“Why do you always look so angry?” I hate that question, but if I had a dollar for every time someone has asked me that I’d have my entire college tuition paid for.
In the past few years it’s become apparent to me that I am the poster child of a relatively new phenomenon – the resting bitch face.
However, I wouldn’t classify myself as an angry person.
I’m definitely not exuberantly social and I’m not someone who would go out of my way to meet new people, but I am certainly not what my face portrays me to be.
I’ve had a complete stranger tell me that I should stop looking so angry and smile more.
To me, it’s unfortunate when someone literally takes me at face value.
In fact, I would say I am the textbook definition of an introvert and that paired with an unfriendly-looking face really puts a strain on my school and work life.
As an employee at a retail store, I’m eligible to make commission off of my sales. But, I struggle a lot with that job. As an introvert who isn’t particularly excited about interacting with other humans and with a face that doesn’t always scream “I’d be happy to help you,” it’s a challenge trying to consciously fight both of those habits.
But, I’m not the only one who suffers from the resting bitch face. Celebrities like Kristen Stewart, Victoria Beckham and Tyra Banks are all self-proclaimed sufferers of the resting bitch face.
However, being a journalism student has benefited me. Although conducting interviews and talking to strangers almost every day is exhausting for me, doing those things has forced me to step out of my comfort zone and prove to myself that I’m capable of doing it.
I’ve always wanted to take the journalism program but admittedly, I think one of the biggest reasons for that was because I was looking for validation. I was looking for the affirmation that despite my reserved personality and my unyielding resting face, I was still able to excel at what I do.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself recently, it’s that just because my face and my temperament can often cause struggle in my work life and my school life, it doesn’t necessarily mean that those characteristics detract from the quality of person I am or the quality of work I can produce.