Choeunchan Lee - Week 15: No Hair, Be Happy

 Hair holds memories. 

No, don’t worry, you will not be hearing about Max’s freshmen year hair again in this blog (this is a reference to my week 14 blog, everyone please go take a look at page 87 or smth idk in 2022-2023 yearbook to see Max’s photo if you haven't yet).


Similar to clothing, hair is a fun accessory that can be used to express oneself. With different styles, colors, and lengths, hair can be used to show one’s creativity and individuality. But hair carries something that is much heavier than just fashion; it represents the different stages of growth one undergoes in their lifetime. 


Oftentimes, people get a new haircut when starting a new chapter in their life. Hair holds on to past experiences; therefore, cutting off your hair after a big change—whether that is going through a breakup or starting a new job—can feel freeing.


Getting a major hair change could also mean embracing a new chapter, or a challenge in life. 

Cancer patients shave their head during chemotherapy due to the excessive hair loss. It’s also common to see the patient’s families and friends shave their heads to commemorate and show support for the diagnosis. It takes an immense amount of courage for cancer patients to shave their head; however, their decision to do it anyways represents their commitment to overcoming the challenge, as well as acceptance. 


But the best part about hair is that it always grows back! The hair regrowth after the patient recovers symbolizes a new chapter in life, and that healing is possible. There is no need to be sad about a bad haircut(yay for max) or even having no hair like my bio teacher. It will grow back. It’s crucial to have the trust in yourself that your hair will grow back after a bad haircut. Similarly, life doesn’t end when you make a mistake and feel like a failure. Life continues, and it’s always possible to start a new chapter.


My friend Jessamyn sometimes has no hair and looks like a toe. 




Comments

  1. Colin PhanApril 29, 2025 at 5:55 PM

    Hey Eunchan!
    Your title for this week's blog was pretty captivating. I enjoyed reading your blog this week because it felt like a sequel to your last one about Max’s hair and your style of writing, which blends conversation with actual writing like an essay type of writing. It was interesting that you compared hair to different chapters in people’s life, and I can see it after thinking about it for a bit. Everyone has had different hairstyles, and every change marks a difference in one’s personality or a different step down the road of life. When you mentioned how family and friends shave their heads to commemorate/support cancer patients, it reminded me of my Spring Break trip to the Caribbean. This one kid had cancer, and it was heartwarming to see that his dad also shaved his head so that the kid wouldn’t feel sad. I agree that it takes courage to change a hairstyle to shave your head (except online school) and symbolizes a new chapter in life. Thanks for sharing!
    -Colin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nidhi MukherjeeApril 30, 2025 at 9:27 PM

    Hi Eunchan! I love the topic you chose to talk about in this blog. For me, my hair has kind of just stayed the same my whole life (maybe a few changes in length). Then again, my parents would probably have a heart attack if I asked them about dying my hair, so…that’s something to unpack later. Regardless, I feel like the part about hair holding specific “memories” and expressing “creativity and individuality” is pretty accurate. For example, my hair has always been boring, like me (I hope this is a joke).

    Going back to your blog, I love how you explored all the different things something as simple as hairstyle can mean–resilience, memories, failures, and so much more. Anyway, I’m going to go look at Max’s yearbook picture as you so kindly requested. Great blog!

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