to wear and show off your favorite pair of earrings
4. Yes, you do have the face shape for it
The most common misgivings I hear when people are thinking about cutting their hair is that “they don’t have the face shape for it.” People say that their face is too round, or too thin, or that they don’t have the bone structure. Well if you are someone who thinks that just remember this: Nobody tells a guy that they don’t have the face shape for short hair. There are guys with all different face shapes and they never worry that short hair won’t work on them.
5. It’s a wonderful change of pace
Sometimes you just need to make a change. That’s exactly what I needed. When you have the same hairstyle for a long time, sometimes you just want to change. And in my personal opinion, having short hair is just fun, freeing, and a good time. That’s all I can really say.
Everyone has their own ways of expressing themselves. If you love your long hair than hell yeah rock that style! But if you’ve been looking for a new change, I suggest cutting your hair. And if you want to cut your hair, but you’ve been afraid to take the plunge, let me remind you that it will grow back. Yes it may take a while, but you can always get back to your original length. Life is short, so have fun, take risks, and cut all your hair off.
Pictured Below: My long hair during my freshman year (I’m actually wearing it down), and my short hair during my senior year