Why a Middle School Student Chose a Skinhead Before the First Day
Before the school year begins, most students prepare in familiar ways—new notebooks, sharpened pencils, carefully chosen clothes. But for one Japanese middle school student, preparation looked very different.
Before the opening ceremony of the new term, she shaved her head.
Not as an act of rebellion.
Not as a trend.
But as a personal decision.
In Japan, a shaved head has long carried layered meanings. It can symbolize reflection, discipline, responsibility, or the desire to reset and start again. While often associated with sports teams or moments of apology, here it takes on a quieter, more individual meaning.
Standing with a calm expression and steady gaze, she appears neither defiant nor uncertain. Instead, there is a sense of resolve—of someone choosing how they want to enter a new chapter of life.
Middle school is a time of transition. Childhood slowly gives way to adolescence. Expectations grow heavier. Friendships change. Pressures—spoken and unspoken—begin to accumulate. In that context, the act of shaving one’s head can be a way of saying:
“I am starting fresh.”
“I am ready.”
“I will face what comes honestly.”
There is something quietly powerful about this choice. Hair, often tied to identity and appearance, is set aside. What remains is the person themselves—unadorned, present, and intentional.
This story is not about encouraging others to do the same. It’s about recognizing that young people, too, search for meaning and agency. Sometimes they express it not through words, but through actions that feel right to them.
As the new term begins, she walks into school not defined by her hairstyle, but by her courage to begin again on her own terms.
And perhaps that is the most meaningful lesson of all:
A fresh start doesn’t always come from changing the world around us—
sometimes it begins with a single, deliberate choice.