Techniques For Busy College Kids

To many natural bellas, having your hair look presentable on a daily basis is so important—it’s actually an essential priority! Being natural in and of itself is already taboo to many in society, so having unkempt hair would only be adding insult to injury. We all know that being natural is beautiful, but maintenance is necessary to facilitate the beauty.

With all that said, how is hair maintenance and college life going to work together smoothly? I mean, it’s enough to worry about the upcoming exam, that 5-page paper due in two days, and how you’re going to wear your hair tomorrow! STRESS. EXHAUSTION.

Here are some tips, from one busy college student to another:

1. Twists/ Twist-outs This is my signature style. It is simple and easy to do and it almost never fails because it can only go wrong if your hair is not in the healthiest condition or is too tangled. After my wash, I deep condition with and rinse out about 70% of it and leave the rest in. Then, I moisturize my hair with Oyin Handmade’s Whipped Pudding and seal with Oyin’s Burnt Sugar Pomade. Simple and easy. Keeping the twists in for about a week or two, I am able to avoid over-manipulating my hair on a daily basis. When I am ready for a different style, I undo the twists. These same techniques can be applied to braids and braid-outs. It’s essential to put effort into your hair on the day that you twist because if you are going to rock them for a week, you want them to look nice and presentable. It’s tiring, but for me one hard day is the price you pay for up to two or three weeks of convenience.
2. Protective Styles Again, twisting your hair or braiding your hair with your desired moisturizer and keeping them in is a nice way to protect your hair from over-manipulation, which can ultimately lead to much dreaded situations such as unnecessary breakage. Also, if it is to your liking, you can totally shield your hair from the external environment by putting in weaves or extensions or even by wearing a wig. Now, some people do not like the idea of weaves and such but they can really be helpful in allowing you to retain and gain length that you could not do so easily when you wear your hair out. It does have its negatives if you neglect the hair underneath the weaves. Moisturizing the scalp, the new growth, and the hair is very important if you choose to hide your hair. To each her own—it’s all about options and convenience, right?
3. Cleansing and Conditioning Product build-up is not cute, and it smells bad. Everybody’s hair is different, but generally, I would say that two washes a month is not bad. Moisturizing and conditioning the hair is a must. I like Oyin products, but you can use whatever works for you. Just remember this: oils do not moisturize; they seal moisture in.

I am probably different from other college students because I do not have a job, unfortunately, so I may have a little more time on my hands to do my hair. I am a college student nonetheless and I have found myself tired and dreading the chore of doing my hair, before I implemented techniques that can make doing my hair easier. These three tips have worked for me and have made me more and more appreciative of this head of hair. I hope they will do the same for you!