The first time I dyed my hair, it was my birthday. I was bored, curious, and convinced that a new blonder shade would make me look better — maybe even feel better.
The second time, it was my birthday again (clearly, I have a theme). I decided to go even lighter, because, after a year, I’d gotten so used to it that I was convinced you couldn’t see it anymore. At first, I loved it. But as the months passed, I noticed the split ends, the dryness, and the way my curls lost their bounce. Eventually, I let it all grow out, watching my natural color return like an old friend I hadn’t realized I’d missed.
Now my hair is healthy again — and yet, here I am, itching to dye it once more. I crave that transformation, the thrill of a new version of myself. I don’t miss the damage that comes with it.
Why We Crave Change (and why it’s usually hair first)
For many of us, the impulse to reinvent ourselves starts with our hair. I like to call this ‘The Makeover Effect’. When we feel stuck or restless, changing our appearance can make us feel like we’re in control again.
Hair sits at the intersection of the personal and the performative. It’s one of the first things people notice, and because it’s so visual, editing it can feel like editing a social script. On campus, where impressions matter (club interviews, presentations, late-night meetups), that shift can feel immediate.
For many students, changing hair becomes shorthand for bigger changes: a breakup, a new major, a move across town, or simply surviving midsemesters. A bold cut can be armor; a sleek straightening session can be a pep talk you can wear. Even embracing your natural curl after years of straightening can feel like reclaiming something you’d hidden.
It’s a universal truth: we crave novelty, and our hair is the easiest, most visible way to get it.
Everyone Wants What They Don’t Have
Here’s the funny thing: I have curly hair, but I straighten it almost every day. When it’s straight, I feel confident — like I’ve got my life together. When it’s curly, I feel exposed, uncertain, and somehow less me. And yet, people constantly compliment my curls. “You’re so lucky!” they say. “I wish my hair did that naturally.” Meanwhile, I’m wishing mine didn’t.
It’s ironic. So many people with straight hair long for waves, while those with curls dream of sleek, smooth strands. It’s part psychology, part culture, and part trend. Hair has seasons — literally. In autumn, warm copper tones dominate our feeds; in summer, it’s golden highlights and “sun-kissed” blondes. And that phrase “blondes have more fun”? It’s been around since the 1950s and still shapes how many of us view color and confidence.
Our hair choices are rarely just about aesthetics — they’re about identity, belonging, and sometimes even rebellion.
Is It Really About Change, or Just Curiosity?
Wanting to change our hair doesn’t necessarily mean dissatisfaction — maybe it’s more about curiosity. A different hairstyle lets us experiment with sides of ourselves we might not usually show.
What would I look like with blunt bangs? Would I be more outgoing with shoulder-length hair? These questions are less about denial and more about exploration.
Social media intensifies the impulse: endless before-and-afters promise instant transformation. These can be inspiring — showing possibilities — but it can also pressure us into chasing someone else’s standard. The healthiest reframing? Treat those looks as ideas, not imperatives. Try the style that excites you, not the one that tells you you’re not enough.
Straight, Curly, Blonde, Brunette — What Really Matters
Changing your hair might not change your life, but it can change how you move through it. That little confidence boost can ripple through everything — how you show up for lectures, how you speak in seminars, how you feel walking across campus.
And honestly? I wouldn’t stop straightening my hair unless I wanted to. It makes me feel confident, and that’s reason enough. So if dyeing your hair, chopping your fringe, or letting your curls breathe makes you feel like your best self — go for it.