Awkward

I moved back in with my mom for a couple of months leading up to my gap year abroad. One day I decided to look through some old family albums and there they were, my elementary school photos. They all screamed one thing: the awkward stage.

The struggle is real and we’ve all been there. Going from cute kid to fully formed teenager is rough terrain; ears, noses and teeth grow in size before the rest of you can catch up. For some it’s a blissfully short few months – for me it lasted 6 years.

Looking at these photos now, I can see them for what they are – hilarious and adorable. The big buck teeth that earned me the nickname “Sunny the Funny-Looking Bunny” from my brother and cousins. The over-sized glasses that came down to my cheeks because children’s’ sizes weren’t a thing in the 90s. My long braid that ran down my back, or in later years, piled into a bun only an 80-year-old grandma could compete with.

That being said, I can distinctly remember how mortified I was back then. I had completely no confidence and resigned myself to the fact that I would never be one of the pretty girls. I was convinced I needed a nose job, full body electrolysis, and a completely new wardrobe. I would spend hours looking at myself in the mirror, trying to learn how to apply makeup, and end up in tears. Plain and simple, in my mind, I was irreparably ugly.

Of course, time kicks in, as does puberty. Braces go on, contact lenses are bought and slowly I started to feel more normal. Anyone who knows me now can tell you confidence is something I do not lack. But it took time. I had to learn how to love what I looked like, and change the way I saw myself.

So, I’m posting these photos in solidarity for all girls currently smack dab in the middle of their awkward stages. It gets better! As much as it sucked for me, I can only imagine going through it with social media in the mix. Although, being able to watch a Youtube video on how to pluck your eyebrows probably would have saved me a lot of heartache.