"The Mohawk" is written by Samantha and she focuses on the topic of her hairstyle. She cut her normal, socially accepted hair, into a mohawk. Samantha used the excuse of, “It’s just hair”, to defend herself when people asked about her hair. I can completely relate to Samantha. In the sixth grade, I had normal jet black hair. I suddenly felt like changing my appearance, especially my hair. My mom took me to the hair salon and I got highlights. They were a bright yellow. At my school, there isn't a lot of students who dye their hair. The hairstyles are usually either wavy, straight, waist-length, or shoulder-length (for girls obviously). My friends out of school, thought that I was going through a rebellious phrase, but the friends at school found it amazing that my mom let me dye my hair. I was known as the “Asian girl with highlights”. My teachers were in shock when I walked into class the day after with my new hair. Especially my English teacher, who even made a comment about my hair. It was just hair, but I didn't understand why so many people had to comment about it.
Honestly, at first I was bothered by all of the comments. I thought what I did was something wrong and socially unaccepted. As I grew older, I realized it is not my hair that makes me different, but my personality. Samantha also points that in her article as she says, “My hair does not define me, and to judge me based on something so inconsequential is a mistake.” I completely agree with Samantha, and it is something everyone should learn. The first time I dyed my hair with yellow highlights was only two years ago, but I had blue highlights, green highlights, red highlights, and now the red highlights have faded into a coppery yellow color. I dye my hair all of these crazy colors, but they don’t and shouldn't ever define who I am.