Why I Will Never, Ever Grow My Hair Long Again

We've all met at least one woman with enviable waist-length locks who won't stop complaining about how terrible having long hair is. You might be wondering what could be so bad about it, especially if you've struggled to grow out your strands. As a woman who cut it all off, the answer is simple: long hair is boring and it gets in the way of everything — including your confidence.

All the women in my family have long hair and treat it as a trophy. For my entire childhood, I wore superlong braids and ponytails because styling my mane in any other way was just "too much" for my mom. It would constantly get caught in my backpack zipper and my classmates even swirled my braids around like jump ropes. I felt like a human playground. Because my parents believe lengthy strands are a symbol of beauty, they made me swear that I would never cut my hair.

My feelings toward my mane changed during my senior year of college. I finally felt like I was coming into my own and was in pursuit of a career. The kid with the long locks I saw in my reflection didn't match up with the poised woman I was becoming. It was time to cut my hair and embrace a more sophisticated style.

After seeing Instagram photos of Tia Mowry and Jessica Alba wearing blunt bobs, I knew it was my destined chop. It exuded effortless sex appeal, proving that you don't need long locks to feel feminine. Armed with an album full of style inspiration, I headed to see my stylist, Koni Bennett; and for about two hours, I sat back in her chair and watched as thick wads of hair collapsed to the ground.

What I anticipated to be a time of mourning turned out to be one of the most liberating days of my life. As I looked in the mirror, I saw me! Not a weighed-down, boring person, but the fierce young thang I know I am inside. I walked around feeling grown, in charge [cue Beyoncé's "Grown Woman"], and just downright hot. I quickly forgot I ever had long hair.

Multiple times, I'd been told that I would be filled with regret after my cut and that I would do anything to get my strands back. They said my hair would never grow again and that I would spend a fortune on extensions to replace my mane. These statements are all absolutely false.

Sometimes I wonder what my life would currently be like if I hadn't chopped it all off. All I can imagine is still feeling drowned and trapped by a head full of hair hiding my face and stifling my confidence. Have you been considering cutting yours? Don't be afraid of what your friends and family may think or worry about not being girlie enough. The idea that you have to have long hair to be beautiful is complete BS. Yes, it will take some time to get used to feeling the breeze tickling your neck. But I can assure you: once you crop your coif, long hair will be a permanent part of your past.

Here are 12 reasons you'll never look back.