I was an awkward kid in high school. I was smart, nerdy, and not very active physically. I was quite insecure over my voice, my body, and my social skills. It didn’t help that I was a late bloomer, and I hit my growth spurt at 16. Those insecurities stopped me from getting a girlfriend or experiencing romance in high school.
However, in my senior year, I finally started to look like a man. I grew to be 6’4”, and my body shape became more defined. I no longer looked like a flimsy twig, and this boost of confidence allowed me to enroll in my local gym. I began working out regularly, and started paying more attention to my outfits and appearance. I started to talk to strangers in the hallway, and make eye contact with girls I saw, something insecure freshman me could never have imagined. Me, the upperclassman, had nothing to lose by being confident and manly.