The teenage years are a critical time in development physically, mentally, and emotionally. Students are learning and experimenting with who they are and what makes them special. In this learning phase, many people make changes to their hair as a way to learn and figure out more about themselves. There are over 400 students in the high school building alone at Spectrum. All of these students are unique and individual people. If you look around Spectrum you will find lots of different hair colors that reflect the Spectrum of kids we have here.

Teenagers dye their hair for a variety of reasons.

Senior Naomi Orth says, “I like having something that stands out a bit. I like to kinda be able to be bright even if my clothes aren’t that day.”

Another senior, Eve Compton, says “For a really long time that was a huge outlet for me, any time that I would need to find some way to focus emotions.”

From standing out and letting your personality shine through to being a focus of emotions for you, dyed hair can hold different meanings for different people. No matter what it means though it is still a way for people to feel more comfortable in their own skin and to express themselves. While you get a sense of individuality in the end which may seem like the most exciting part, when Spectrum students were asked what the best part of dyeing their hair was many said they liked the process of dyeing itself.

Danica Orth, a sophomore, says, “My favorite part was probably when my friend came over to dye my hair for me. I think it’s just a fun thing to do, especially if you do it with friends.”

Naomi Orth said she enjoyed dyeing her hair too.

According to some Spectrum students, dyeing your hair is an exciting and fun experience that allows you to express yourself and try out something new.