I was 12 years old when my family and I moved to a new neighborhood. I was
starting my 6th grade in a new school, with new people and no friends. I was a quiet
and shy person, so I never hung out with the other neighborhood kids. Before school
had started, I had met a few people who were in the same grade as me. After that
initial meeting, I never saw them again until the first day of school.

For the first day of school, I asked my mom to do my hair that morning so it
would look nice. She did my hair in my regular hairstyle, 5 ponytails with the
barrettes on the end. I arrived to school and went into my new classroom. Everyone
stopped their conversation to turn and look at me. I looked around the classroom and
noticed that all the females either had their hair in one ponytail or had it pressed and
curled into a style. My hair was styled like the 3rd or 4th graders at that school. I was
so embarrassed that I wanted to cry!

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