First week freak out

I just started the dreading journey and I was ecstatic as could be the day my roommate and I used the tnr method to get things going. Personally I love the way things are looking (although theres a few I think I need to separate) but I am having a harder time than I thought with how other people are responding to me. I am a bartender in a little tiny town and the locals are just having a hay day with the comments they are able to think of to throw at me, and part of me is worried that it will affect the amount of money I am making, as angry as that actually makes me for thinking this way (but this is my only job as I am going to school).

I am also a little worried about how the nursing program will take my locs when I go back in the fall, they have a pretty strict dress code. Going along with that I am also a little concerned about possibly being able to get a job in the future when I graduate. I had thought of about all of these things before I made the final decision to start my journey but now Im kinda freaking out a bit. I need to do this for myself because as a personal goal I want to be able to feel great about myself without having to change the way I look for people, but right now I think Im lacking in the self-confidence needed to achieve my goal :/ and it doesnt help that every time my mom comes home she throws some other untrue fact about dreads my way to make me reconsider doing them! I come from a pretty sarcastic family and they havent even seen me yet, so I am also not excited to see them the first couple times.

Just wanted to put my concerns out there. I dont really have anyone at home that can relate to me, seeing as no one here has locs. Also, Im wondering how long you can have locs and still be able to comb them out? In case thats what I end up doing..but I hope it doesnt come to that. Thanks to anyone that takes the time to read this!

updated by @hannahleigh: 01/13/15 10:04:14PM

dont worry it will get better u will get more positive comments then negative and u will get stronger it shouldnt affect your career at all

and theres no time limit u can comb them out after decades but after the 1st ywear or 2 ot does get harder to co0mb out..or well slower..

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I had similar experiences with family. The best I can offer on that front is to try to hold on to your sense of self and remember that it's YOUR hair, your choice. Your family will either come to accept it or not, and that's on them. Don't be afraid to tell anyone - politely - that their comments are inappropriate, hurtful, or unnecessary. Do your best to not be defensive as, in my personal experience, it only seems to egg on those who feed on drama because they see you getting upset as a 'win'. If you decide to try to educate those close to you in an effort to help them understand your choice, give them all angles of the dread process and emphasize your happiness with your choice.

Also, I work in the health care industry. My supervisor was supportive and open to me starting my natural dreading journey five and a half months ago. I told her that there would be days where my hair would be unruly, and that I would be able to pull it back or dress it up a bit if anyone had issue with it. She was very cool about it. I wouldn't worry about it affecting your job prospects. As long as you're keeping it clean, you should be good to go.

Good luck on your journey! Keep us posted!

<3

Don't worry about it hun, everything above is spot on. I plan on becoming a doctor and my dreads are around a year old.. Dreadlocks are both religious and spiritual, and you cannot be discriminated against for them. That being said, I do see locs as a sort of asshole detector, as you can see you quick makes a face etc. The more time goes by, the more you and other will come to love them. My mother HATED my locs when I started, and now shes 'gotten use to them' and will occasionally touch them..:3 Im rambling. Peace and blessings on your journey!

Thank you so much guys! Ive been gettjng better at rrsponding to peoples remarks as the time goes on i reallly enjoy educating people on my hair, and considering i get asked pretty much the same 3 questions everytime..id say im gettin pretty good at my answers haha