When Being Short Gives Me a Leg Up in Life
There is an upside to a vertically challenged existence
Previously, I ranted—I mean complained—about why it’s tough being short. While it can make life difficult, I must admit there are advantages to being thrown into the shallow end of the gene pool.
People assume I’m younger
Being short makes people think I’m younger than I am. I get it. I’m still the same size I was in 8th grade, so I probably look like a middle schooler at first glance.
When I was young, I was mistaken for a kid far longer than anyone of average height. Sometimes, this was annoying.
But it worked to my advantage when they automatically gave me the kids’ price at places.
I paid less for the movies. At restaurants, I could order a kids’ meal without receiving the disapproving look from the server my taller friends got. And if a kids-eat-free special was going on, my small stature really paid off.
These days, my height, combined with the anti-aging genes I seem to have inherited, still gets me carded sometimes. People are usually shocked when I reveal my age. Being told there’s no way I’m “that old” never gets, well, old.
Fewer hazards to my health
I might not be able to reach items easily, but I don’t have to duck as often. No need to tell me to watch my head when there’s a low ceiling or entrance to a room. I’m going to be just fine.
The shorter you are, the shorter the fall. Being closer to the earth can save me from serious injuries if I trip since I have less distance to the ground. This comes in handy for a klutz like me.
I’m comfortable almost anywhere
If you’ve been flying for a long time, you’ve probably noticed plane seats and legroom have gotten smaller over the years. I haven’t because coach seats suit me just fine—anything bigger is pure luxury.
I don’t need to pay for extra legroom since I barely use up the legroom they give me.
Sitting in chairs made for kids isn’t an issue. At orientations and back-to-school nights, some parents awkwardly cram themselves into the kindergarten seats with their knees almost hitting their chins. Not me.
I can also sleep comfortably in a small twin bed. I’d probably be okay in a toddler bed if it was necessary. A crib might be pushing it.
I’m less likely to get cancer
Being smaller, I have fewer cells than taller people. That can be a good thing when it comes to cancer. More cells mean more opportunities for things to go wrong.
Not that I’m entirely immune to it. But it does make the pain of not being able to reach items on tall shelves a little more bearable, knowing I might not get cancer thanks to my small mass.
I can almost always find my size
When you’re below average in height, there’s sometimes more on the shelves in smaller sizes.
While women sporting an average shoe size might find it out of stock, there are usually plenty of shoes for my little feet.
Another bonus. Some of the shoes for young girls these days mimic grown-up designs. And they’re cheaper. So I can shop for girls’ shoes if I find a style I like and get them for less.
Plus, I can also shop in the girls’ clothing section if I don’t mind having a unicorn, cat, or sassy phrase plastered across my shirt.
I can get overlooked when I want to
Being this short, I’m just not in someone’s line of sight. I can quickly get passed over. Or practically become invisible in a crowd.
It’s almost like having a superpower.
When I was in school, if I didn’t want to get picked for something, I could easily step behind one of my taller cohorts and hide. This helped in being passed over as the example in gym class.
I could also sink down in my seat in classes and almost disappear to avoid being called on.
These days, I can employ these same tactics to make myself unnoticeable when someone is asking for volunteers for my kids’ activities.
I may have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to height, but it’s not without its upside. Being able to get comfortable in a tiny airplane seat might not seem like a big deal, but I consider it a minor victory for me and short people everywhere.