school pictures haircut

> I'm just starting my junior year of high school and> will be getting my school pictures taken soon. I have> mid back length hair. I've had long hair forever, but> now I'd like to try a short crop. Should I get it cut> before or after my pictures are taken. I like the way> my hair looks, but need a change. I don't know how it> will look after its cut and want my pictures to look> good. If I wait to get it cut, will it be wierd to> have long hair in the pictures, but short on my head?> any feelings on the subject?Never, never get a new haircut right before any big event unless it is an emergency (you spilled cement on it and it just won't come out, etc., just to give a ludicrous example). If you hate it, your memories of the event will always be touched by the bad haircut. School pictures aren't such a big deal - even your senior ones wouldn't seem to matter so much down the road. As for junior ones, well, five years from now, how much are you going to care? If the answer is "a lot", definitely don't have it cut before. If the answer is "not much", I'd still think carefully about it, but I might consider it.I don't think it would be at all weird to have long hair in the picture and short hair in real life - everyone changes somewhat, especially during high school. That should not be a major factor in your decision.There is another benefit of waiting to have it cut - it gives you a chance to be really sure you do want it short. My (very sensible) mother's advice was to wait 3 weeks if I decided to cut my hair, to be sure it wasn't just a bad hair day or some other chaos in my life that was making me want to, so I wouldn't regret the choice. That might be a little longer than is really necessary, but sometimes it's good to think about things for a while. On the other hand, mid-back isn't so long that it will take ages to grow back if you decide you want it long again. That's the nice thing about hair - ther are no absolutely permanent mistakes.Whatever you decide to do, good luck. I hope your pictures turn out well.Laura Janelswanson@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu