Natural Hair Journey

Hello Berries!

So I promised you guys that I would post about my hair journey so far. My hair has come so far and still has much more to go. I am currently “transitioning” again. By transitioning, I mean I am growing out my colored hair and may or may big chop. If I can get my colored hair back healthy, I will not big chop and just let the colored hair grow out over time.

**** This is my hair journey and I love my hair through all its up and down. This is going to be long, because this is my hair journey over the past 4 years.

I got my first relaxer when I was 3 years old and kept getting them until I was 19 years old. When I was 19, I was able to make the decision to transition and go natural. I was one of the first people I knew that went natural and did not have too many other naturals to bounce ideas off of about my natural hair. One of my good friends, Celina, was transitioning with me and big chopped her hair two months before me and that inspired me to big chop my hair in May of 2012.

  

In June 2011, I decided to transition and go natural. When I transitioned there was some information about going natural and being natural, but not much, so I transitioned by straightening my hair. Yes, I straightened my hair every week and did not suffer heat damage. I know my hair very well and I know what it can endure. My hair is fine with heat and I like straightening my hair. The only reason I do not straighten my hair now is because of how long it takes and I prefer my curly hair.

  

I big chopped in May of 2012 and I loved it! I was so happy to finally be completely natural. My hair was so thick and I had curls! I did not know exactly what to do with it and I could not braid it. Because of the fact that I transitioned for so long, I was already in that awkward stage with my hair. I kept my hair in wash ‘n gos and puffs. I was eventually able to braid my hair, and started doing twist-outs and braid-outs, even though they were extra frizzy. Also, I had started dying my hair and I got addicted to it.

  

I decided to start protective styling my hair, because my hair was not growing fast enough for me. So around November 2012, I started wearing beanies and kept my hair in twists/braids underneath. This grew my hair like crazy, and I was so happy to start seeing the length. I was seeing the length and I loved the color and my hair seemed to thrive. I was a redhead, blonde, chestnut brown, bronze, dark brown and everything in between. But with the final dye job, my hair ended up unhappy.

  

I dyed my hair for the last time in September of 2014 and I loved the color. My hair was dyed numerous times and even dyed dark brown. Because I dyed it dark brown, the color didn’t process evenly and my roots where bronze and my previously colored hair was an ashy brown. I started seeing my hair damage around my birthday when I did a wash ‘n go and my hair were not the same. After this I decided to not color my hair anymore and only straighten it twice a year to trim my ends.

  

I am currently on my healthy hair journey and deciding to grow out my colored ends. I have learned my hair does not grow very fast, because I can quickly see changes. I have also learned that my hair loves shea butter and a simple regimen. I shampoo, condition, moisturize, seal, and braid it up. My hair has been thriving off of this regimen and I love it!

  

Question: What was your hair journey like so far?

Thanks for staying beautiful

XOXO

School is Starting!

Hello Berries!

Oh-Em-Effing-Gee!!!! School is starting back on Monday and I am beyond excited. I love college, especially now that I am entering my senior year! I am so excited to be able to focus solely on classes that pertain to my major. I love learning about deafness and learning disabilities and I can’t wait to start working with deaf and mute children.

**** I really don’t have anything to talk about this week. I will still post my hair journey blog soon; I just need to find enough pictures.

I am a senior at Georgia State University, studying Human Learning and Development with a Concentration in Deaf Studies and Learning Disabilities. I fell in love with American Sign Language and wanted to make it my second language. After falling in love with the language, I fell in love with the culture. This is how I decided to get into the Deaf Studies concentration. I have always wanted to work with children with learning disabilities, so focusing on this concentration was simple. I cannot wait on to start working with children and eventually open my own center.

I am trying to get at least a 3.5 GPA in my deaf and learning disabilities classes, especially if I want to get into graduate school. I am very excited about my classes this semester and this semester.

Question: Are you in college?

Thanks for staying beautiful

XOXO

7 Things I Love About American Sign Language

7 Things I Love About American Sign Language

1. I love that it is a visual language.
   • You see ASL, not hear it. You can “make-up” and point to things to get your message across.
2. I love that it is simple.
   • Most of the signs make sense. They look like what you vision/see when you think about words.
3. I love that it is quiet.
   • It’s quiet. You can sign to another person without making too much noise or disrupting others around you.
4. I love that you can use your body.
   • You can use your hands, your face, and your body. You move when you are signing. Your body gets involved in the language and gives body language a new meaning.
5. I love the story telling.
   • I love watching people tell stories in ASL. They become actors and keep your attention and even if you do not know all the signs, you can still get some of the meaning of the story, because it’s visual.
6. I love the form of communication.
   • You are able to talk to deaf and mute people in a language that they are able to communicate back to you with. You are even able to communicate with hearing people too.
7. I love the community.
   • I love the closeness of the deaf community. The support and motivate each other and had great improvements for their community, especially with Deaf President Now.