Programs Blog

Ship’s Log

Current Position
18°48.52’ S 174°10 W

Ship’s Heading and Speed
190 at 7 knots

Weather
Windy and overcast

Souls on Board

Snip, snip. A clump of hair comes away in my hand floating through my fingers to the surf below. It is finally time. A year ago when I decided to do SEA semester this moment in time formed. And now, standing at the stern of “Mama Seamans” I am cutting off the blanket, the veil, the struggle, the joy, the growth, the perceptions of others, the HAIR.

Hair. Hair has always held a lot of weight for people. The way you look defines a part of who you are. “Why would you cut your hair it’s so beautiful?” is a statement I usually get when I tell people my plans to shave my head. Why is it so important that I look beautiful? Who defines my beauty and why is that such an important part of me for others? My hair is my hair just like my body is my body and what I do with it is up to me. For so long I wasn’t able to see that. How others perceived me defined who I was and what they thought defined what I should and should not do. I delayed getting a pixie cut for three years because of others desires for me to keep my hair long. This time when I decided to shave my head what others thought was unimportant. I was going to shave my head on SEA semester and that was that.

So finally, the time has come. Today, Renee and I chopped all our hair off and tomorrow (when we have easy access to a plug) the rest will go as well. It is finally time to take back self-control, to make my own decisions. I am shaving my head to feel the freedom, vulnerability, and power of having only myself to call to with no hair or beauty standards to hide behind.

This is me but, only a small fraction of who I actually am.

Jennie Yoors, B Watch, Prescott College