HEALTH

No one could have predicted that I would be one of the first girls in my grade to go through puberty. I had always been on the small-average side when it came to height, I wasn't particularly old (or young) for my year in school, and my chest was virtually non-existent. TBH, I thought I had a few more years ahead of me before *anything* happened. 

That all changed when I suddenly got my period at the beginning of middle school. I was growing rapidly and my body began to change overnight. By the age of 13, I had reached my adult height and was a seasoned period pro. 

At first, I was excited about growing early. However, this excitement died down as I began to realize my friends weren't there yet. While they eventually caught up, I definitely felt insecure and embarrassed that I was the only one going through this. 

Spoiler alert: I wasn't. Puberty is a completely normal—and temporary!—thing, and it's OK to feel out of place if you look (and feel) different than everyone else (that goes for any other season of your life as well).

Here are 6 GIFs you'll relate to if, like me, you grew before everyone else. 

1. Standing next to your friends feels like this. 

Hey, at least you can reach the top shelf...

2. When your friends start talking about *how* much they want their periods and you just sit there like...

They 👏 don't 👏 know 👏 the 👏 struggle. 

3. When your relative makes an off-hand comment about how you've, er, matured.

Thanks for the reminder, Aunt Maggie. 

4. When your friend asks what it's like to have a period.

It does get a little lonely if you're not in good company yet...

5. When you're taller (and look about 10 years older) than the guy you like

#Jelena for life tho, right?

6. In the end, you learn to embrace your changing bod and *own* it because you're beautiful

Yas, girl!

Have you ever felt insecure about your bod? Sound off in the comments below!

Photo credit: Tumblr, Giphy, The Odyssey, Freaks and Geeks

We want to hear from you! Send us your weirdest body questions here (seriously, we'll answer anything!) and it just might get featured.

by Emily Fishel | 2/8/2019