"Lather, Rinse, Repeat" by Laura Dallago beautifully documents the changes in her hairstyles throughout each stage of her life. In her younger years, the author describes her short haircut, then the long hair she grew in rebellion of the bob until "my ends had cracked more than the sidewalks of Market Street." Rich figurative language and descriptions of her hair - which all seemed to represent more than her hair, but indeed her insecurity, daring, or longing as she gets older - were what made me come back to reread this piece over and over. And though it's strange, I've often felt oppressed by the length of my hair, or the color, or so many physical things besides. This is why her ultimate message made such an impact on me. After many changes, Laura ultimately shaves her head and makes a realization: "Finally I was mature enough to grasp the only I, not a flashy haircut, could make myself feel beautiful." Laura feels confident, and in her recounting her story, she imparted confidence to every reader. I loved that she did this with the simple and otherwise mundane topic of haircuts, and spin it into a more meaningful theme. I left this piece with an impression of great writing - and a resounding feeling of confidence.