I wasn't trying to imply that you were a sociopath at all! I'm sorry If you took my comment the wrong way. I just didn't want him to think it was the only option to be violent. I do understand that violence is sometimes necessary and I've had my fair share of it in the past. We are all on our own journey and I wouldn't judge you harshly for how you got where you are now.
I'm glad you gained confidence, but let's not be violent. Bode, Sirick is right about carrying yourself with confidence. It changes everything. People generally treat you better. But high school kids will always find something wrong with you, simply to distract from all they feel is wrong in themselves. They lack confidence and certainty. When I was in high school, I thought I wouldn't have any problems. I was skinny, attractive, smart, always had the good weed 
lol. But people said I was too weird, I was probably anorexic, I was probably sleeping with all my guy friends, etc. They will always say mean things. If they're going to be mean anyway, why not just be happy? Why not just be yourself? Don't worry about them. Let them worry about their own insecurity and you just be your own confident beautiful self 
Sirick said:
I can't offer any advice for having dreads in high school, but I can share with you my experiences from having long hair in high school.
You may experience slightly different things depending on how rough your school is and how many others at your school have similar styles.
Mine was a pretty average school, not too low class and scum filled but also hardly what you would call high class.
You will get called names. You will have people mock you behind your back. You will be bullied mentally, physically or both.
I was raised to be a pacifist, and I did my best to follow such views. But when I decided I wanted to grow my hair long I started running to way more problems then I had before.
I was the only boy at my high school with long hair, I'm unsure if wearing it in a ponytail made it worse or better.
Before growing my hair I only had to deal with light bullying from class mates that knew me (hardly unique, I imagine almost everyone has had to deal with this level of bulling). After I had grown it over the holidays and returned to school, suddenly I was getting it in the neck from people I didn't even know, kids I had never even seen before or were at least four years older then me would call me names, punch me in the arm or simply laugh.
You will stand out. Standing out brings attention to you. You have to decide how you feel about standing out from everyone else. If you decide you do want to stick out like a sore thumb now you have to figure out how you are going to deal with the definite bad attention you will get.
Again, I can only offer you advice from my own personal experience and what worked for me might not work for you.
I toughened up. I ignored giggles and jeers, I stood up to any one who tried to push me around and if anyone tried to hurt me I would hurt them back twice as hard.
This changed who I was in a big way, but thankfully I was happy with who I had become. I was more comfortable and sure of myself.
But this did change my relationship with my parents.
My mother who had raised me to be a pacifist was very upset that I was now very aggressive and adversarial, to paraphrase her I had gone from a smiley quiet and good boy to a frowning, angry boy whose first response to something upsetting him was to use violence.
My father on the other hand was overjoyed to see me becoming a man.
So as you can see, different people will react differently to the changes that may happen to you.
In less then a year I had no more problems with people. No one made any comment of my hair even though it was longer then ever. I don't think this is because they knew me by reputation, but because I now held myself differently.
I would now stand tall, not slouch like I used to. I would speak clearly and deliberately. I stood my ground and refused to bend to others whims.
It's been eight years since I left high school, and since then I think that twice I've had a comment about my appearance in a nasty way (not sure if my hair played a part in it) and each time I told them to fuck off, which they promptly did.
I'm very happy with who my hair made me, which is why I love it so much. But you have to decide if you will love who you will become from dealing with the negative views of others.
You don't have to deal with things like I have. It may be enough for you to just ignore others.
However you decide to deal with things, it will change you in one way or another.
It started as one dread and then the ends split.
They are completely free form, I didn't do anything to force them. All I've done is wash and separate. Let me see if I can get a decent pic.
All my dreads are either folding in half or flat or splitting in half part way down the dread. Will it hurt for them to for this way? Or should I intervene?
Nah it's not bad for your hair. Its the safest starter method and tnr dreads are still considered natural, just not free form.
*CORRECTION* I have another friend in favor of my dreads and has decided now to dread herself That along with your support here is very encouraging!
thanks. I'm just having a hard time feeling like I look professional cuz the school won't let me wear my scarves I usually wear to cover some of the work in progress and look a little neater in my student ID. I can wear it to school tho? I've never had anyone say they can't recognize me because I had a scarf. I have my mom crocheting me a dread sock, but it takes her forever to to make anything so it's not done yet. I hope this gets better. I have so many people that don't like it and aren't afraid to tell me. I only have one friend that likes them and she's away at school right now. It just seems like I need some encouragement that I'm no ruining my hair. I had some before and brushed them out and my mom and husband are just waiting for me to brush it again. I try telling them it's never gonna happen, but they think I won't see anything through to the end. And I have so much stress right now that I'm just discouraged about everything. I keep going and keep trying, but one way I cope is to dump on myself for a while and mope, then I get better and just keep going. I'll get there eventually, wherever I'm going lol.
I have so much conflict with my hair right now. It seems like it's not doing right cuz I keep it pulled back all the time, but I can't leave it down at work and that's where I always am. I take my hair down and it's all one clump of knots. When I'm off for a while it separates and starts looking good. It gets dirty too often cuz the weather is warming up and I'm sweating at work everyday. I feel like I wash it too much. I used to only feel dirty after a week or so, now it's like every other day I wash my hair. I'm starting school next Friday and I really don't have time to be worrying over my hair. I guess I just need some encouragement to keep at it.
