“Hey, Dora the Explorer?” Those were the words you could to hear in the halls of my Elementary and Middle School. Who were those kids talking too anyway? Me… Why? It was because I was short. It was also no help that my mom had my haircut the same as Dora’s. But I was cute. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been the shortest kid in my class. Elementary school was a hard time accepting that I was different and trying to learn how to deflect people’s comments about my short stature. The doctor told me that I was on the growing curve to be 5’-2” tall. My mom was happy because I would be taller than her, but as the years went on thoughts of being as tall as my mom flew out the door. My size made me uncomfortable and I had little confidence in myself because, at an age when you want …show more content…
I was self-conscious and kept to myself, feeling like I was an out cast.
In middle school, like a hermit crab, I cowered into my safe comfortable shell too afraid to break out and hear students talk about my short stature. It’s hard to walk into an eighth grade classroom and people tell you that the 6th graders are down the hall. Eighth grade was my turning point. It was when I started to feel comfortable with myself and started to break out of my shell, I began to ignore the remarks and laugh along with the jokes. I took my height in stride and made the best of my situation. I made the Varsity volleyball team and became a strong player in the back row. I also played volleyball in high school and joined the varsity team as well. I loved going to away games. When I would walk onto the floor I would hear “look how small that girl is” as if I shouldn’t be there. Maybe I was in the wrong place. But once I started to play, their attitudes changed. My height actually helped me to stand out. I stood out because I was the smallest player, of all the players on the court. It’s funny how the shortest