Be careful who you call ugly in middle school - have you ever been surprised by how someone you knew changed in appearance?

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

To me it just happened today, when an ex classmate sent me a friend request on Facebook.
I was a bit taken aback to see how much she's changed - in a positive way. Not that she wasn't pretty back then, but now she's stunning to say the least.
What about you? Share your experience!

[MCheetah]

But Lara Croft wasn't even ugly back in the 90s in 32 bit blocks!

Yes, I knew someone who changed a lot. Becky. I never called her ugly, though. In fact, it was the opposite effect. I was a high school senior, she was an eighth grader. As part of community service, I had to tutor her after school for an hour at this church. She was shy and mousy, and I was just on the dawn of entering the beginning of my 12 year battle with depression.

Long story short, we had similar sh*tty childhoods, but I was a fighter, and she was meek. Even had a girl bullying her. I told her not to take sh*t from anyone, whether it be her widowed stepparent or her bully. I didn't think much of it at the time, but it turns out, I ended up inspiring hope and resilience in her. I was just thinking, she should stop being such a pussy, because life will wreck her if she's always cowering in fear.

One day, she comes in, breathing heavily, and tells me how she got into a fight with her bully and knocked her teeth out (figuratively). On a bravery high, she then reveals she's in love with me. She's an 8th grader and I was a senior. I turned her down, and broke her heart, apparently. This was in late May, so two weeks before graduation. I didn't see her again after that for a while.

Years pass by and I get a notification from someone on Facebook. It's her, Rebecca, all grown up. Quite literally. She was now 5'9", grown 34DD's, and had who-knows how many followers on Instagram (like six-figures of followers or something; they don't show you exact numbers on there). She was legit what most guys would consider a "9" in looks. On her Instagram, among modeling pics, it also shows her more dressed up, posing with children outdoors and other things, implying she does a lot of charity work, or volunteers with sick children, or something. A good 25% of all of her photos were her fully dressed, working with children, suggesting she does this often.

She writes to me, saying how she tracked me down on Facebook and went on to develop confidence in herself after I apparently helped her with that. Furthermore, the real kicker was, she was single and STILL had feelings for me, seven years later. My theory is, I had grown into some kind of legend in her mind, with her memory embellishing and exaggerating what I truly was. She must've came to see me as some kind of "Alpha Male," which blows my mind and makes me uncomfortable just thinking about that.

I didn't know what to say, or wanted to tell her how wrong she was about me, so I just said something like, "Nice to see you again, glad I could help." This woman, Rebecca, had blossomed into a tall, busty Instagram success, brimming with confidence and altruism, and furthermore, directly credits me for turning her life around.

Considering 2012 me was still very much depressed, I kinda wanted to cry in despair for my own life being bad, but also cry for being proud of her. I did neither, but the turnaround of Rebecca still freaks me out to this day. I'm pretty sure I Marty McFly ruined her life... She just hasn't hit the downfall and cocaine addiction, yet.

Think of her as looking like this. She's pretty comparable to Rebecca…

[zagor]

Yes, Lara has definitely improved with age, thanks to vast improvement in graphics.

I never called anyone ugly in school, I was too polite, or maybe too insecure in my own appearance.

There was one girl I knew from the second grade who was never ugly, but was kind of gawky and socially awkward and shy, tall for a girl and wearing big goofy glasses all through school. I saw her at my 10 year reunion and she was stunning, while a lot of the cheerleader types were already getting fat or drinking their days away.

[zagor]

Unfortunately she was also married...

[pleasestopthis]

Not really, but the opposite did happen, several times. Girls who were really popular now are not looking so good now.
It did happen to my sister, she got bullied because she had a lot of pimples back then, now she looks nice. A lot of her former bullies send her friend requests and she ignores them

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Well I'd say she's doing the right thing in ignoring them!

[Djaay]

I've seen this many times. Not to mention the rich kids then driving the same car for the next ten years too. I made the mistake in 5th grade by rejecting a girl who for 3 years hinting vigorously towards my attention , when we both turned 15 ... I melted.

[Anonymous]

A little bit. I’m not sure if I’ve really grown into my facial features yet since I still look a bit too young for my age. I’m 15, but could pass for a 12-13 year old. My mom says it’s just genetics and I’m aging slow which is a good thing but I really don’t like it, I want to at least look my age

[libsaretards]

A female classmate and I were both very small in school. When we told people we would join the military they did not think we would survive. Next year will be our school's 10-year reunion. We were both invited to go but declined. I'm going into Law Enforcement Academy and she is still in the military. Everyone is basically trying to kiss our asses now that we look strong and have respectable careers.

[Anonymous]

I was bullied in high school I was in the middle (not ugly, not a beauty queen). Anyway, some guys used to make me feel ugly for many years, and I believed it!
Time passed (10 years) and I found a guy from my prom (he didn't bully me) and tell me about a group of WhatsApp of my prom, I wasn't interested but didn't want to be unpolite so accepted to be part. For this guy, I saw photos of the group, they look much older than our ages, gained a lot of weight, and look messy/careless. Neither of them has a good economical position.
And me? Well, time help to see me with love and I hear often compliments about my appearance and how young I look.

[PaynefulPleasures]

Ugly is such an ugly word ✌️

[IraqLobster]

I only call fat girls ugly besides that honestly i don't think anyone is should be called ugly.

I call fat girls ugly because they are unpleasant to look at.

[Laciandmaci]

@IraqLobster You are an ass, I can also say I find any guy with your personality trashy!

[rievious]

I don't relate to this question. Middle school I kept to myself and people left me alone.

BUT I wanted to comment bc I think the photo you used for this question is really funny. 10/10

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Thanks!
It's funny because I didn't even know it was Lara Croft until someone told me.

[electromagnetic]

I’ve never called ugly at school but it’s interesting to see how much people have changed from highschool. Made me really double take my highschool photos.

[DizzyDesii]

Lmao yea. I was just watchin Hawaii Five O and Freddie from iCarly turned out kinda cute. But i never call anyone ugly. Just not my type.

[Iron_Man]

Very true everybody knows this now. I ran into a construction worker at my school back in the day he was working at my school remodeling He was in his 20s And he told me the exact same thing and broke it down

[chapawapa]

I'm not rude nor do I need validation by putting others down. People who call people ugly apparently never looked at mirror and realize their own worthlessness in their dumb ass words.

[hellacray]

Not really.

Everybody has kinda transitioned how I expected them to.

If anyone I know becomes famous or something now that would be a shocker.

[Poppykate]

I was one of those people. Thank god for orthodontists!

[Anonymous]

Modern Lara should have kept her original breast size

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

Honestly I don't know, I never played or watched that stuff, it was just the first image that popped up.

[Jamie05rhs]

I was friends with a girl when I was a little kid, and I thought she was plain back then, but she grew up to be hot as f*ck. It made me wish I had maintained the relationship.

[Minahh]

Yes I'm that girl. Not that I've been hideous in the past nor am I like super beautiful now but I've definitely changed a lot.

[Coolkat12345]

True I have seen some girls who I had called ugly or had rejected who later on became very good looking and wanted to date lol. It’s all about the now, I have also seen good looking woman who I wanted turn less attractive later who then I didn’t want. Like I said it’s all about the now and trying to be fit and cleaned up and dress nice now, anybody can fall off.

[Gwenhwyfar]

I got a lot prettier since middle school. I was never ugly but I was kind of forgettable.

[Elliegirl]

I’m sure you were always cute. I’m willing to bet that now you’re absolutely adorable 😊

[Gwenhwyfar]

@Elliegirl thank you girl 😊😊😊

[Aiko_E_Lara]

I never knew someone like that. Everyone was like average and they became more average when we met again

[7771999]

Uhm. Nor someone I knew. Most of them look exactly the same.

But I'd say one of my friends has had quite the glow up. #nohomo

[MiriamDoremi]

I personally changed since I was in middle school, I used to be called ugly and fat. But during quarantine I had lost 10 pounds. I look better, so yeah watch out people change.

[serious]

I never called anyone ugly in high school but I instead I have been called as ugly but today I look exactly the opposite.

[rienna888]

Umm, I dont reallyy believe that cuz i've never really seen it happen. It does happen but its very rare. Most of the time people who get better looking, they already carry pretty facial features when they were young.