THV 11 Newsroom Shares Their Awkward Years

You know what I love? That so many of you are willing to share your pictures and stories with me and to the rest of the world. The THV 11 Newsroom staff members from Little Rock, Arkansas wanted to create their very own “Awkward Years Project”. Each of them have stories from when they felt awkward and have advice for kids today. They have graciously allowed me to feature them here and they are all excellent! There are 20 of them altogether (yay!), so be sure to read them all!

Here is their Facebook album:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151864534618554.1073741833.68455493553&type=1

And here is their main article:

http://www.thv11.com/news/watercooler/277855/70/THV-11-shares-awkward-childhood-photos

THANK YOU THV 11!

Breauna

Guest Submission: Breauna Hughes

Then: 12 years old Minerva, Ohio 1999

Now: 26 years old Louisville, Ohio, professional photographer owner of Breauna Hughes Photography

“I grew up in a family of six children, five of which were girls. Being the third born, I of course got all the hand-me-downs. Hence, this awful dress. But I didn’t mind it at the time because I was a big fan of Anne of Green Gables and her love affair with “Puffed Sleeves”. Also, my mother was a beautician in the 1980’s and 1990’s so of course my hair always had to be perfectly teased. I will never forget how painful this hairstyle was! 

“I was a very energetic child and a true tomboy. When I wasn’t in school, I lived outside. Growing up with a lot of sisters was fun. It was like always have your best friends around all the time. 

“This picture is amusing to me for another reason as well. It was taken in 1999, the same year that my husband who lived two states away had just graduated high school. He is 5 1/2 years older than me. I was quite a catch back then. 

“We have been happily married over five years and we have a beautiful little boy. I am a stay at home mom and the owner of Breauna Hughes Photography in Northeast Ohio.”

Christi

Guest Submission: Christi

Then: 13 years old, 7th grade, South Boardman, Michigan

Now: 28 years old, Writer and Online Blogger, residing in Sarasota, Florida

“This photo represents the first time I ever remember feeling uncomfortable in my skin. Just a few weeks before this 7th grade school picture, I felt that godforsaken urge to cut my hair. It was long, and it was beautiful, but my mom finally relented. My mom’s regular stylist was on vacation and I was impatient so I went to the first salon that could get me in. The stylist couldn’t get my cut even and it kept getting shorter and shorter. Finally, she told me there was a cut that she thought would be darling on me, but it was short. Was I brave enough to let her try it? Well when you put that way, of course. In the end, I ran out of the salon in tears while my mom tried to patch things up with the stylist. I immediately felt awkward and exposed in my super short hair, but I also felt railroaded by the stylist. It was the first time I can remember losing confidence in myself.”

Marisa

Guest Submission: Marisa

Then: 8-9 years old, East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Now: 50 years old, residing in East Greenwich , Rhode Island

“I feel very lucky that I never had anyone in school ever cruelly tease or bully me – I do think back then (must’ve been around 1971-1972) that really wasn’t a problem where I grew up…. So I started 3rd grade in RI…. I honestly always enjoyed school and was really happy to simply hang out with my friends, there were ALWAYS kids at our house!! Apparently even at this young age I had a serious purse fixation,when my Mom tried to get rid of bags she no longer used I would stash them in the closet in my room. In fact, I was the kid that would always stick up for other kids who were being teased because we were always taught to be nice to everyone, I’m sure I wasn’t perfect of course – but I also was NOT afraid to stand up to mean kids either! My Mom was then – and STILL is now – the Mom who all our friends wanted to be around!!!! She is a true blessing. My family is still very close,in fact we all live in RI still…. PS: Haha hope no one is “envious”of that scary haircut I had!”

Angela

Guest Submission: Angela

Then: 12 years old, 7^th Grade Year Book Picture, Spokane, WA

Now: 42 years old, Receptionist/Administrative/Published Author, Phoenix, AZ

“My mother decided I needed to cut my hair and get a perm when I entered seventh grade. Although her intentions were for me to look like the other girls, I did not. I had absolutely no clue what to do with the curly do.

“Unlovable . . . Ugly . . .  Defective. That’s how I felt in Jr. High – the three most dreadful years of my life. I felt as though I had no control over my life and my school was a prison where I had to do my mandatory sentence.

“My hair, glasses, modest clothes, and the fact that I cried a lot made me a target. Everyone was cruel toward me. I was bullied by my peers and by a neighbor – taunted, pushed, hit.  I even had Cheetos crushed in my hair on the bus. I didn’t find refuge among the teachers; some of them were even mean toward me. And of course I said things back, which only made me sound like a raving lunatic.

“Due to my lack of confidence, not wanting to be in school, and writing my stories during class to escape, I didn’t get good grades until I was in the ninth grade. I used to tell everyone that I was going to become a published author. All but two teachers laughed at my dream. However, I found the courage within myself to believe for my future and, thankfully, not listen to them.  I wanted desperately to prove them wrong one day.

“The class I hated the most was Gym. In my other classes, I could hide and escape ridicule, but in Gym I had to participate – more like stand there or dive out of the way as a ball came near me. I had no coordination and couldn’t hit, kick or catch a ball to save my life. I was always picked last for teams.

“Those three years were really a dark time in my life. I didn’t fit in anywhere. I had two friends, one was an on and off friendship due to her other friend who didn’t like me. The other was abusive, which I didn’t realize at the time.

“In the eighth grade I made a promise to myself: When I became strong, and when I found my voice, I would come back and help those who didn’t have a voice find theirs. I was 14 when I made this promise. It took me 25 years to discover who I was and to find a way to fulfill my promise.

“I eventually replaced the glasses with contacts during my Junior year but remained awkward until I was around age 21. High School was better. I’d learned how to stand up for myself and was left alone. The day I graduated High School, I walked out the door and left all the hurt behind.

“I attended my ten-year reunion not sure how I’d be received. It turned out to be very therapeutic and helped me move past issues I thought I’d resolved. I was pretty and surprised a lot of the girls. Surprisingly, the guys who never gave me the time of day in school, were sitting with me and talking to me. I ran into one of my classmates. We began talking about how we both didn’t feel like we fit in. She made fun of me in Jr. High, but now we are friends. I was there for her during a dark time in her life when no one else was interested in helping her. Isn’t it ironic how things work out?

“I am now a published author and spend my time inspiring young girls to become confident, love themselves, and see the beauty within themselves because no one is unlovable, ugly or defective. I donate my book, The Confident Butterfly, to organizations for young girls and hand out books to girls I see while I’m out running errands. I want girls to know that they are not alone in their journey, to believe in their future, and realize that today is just a small part in the tapestry that will be woven by their lives.”

Claire

Guest Submission: Claire

Then: 13 and 14 years old, Northbrook, Illinois

Now: 25 years old,  Finance professional,  Starkville, Missouri

“I never seemed to know when it was school picture day. My hair was never done and I had to borrow a friend’s jacket to cover up the scrubs I was wearing (scrubs? to school? don’t ask). I was a disheveled, awkward, disorganized, weird, clumsy, misfit kid and I hated myself for it. The thing is, things haven’t changed much. I lose my keys almost every day, I bump into walls and furniture and break almost everything. Truly, I am the same girl, albeit a grown up version of the one I was back then. So why do the pictures look so different? Why is my smile so big and constant now? Because my process of aging didn’t include growing out of my awkward phase but growing to be in love with my awkward self! I am proud of who I am. I love my body and my mind and my sense of humor simply because they belong to me! The great news is, you don’t have to wait to grow out of it! You can embrace and rock and love and live your so called awkward years to the fullest! I wish someone had told me that when I was 14 and embarrassed and ashamed and carrying a teapot as a purse.”

Nikki

Guest Submission: Nikki

Then: 4th or 5th grade. 9 or 10 years old, Seattle, Washington

Now: 30 years old, Jewelry designer at Jane Diaz, residing in New York City, NY

“I was SO proud of my purple Saturn planet shirt! (you can’t really tell they are Saturns in this photo here.) I was a socially awkward, weird, nerd girl who was poor and from a recently divorced home. I felt bad and shy for a while- but ultimately decided to retreat into my art and embrace my weirdness and continue to love science and learning. Slowly, I found friends who shared my love for science, history, animals, reading and art… and all that made us “weird” or “nerds” …(mind you, I say that proudly now.) It was hard, at times, to be the poor weird girl, but now I wouldn’t change that for anything. Sticking to my nerd “guns” brought wonderful people into my life and lead me to where I am today. “

Matthew

Guest Submission: Matthew

Then: 12 years old, 7th grade, Carlsbad, New Mexico

Now: 20 years old, Photography Major, Las Cruces, New Mexico

“My awkward years were from fourth grade until my sophomore year in highschool. I never actually felt awkward/weird at the time, despite not being very popular. I was the typical band geek, anime enthusiast, who still collected action figures. I actually remember being mistaken for a girl, during school pictures. Despite the way my face looked, my clothes weren’t anything special. Usually just a over sized shirt and some jeans. I didn’t care about style back then, i wore whatever was most comfortable to me. It wasn’t until my Junior year in highschool that i changed my style. Started wearing skinny jeans, band shirts and straightening my hair and began my whole “emo” phase. This was when i got my lip pierced and for the first time I actually felt comfortable in my body, as weird as that sounds. I feel that i am still in my awkward stage. Elementary through High school I was not deemed as one of the “popular kids”, so i never felt that i had to fit a particular mold. I am completely comfortable with the way i look, and where my life is going. I’m going to college to major in photography, and continuing to get more tattoos.”

Jessica

Guest Submission: Jessica

Then: 13 years old, 8th grade, Carlsbad, New Mexico

Now: 23 years old, Graduate Teaching Assistant at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Carlsbad, New Mexico

“8th grade was probably my worst year growing up. On top of not knowing how to tame my curly/frizzy hair and wearing braces, I also had to put up with a friend bullying me and pushing me out of our circle of friends (it had to do with jealousy, I was later told). Everyone around me seemed to have a boyfriend, and I was worried that, because I didn’t, something must be wrong with me. That was also the year my family’s house got flooded (yes, even in the New Mexican desert), and life at home was just generally a struggle at that time. If it weren’t for me diving into my creative writing, I don’t know what I would’ve done.

“The beginning of high school didn’t start out well either, but gradually I gained better friends and joined theater, which helped me break out of my shell. I graduated 6th in my class and went on to the University of Montana in Missoula and received my BA in English, emphasis in film studies and creative writing. I made my 13-year old’s dream of going to the UK a reality when I studied abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland for a semester. After a year of teaching and doing videography work in New Mexico, I’m moving on to teach freshman composition and get my master’s (and possibly Ph.D.!) in English: Media, Cinema, and Digital Studies at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

“I’m very happy with where I am now. I think I almost needed those awkward teen years to motivate me to build myself up, find the clothes and makeup that I like, and be the kind of person I’d want to be around. While I love caring for and helping people, I’ve also learned that self-care is just as important and that sometimes I need to do things for me and not worry what other people will think.”

Tristin & Cory

Tristin:

Then: 12 years old, Salt Lake City, UT

Now: 29 years old, Event Planner residing in Salt Lake City, UT

Cory:

Then: 9 years old, Sandy UT

Now: 33 years old, Design Manager residing in Salt Lake City, UT

I know Tristin and her husband through roller derby. Tristin’s roller derby name is Kid Vicious. I absolutely adore this couple. They’re so great together and are so much alike. Cory and Tristin have lived about 5 miles from each other for most of their lives; never running into each other or realizing they would one day be married and live a happy, awkward life together.

As an only child, Tristin has felt awkward for most of her life. Usually spending her free time with her imagination and playing in her grandmother’s garden. She never had any friends growing up. The one friend she did have in 6th grade told her that once they get to Junior High they were no longer going to be friends because she didn’t want to be seen with her. Junior High was miserable until her first best friend Leah came into her life. But after a short year together, Leah moved away. High school wasn’t any better. Tristin had one close friend she hung out with on a regular basis but she was still unable to fit in anywhere. Finally when she accepted her first job, she met her life-long friends Cassidy and Nichole,  who helped her grow into herself and taught her that not only is it okay to be awkward and different, it’s actually preferred. Uniqueness was in. Despite their friendship, Tristin thought she was still too awkward and would never get married or find someone who wanted to be with her romantically. But several years later she met Cory, who was just as awkward and quirky as she was.

Growing up, Cory was always a creative child and wanted to make friends. Which he did but when he got to middle school they mostly all disappeared. He tried to find his way in different groups but never quite fit in and was always on the outside looking in. Desperately wanting to be included, he even tried to join a gang but was bullied out of it after a failed tattoo attempt in a typing class, then wanted to be straight-edge skater, then a hippie and finally a pretty boy jock. It wasn’t until a couple years after high school and some major problems that he found out who he was. Which was a mix of all those things he tried in his teen years. He finally made some friends who he is still close to today just by being his creative, weird and awkward self. Despite discovering who he was, he was told by many girls that he wasn’t “boyfriend” material. He accepted this and when he finally got married for the first time he was told he wasn’t “husband” material. After that crushing blow, he soon met his wife Tristin who was just as awkward and unsure as he was. They found more than a spouse in one another, they finally found their best friend.”