“The biggest change I’ve made this year is my hair,” Nora Eley, 11, said. “Every picture of mine in the yearbook shows me with hair down to the neck. Because the texture of my hair is prone to shrinkage, you can’t tell that it actually used to stretch down to the middle of my back. In mid February, I chopped most of it off into a pixie. This changed my confidence, self image, and personal identity. For women of color especially, the look of your hair dictates how you are perceived. I wanted short hair, but I also didn’t want to be seen as boyish or unattractive. It was a big identity check for me, but I’m incredibly happy that I went through with it. I love my short hair and I’m thinking about a buzzcut next.”