i usually just read the posts, but this time, i decided to put my two cents in. i noticed that many of the sistas that have responded have worn their hair "natural" for many years, and that is something that i truly praise and respect. i have worn my hair natural for less than a year now, and i did not do it for a fad. truthfully, as a college student, i am very lazy. i have had many different styles (most of them with permed hair), and most recently wore it in a very short permed style. after going away, i realized that the style was very high maintenance and i had no one to do it for me. so, i went home to my stylist and told her to cut it all off. i was terrified, but at the same time, felt liberated. on a college campus where wigs, weaves, and over-priced clothes are a must have for many of the black students, i didn't know how people would react to my hair. to my surprise, everyone loved it(except my parents, because my hair used to be shoulder-length). my hair has grown considerably since then, and i find it to be very versatile. did i do this because of a fad? no. did i expect to become an "enlightened revolutionary?" no, but a very strange thing happened. when my hair underwent such a drastic change, so did my thoughts/beliefs. i became more interested in the "black experience" through our history and present. i am reading more, and more interested in making positive changes in our community. i am grateful for this change, although it is a very slow process, and i am nowhere near where i want to be. i often get the "who are u supposed to be, jill scott?" question, but i pay it no mind. i had no intention to copy her or the other famous "natural sistahs" simply because of a fad. but i realize that people relate everything to what they see in the media. what do i like most about my hair? the fact that it looks good on me.