Identity

Before...

I've always been the girl with the really long hair.  I chopped my hair in third grade and ever since then vowed to never cut it short again.  It looked awful short, although that could also be due to the fact that in third grade I wore chokers all the time and had bad taste in glasses.  Whenever I would get haircuts, I would be terrified that they would cut it too short or that I would look ridiculous with my slightly shorter hair.  I never liked getting my haircut.

But this last semester my hair got REALLY long.  Normally I would be proud of this, because long hair is my thing, right?  But I found that all I wanted to do was chop it off--it was difficult to not do it myself right then and there!  But I waited, got a haircut and got rid of about eight inches.  I have never been more excited about getting my haircut!  There was never a moment of terror or apprehension, just excitement to be able to have short hair again! 

After!

I think this says a lot about what college has done for me.  I don't rely on my hair to define me, or any other physical feature for that matter.  I don't need to exude a particular style or have a recognizable facet of my look.  I am my own person and am comfortable being myself.  I don't need long hair to hide behind or to define myself.  I learned that my personality is bigger than I've ever given it credit for being and people will know me because of my thoughts and ideas.  It feels good to be free from the box I put myself into after my third grade haircut.  I'm removing some of the rules I've governed myself by and allowing some self-exploration.  It sounds silly, but that haircut, in a way, set me free.