First of all, I’d like to say that discovering this site and reading everyone’s stories has been really emotional. It’s heartwarming to see that you’re not the only one who went through the major ordeal high school can be. That being said, here’s my story :) Like many others here, I was a chubby, nerdy, […]
Hi there everyone! I need some help. I wanted to reach out and ask all of you to share your awkward photo and story. I want so badly for this project to continue, but my efforts really depend on all of you. I would love to share as many stories as possible but it’s hard when I […]
What has changed since then: higher self-confidence, improved social skills, lower BMI. What hasn’t changed since then: proud nerd, bad at sports, amateur reader and gamer, popular science fan, childish behavior. I chose that picture because it was then when harassment by boys who were one and two years older began. It was subtle at […]
In high school, I was teased for a number of things. My name, the way I dressed, and for my love of reading and learning. I didn’t have many friends for this reason, but now I’m 21 years old, and living life to the fullest. What changed? I did. I realized after years of always […]
13 is one really tough age. 7th, maybe 8th grade. Afraid of interacting with girls. All different states of puberty. I remember the bullies. Ethan. One year older. Decided my “Mattel VRooom Motor” was a sissy toy. I actually agree with him now, with 45 years hindsight. Chased me with his 10-speed. Broke my sissy […]
This photo was taken in Junior High, at the peak of my childhood awkward years. I was skinny, shy and didn’t know how to talk to anyone who wasn’t interested in comicbooks, video games or Dungeons & Dragons. I was the kid from all the clichés: ate lunch at his locker reading comics, always got […]
I grew up in a suburb of Omaha, Nebraska. My years in elementary school were years filled with neighborhood bike rides and fireflies. But early on, I knew I was different when I was one of only two kids in my school who had red hair. We didn’t call what the 2 of us put […]
When I was 17-year-old, like most teenagers, I was struggling with knowing who I was and who I wanted to be. I was a “straight” girl growing up in a straight world, raised by a catholic family with seasonal catholic values – Christmas, Easter… etc. I didn’t have many boyfriends as I was typically one […]