It’s okay to be a late bloomer!

Growing up, I arrived to the party a little later than everyone else. Parts of me didn’t grow at the same pace as other girls. I didn’t hit the ‘teenage milestones’ at the same time as my friends and at times it made me feel inexperienced and left out. But it’s okay to bloom at your own pace.

It’s okay that my boobs didn’t properly grow in until I started my first year at university. I had pretty small boobs until I came to university and then they decided to grow. Not convenient having to buy new bras on a student budget but my body has a mind of its own!

It’s okay that I didn’t have my first kiss until I was 15. Going to a single sex school made it pretty difficult to meet boys, at times I felt like I was never going to get a boyfriend and I was never going to have my first kiss. I felt like I was ugly and that nobody wanted me but looking back, I was so hard on myself given the circumstances. Again, looking back, the kiss was horrendous and I had definitely over-romanticised what a 15 year old boyfriend looked like.

It’s okay that I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 18 when all my friends lost theirs at 16 and 17. I definitely underestimated what a relationship would be like with someone who wanted to wait until marriage. It made me feel frustrated and unwanted when all my friends were getting some when I wasn’t and didn’t have a clue what the fuss was about. The reality is that there shouldn’t be this stigma and pressure to lose your virginity in fear that you’re going to be judged or labelled as ‘innocent’. You should never feel pressured to pop your cherry — no matter how old you are!

There is too many expectations and too much pressure in your teen years without the additional social pressure that you should ‘bloom’ at a certain age. It’s okay to be a late bloomer. Every body is different and should be loved and appreciated in all the stages it goes through in life.

Love yourself. Love your body.