The narrator recounts a story from her adolescence where, at 12 years old, she decided to get a piercing in her ears without her parents' permission. Despite the pain and the potential health risks, she was driven by the desire for popularity and trend-following.
She describes how she used a needle from her mother's sewing kit and a lump of ice to perform the piercing herself. The result was uneven, with one piercing appearing flat and the other low. Despite the discomfort and potential health issues, she initially felt a sense of accomplishment.
However, she soon developed severe pain and swelling in her ears, and an infection set in. Despite the discomfort and potential health risks, she initially felt a sense of accomplishment.
After a month, the infection had cleared up, but her ears were still swollen and she was left with ugly, uneven scars. She learned a harsh lesson - to not make decisions based on peer pressure or the desire for popularity, and to always consider the potential consequences and risks.
1. The speaker was 12 years old at the time of the incident.
2. The speaker and her friends were influenced by the trend of piercings and tattoos in their school.
3. The speaker wanted to get a piercing in her ear to fit in with her peers.
4. The speaker's parents denied her request for a piercing due to her young age and potential health risks.
5. The speaker decided to pierce her ear herself using a needle found in her mother's bathroom.
6. The speaker experienced significant pain during the piercing process and her ear became full of blood.
7. The speaker pierced her other ear as well, resulting in uneven holes.
8. The speaker experienced severe pain and discomfort after the piercings, which persisted for a month.
9. The speaker developed an infection in her ear due to the piercing, which caused her significant pain and discomfort.
10. After a month, the speaker decided to remove the piercings to heal her infected ear.
11. The speaker's ear took a month to heal after the removal of the piercings.
12. The speaker learned a lesson from this experience and advises others not to do something just because it's trendy or to fit in with peers.