The Big Chop

To the surprise of many who know me, I buzzed my hair.

Introduction

Now, my hair has gone through several stages: from the terrible bangs to the even worse dye jobs. I had kept my hair longish for years, though, until about 8th grade when I got a bob. And since then, I’ve never grown it out longer than slightly below my shoulders.

Boredom strikes

But that was five years ago, and I had grown very bored and frustrated with my hair in recent months. My short hair required so much maintenance, and as a lazy college student, I was unwilling to keep up with that maintenance. As a member of the Fine Hair Club, this meant that it laid quite flat most days, just kind of sitting there.

I needed a change. My two options were:

1. Grow it out. This wasn’t going to happen because every time it reached my shoulders I couldn’t take it and I immediately booked an appointment with my hair stylist.
2. Cut it even shorter.

But could I really buzz it…? No, surely not. I’ve always been attached to my hair. The idea alone is ridiculous. Unless…

After the shave

My first reaction was pure shock. I didn’t know what exactly to expect, but it was definitely strange to see my head like that. My second reaction was of awe. It felt very liberating. And also very soft.

A couple weeks out now and I’m so happy that I decided to go with the buzz. The lack of maintenance alone is worth it, but I also love not having to worry about bad hair days. I was self conscious in the beginning about what my friends would say or how strangers would react, but I haven’t encountered any negativity yet that I haven’t been able to shake off.

Additionally, I think the buzz has given me an appreciation for my natural features. Before, my confidence depended heavily on my hair. If my hair didn’t look nice, I thought I looked horrible. Now though, my hair is the same every day and I get to showcase my personality with my clothing and jewelry.

The buzz definitely isn’t for everyone, but I think I’ll stick with it for a bit!