This is part of an in-depth look at various stories of self-acceptance among four students.

Everyone is staring at her. Thoughts are racing through her head. “Do they like it? What if they don’t? What are they thinking about me?” She walks through the doors to the school, more nervous than ever. Then she stops and takes a deep breath. She asks herself, “Why should I care?” With a newfound confidence she walks into school, ready to face the opinions of others.

Junior Hayley Dozier decided to dye her hair bright green not too long ago. The decision was made on an impulse and she didn’t have too much of a reason for it.

“Honestly, it was just on a whim. I just got my hair done and I decided to do it,” Dozier said. “Green is my favorite color, that’s about it … I just want to branch out a bit more.”

Dozier’s friends had varied reactions to her hair being dyed.

“I hadn’t told my friends about it, so when I walked in [school] they all stared at me,” Dozier said. “One of my friends completely overreacted. She freaked out when she saw my hair, [and told me that] I should have told someone. Then she stopped to breathe and said, ‘Actually, it’s not that bad.’”

However, Dozier said her friends were supportive of her choice, and their support helped her to be more confident in the decision.

“Honestly, if the first friends I saw had hated it, it probably would have made me doubt myself a bit more,” Dozier said. “I’m glad the first friend I saw was supportive.”

Dozier said that dying her hair has taught her many important lessons, the most important of which is self-confidence.

“I really was scared of what people thought before I dyed my hair,” Dozier said. “At first they made me feel self conscious but then I realized, why should I care? That’s one thing my hair has helped me with, not caring what people think.”