I was out on a coffee date yesterday, and happened to see a guy I went to High School with. And when I say “see” I really mean just “see.” I didn’t want to be rude and interrupt my date, and high school guy also seemed to be accompanied by a lovely lady that may or may not be receptive to some strange woman walking up to say “hi.”
I’m also not positive – but I have a feeling that our last interaction was less than cordial. Not that there was some sort of fight or anything – just a feeling that the friendship had fizzled for some totally anti-clamactic reason.
In any case, this guy looks exactly the same as he did in High School (which was 7 years ago) – wearing the same wardrobe (jeans, sneakers, hockey jersey), the same greasy hair in pseudo mullet ‘do, the same extra 15 lbs, and the same acne.
Contrasting this, most people I went to high school with no longer recognize me at first glance. I think I was about 22 (definitely a late bloomer) when the T&A finally appeared, the braces and acne are gone, the glasses are smaller (or not present when I’ve got contacts in), and my hair that was so long I could sit on it has gone to a funky pixie cut.
Sometimes I think it’s better that way. I’d rather people from High School don’t really recognize me – it wasn’t the most pleasant 5 years I’ve ever had. Also, I was a big dork (I still am on the inside, but I can hide it pretty well on the outside), and as long as that’s no longer my most distinguishing feature, I’m a happy camper.
Still curious about your hair transformations?
I was a *huge* dork — huger than now — in high school. Awful hair, huge glasses (would have been very stylish in the ’80s. It was the mid ’90s.), braces that gave me extremely gummy smiles (I still have very gummy smiles… damn braces)… yeah. Sexy.
Strangely, I actually have some pictures from those years in which I look pretty good. Those ones are posed and don’t reflect how I looked day to day. Sigh.
It doesn’t help that I’ve always been an obnoxious ass, too. 🙂
Yeah, I’m with you on this one. Most people just look at me in disbelief- “Is that really you?!”
I didn’t “come into my own” until about 21 or 22, and it still shocks people from high school when I run into them.
Especially the guys who thought they were too cool for a smart-chick like me — they wanted the hottie cheerleaders. Well, the hottie cheerleaders are now all working as receptionists for car dealerships… still no brains, and their looks have gone south.
I’m pretty happy to have gotten a late start! 🙂
picture!
We’re all big dorks on the inside! 😉
When did you cut your hair? Did you go from long to short all at once or was it a gradual progression?