50 People Who Went Through The “Blunder Years” Phase Shared Hilarious Pics (New Pics)

Sometimes, when I look at modern kids and teenagers, I sigh.

Not because they’re rowdy, messy, scary, or loud, but because they all look so good. With beauty tips, fashion trends, and endless tutorials right there on their phones, they seem to have skipped the part of life where we all looked a little… experimental.

Where are the glittery lip glosses from teen magazines that stuck to your hair in the wind? The DIY haircuts gone wrong? The capri leggings under dresses that stopped mid-calf for no logical reason?

Do they even get an awkward phase anymore?

Because honestly, everyone should. There’s nothing quite like it. An awkward phase is character-building. Those teenage years—the peak of questionable choices—are when we’re figuring out who we are. We try on different styles, interests, and friend groups like outfits. We defend opinions we’ll later outgrow. It’s messy, chaotic, and absolutely necessary.

Part of it comes down to biology. The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning, decision-making, and impulse control, doesn’t fully mature until our mid-to-late twenties. Which means the impulsive decisions, the social uncertainty, and the cringe-worthy moments are all just part of growing up.

When I think back to my 18-year-old self, I sometimes wonder how on earth I thought or acted the way I did. And yet, I’d protect her in a heartbeat. She needed to go through all that trial and error to become me now.

And here’s the thing, it’s supposed to look bad in hindsight. Trends change. What was once the height of fashion eventually becomes the subject of group chats and meme folders. But in the moment? Those outfits and haircuts made us happy. We wore them proudly.

So when we look back and cringe, maybe we should actually be proud. It means we’ve grown, evolved our tastes, and refined our style.

Of course, if your past self still makes you want to hide under a blanket, you’re not alone. And according to clinical psychologist Ellen Hendriksen, there’s a way to soften the blow of those memories.

“Give yourself a break,” she says.

The only reason we cringe at the memories is because we think we did something wrong or ridiculous. However, we can’t go through life without making mistakes. So permit yourself to experience the full range of human emotions.