Puberty: How did you react?

[Jonluw]

Hiya escapists.

Seems to me whenever puberty is brought up in a text of some sort, the stress and dread caused by your body changing into this hairy, lanky, pimply... thing is mentioned as a source of great personal distress for teenagers.

Spoiler: Sort of like this

The image I'm getting is that most people were horrified, or at the very least very bothered, by the changes their bodies went through.

This wasn't the case for me though. I noticed hair started growing where hair is supposed to grow, and didn't really give it more thought than "Jeez, this hair-growth is pathetic. I've got like, what, five strands of hair here?" (i.e. pretty much the same attitude I have towards my facial hair). Then I went on with my life with acne and mildly unsatisfying hair-growth added to my reservoir of petty annoyances.

Thing is, I accepted all of this as it came. I was never scared by the changes, nor was I bothered by the fact that I appeared to be turning into a different person.

That's why I want to know. How did you react to/deal with puberty? Were you frightened by the sudden changes? Did you understand what was happening? Did you just not give a fuck?
[sub]Entertaining anecdotes are encouraged. It might be a good idea to spoiler-box the grosser ones though. (I'm looking at you, girls with first-period-stories)[/sub]

 

[Cheesus333]

I reacted by growing taller and larger, and extruding hair

OT: I was never that bothered, but I grew late. I'm 6ft tall now at age 16 though, so victory is mine.

EDIT: Just read the note about the anecdote. Why not?

First one was an embarrassing incident at a male-only sleepover involving arrogance and rulers. I'll say no more. Ever.

The more PG one is how I looked like a 10 year old boy up until I was about 14, and yet consistently refused to admit it. I dealt with puberty by pretending it wasn't happening. I also had a squeeky-ass voice that only got MORE hilarious when it cracked.

I was gonna do a 'before and after' thing here but that requires hosting images on photobucket and, well, effort.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

For me it was the hormones. I noticed that but I kept it under control. Then the voice went and to this day I miss being able to actually sing the melody of songs without taking it down an octave. Damn, I was good at that! >.<

 

[Palademon]

I'm only 17 and I can't remember, so that probably says that I didn't care when it started.

 

[Lawnmooer]

I didn't give a damn about hitting puberty.

I was one of the first in my year to actually start going through the changes (My voice breaking/growing hair and such) I just let it happen. The only time I can think of where I actually cared about effects of puberty was recently when I noticed my facial hair is going grey...

I'd also like to mention I was in the choir when my voice broke (Sometime in middle school aged 11-13ish) and I remember getting complimented on my singing voice after it broke (Which is wierd since normally people sing worse after their voice breaks)

 

[scoopz]

i didn't care when hitting puberty.

im glad it brought me a beard though. and definately glad my voice changed.

 

[BabyRaptor]

I don't think it bothered me much, to be honest.

I remember getting pulled out of class to go watch a video explaining what happens to girls during puberty. I don't recall be phased by it much...I spent most of the video passing notes with the girl next to me about...Something.

 

[kalaim]

I reacted by swallowing a tall can of "Notgivinaf**k" and looking forward to endless masturbation..

 

[FortheLegion]

It didn't bother me much. But now I'm taller, harrier, and stronger.

 

[emeraldrafael]

that has to be one of the most uneven flows in a comic I've ever seen. Definitely not one of their better ones.

The first time i started growing hair, I thought i was becoming a werewolf. Then my walked in front of me (nearly) naked and I realized I was turning into him. Which was a much cooler thought by comparison.

then he told me its normal and to get over myself.

Though it did sort of scare me that every girl had a smell now, and the first time I popped one in a public scenario was somewhat embarrassing (I think I was in a basic biology course). though I hid it like a champ.

 

[Mischa87]

It was beyond hellish to me, the hormones, the masculizing. And it hit me early, like age 14, I was 6 foot 2 at age 16, very hairy, couldn't keep up with shaving. The severe spike in libido, there are no words to describe how vile this was for me.

Sure, this is probably like a lot of guy's puberty, but I'm not a guy, not on the inside, it was like living and a prison, and like someone else was controlling my mind... Yay for hormone replacement therapy.

"the stress and dread caused by your body changing into this hairy, lanky, pimply... thing"
You sort of set your question up as only pertaining to scrawny, greasy/unable-to-take-care-of-their-skin guys.

 

[AdeptaSororitas]

I was prepared for what was going to happen, I met it razor in hand. Thankfully All I got was hips and not chest fat sacks (big boobs)

 

[Jonluw]

"the stress and dread caused by your body changing into this hairy, lanky, pimply... thing"
You sort of set your question up as only pertaining to scrawny, greasy/unable-to-take-care-of-their-skin guys.

Eeeeh...
Not really my intention.
I just wanted to add some flavour to the text, so I went with a description of the stereotypical awkward, braces-wearing teenager.
*trying frantically to find a fitting image*

 

[EeveeElectro]

I did start very young, about 9/10 when I started my periods and I'm sure I started growing hair before that.
I was a bit scared, confused and didn't really know what to do. I nicked my sisters sanitary towels and didn't tell anyone for a couple of months until I eventually told my mum. And for some fucking reason she though it would be appropriate to ring everyone and tell them -_-
Not nice, not all all.

 

[LordFisheh]

I din't really give it much thought. At least for me, the descriptions you see in the media of 'teenage emotional hardships', 'finding your identity', 'confusion' and all that never really applied. Things often seem like that; most things that I was led to believe were a big deal just ended up... meh.

 

[Magicmad5511]

I didn't notice. I'm a 17 year old male currently, so possibly I'm still not noticing.
The only thing of puberty I ever noticed was quite personnel.

Spoiler: Slightly crude and a bit personal. Only for you Escapist

The only thing I noticed was my first ejaculation. I had masturbated before and had felt the pleasure of an orgasm while doing it but one day stuff came out the end. I was surprised but not worried. I'd been through sex ed. Was a bit strange though suddenly having to think about cleaning up after.

Most of puberty I only noticed after it had happened. Hair down there, growth of various things. Didn't notice them till a while after they had happened. One day it just occurred to me how much I had changed. If I had noticed I wouldn't have cared. I knew what was going on so I didn't panic.