Flashback Friday: We peaked in middle school

Don’t we look good

While some of us bloom in our earlier years, most of us are still climbing Mount Gorgeous to try to peak into our most attractive selves.

Some very generous members of The Tab UMass sent me pictures of their peak years, some in middle school and some as late as high school.

If you haven’t peaked yet, then have no fear – you still have time (hopefully). If you’ve already peaked in the glory days known as high school… then I’m sorry I have no hope for you in the future.

Caroline

“Hi I’m Caroline and I got my varsity letter in Marching Band.”

But who says high school bandies can’t blossom into something cute?

Five years later she finally figured out out how to use a hairbrush and put on a dress (disclaimer: her roommate picked it out for her). Baby steps.

Rachel

Rachel was rocking the ‘do that I always wanted

I basically wanted to be Rachel. She had the scene hair and over-dramatic eyeliner down perfectly. She was the QUEEN of taking selfies with side bangs, and hiding her self-described “crippling self confidence issues” behind the most bodacious bangs I’ve ever seen.

She started taking selfies before it was cool.

When I asked Rachel to comment of her wonder years, all she had to say was: “Side bangs. Need I say more.”

Clearly she’s gotten better at taking selfies, but I’m very disappointed that she got rid of her scene hair

Sam

You’re lying if you say you didn’t have a huge crush on someone with braces. I mean, just look at Sam.

I know for a fact everyone that wanted to ask her to the Spring Fling in fact didn’t. She was a threat because she was so pretty. She was (and still is) a total stunner.

Sam told us one of her top moments from her middle school years: “I was in eighth grade with my best friend (who is now the bass player in my band) and we were in science class together. We did our science fair project on what laundry detergent works the best (we concluded that it was tide).

“Looks like I’ve gotten better with age!!”

Shae

Shae Feather before she was blessed with puberty…

“I literally forced someone to take this picture of me. And I was persistent. And 15. I hate myself,” said Shae.

And this is Shae after. Thank God for great genetics.

Me, Rachel, of course

This is me

Clearly one of my better days! Definitely peaked later than the rest of everyone, but wasn’t it worth the wait?I’ll have you know that I was voted best smile.

Everyone wanted to have the voluptuous hair that I wore everyday. I only used one can of maximum hold hair spray, and three hair brushes. I think two of them got stuck, but whatever. It was definitely “the look”.

My make up was on point. And why have two eyebrows when you could have four? Kylie Jenner came to me for tips on how to contour for that #flawless finish.

Sarah

Sarah never knew that less is more when it comes to eyeliner. If you asked Sarah’s friends who rocked it better: Sarah or Pete Wentz from his 2009 Fall Out Boy days, they’d say Sarah.

Has Sarah actually changed in appearance, or is it just the that there’s a dog next to her?

I guess she might look a little different. Not shabby. But clearly middle school was her peak.

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UMass Amherst