Spring Break
The Daily OrangeTall Tales: Height woes wrack statuesque women
By Lauren Shopp and Erin Hendricks
Posted: 9/19/05, 9:37 PM EST Section: Pulp
We don't do stilettos. They're uncomfortable, cumbersome - and totally unnecessary. If you've ever towered over your middle school teacher, been picked first for every basketball scrimmage in gym class or looked down fondly into the eyes of your five-foot-five-inch prom date, you know what we're talking about. In a world where the average woman - and many men - only reach the height of our shoulders, the view of a tall woman provides several select vantage points not afforded to those of typical stature.
1. No Mercy
Biologists say we achieve our status in three spurts: the first in infancy, the second between the ages of six and eight and the last in adolescence.
While we grow in three stages, tall girls know the last stage, adolescence, is always the worst. Even though girls grow at a faster rate than boys, being genetically destined for altitude makes you stand out even more. Throw in a few nicknames - "Jolly Green Giant" and "String Bean" ring any bells? - and you can understand why middle school was a living hell. You couldn't count on family members to be supportive during that time, either. Whether they weren't as tall as you or attributed your height to a fictional inherited disease, Mom, Dad and even Grandma Noreen weren't there to hold your hand - they couldn't even reach. Classmates and even teachers, however, were the worst. During a time when you were just trying to blend in with the crowd, comments like, "What are they feeding you in the lunch room?" and, "Did you get held back a grade?" didn't make the rocky transition into adulthood any smoother.
2. Hard to Get
A survey of some 6,000 adolescents in the '60s showed that the tallest boys were the first to get dates.
This fact holds no validity for tall girls. When there's a total of four attractive guys of tall stature in eighth grade, it's slim pickings. Growth spurts took a considerable toll on your social life and popularity with the opposite sex. As you struggled to meet them personally, they struggled to meet you vertically. Although most college guys have reached their adult height by the time they get to campus, it's still hard to find one who's more than six feet tall. And it seems like even those who are tall enough take more of an interest in five-foot-three-inch, nubile lovelies they can dangle on their arm like an accessory. Oddly enough, men who are above the average height also have a hard time macking it. Tall girls run - no, flock - to guys taller than them, only to find that their male counterparts are often incredibly awkward themselves. Sadly, growing up with the same height issues made these guys more susceptible to being self-conscious.
1. No Mercy
Biologists say we achieve our status in three spurts: the first in infancy, the second between the ages of six and eight and the last in adolescence.
While we grow in three stages, tall girls know the last stage, adolescence, is always the worst. Even though girls grow at a faster rate than boys, being genetically destined for altitude makes you stand out even more. Throw in a few nicknames - "Jolly Green Giant" and "String Bean" ring any bells? - and you can understand why middle school was a living hell. You couldn't count on family members to be supportive during that time, either. Whether they weren't as tall as you or attributed your height to a fictional inherited disease, Mom, Dad and even Grandma Noreen weren't there to hold your hand - they couldn't even reach. Classmates and even teachers, however, were the worst. During a time when you were just trying to blend in with the crowd, comments like, "What are they feeding you in the lunch room?" and, "Did you get held back a grade?" didn't make the rocky transition into adulthood any smoother.
2. Hard to Get
A survey of some 6,000 adolescents in the '60s showed that the tallest boys were the first to get dates.
This fact holds no validity for tall girls. When there's a total of four attractive guys of tall stature in eighth grade, it's slim pickings. Growth spurts took a considerable toll on your social life and popularity with the opposite sex. As you struggled to meet them personally, they struggled to meet you vertically. Although most college guys have reached their adult height by the time they get to campus, it's still hard to find one who's more than six feet tall. And it seems like even those who are tall enough take more of an interest in five-foot-three-inch, nubile lovelies they can dangle on their arm like an accessory. Oddly enough, men who are above the average height also have a hard time macking it. Tall girls run - no, flock - to guys taller than them, only to find that their male counterparts are often incredibly awkward themselves. Sadly, growing up with the same height issues made these guys more susceptible to being self-conscious.
