Scenario: Resign from full time job and leave your friends and family, move hundreds of miles away to one of the biggest cities in the country- NYC.
I remember it just as if it was yesterday, I was sitting in my new place thinking about the fact that if I could move across the country all by myself, I could basically do anything.
I was transitioning to fully natural for about 7 months at that point, but I was really tired of the two textures, and not to mention I never wore my hair out for more than a couple days at a time, so I figured why not just do the big chop already!
So that’s what I did and I haven’t looked back since! Though the process was not easy here are the top 5 things I learned:
Everyone does not have pillow soft curls right after the chop
One thing the YouTube videos didn’t tell me was that everybody’s texture is different and that once all the relaxed hair is gone you’ll have “pillow soft curls” I was frustrated with my new chopped style because it was as if my curls wouldn’t “curl right” and plus I wasn’t really in love with my TWA (teeny weeny afro).
Protective styling is a life saver!
It basically helped me get over the TWA hurdle and kept my hair out of sight so it could grow and I wouldn’t obsess daily with the progress. Of course, you still have to make sure you’re taking care of your natural hair underneath, don’t forget that the key word is “protective” styling.
You want to keep your hair healthy, while protected, or it won’t grow. Also, its okay to switch it up! Have fun with it! I’ve experimented with braids, sew ins, then finally just settled with crochet braids, because it worked for me.
Stalk other naturals
Seriously! You can learn so much from simply observing what others are doing and then using their tips to see what works for you. When I finally perfected the wash and go, it happened after I watched a naturals YouTube video and then tried her technique on my hair.
Don’t become a product junkie!
It’s so easy, but try to have some self restraint and look at product reviews first. I remember going a little crazy at target shortly after my big chop, and I don’t even use half of those products that I purchased.
It was a waste of money. Since then, I’ve found staples that work for me, and I stick to them. Not to say you shouldn’t try new things once in a while, but don’t get crazy!
Lastly, have fun!
I love watching my hair grow, and I love trial and error! I honestly don’t think I will ever go back to relaxed hair, because in my biased opinion, curly girls have way more fun:)
