Growing up is hard. And our various stages of development are just – let’s face it – super awkward and weird.

But you never really get a true appreciation of that until you’re looking at it all in hindsight. It’s not until you’ve had a little distance between you and the thing that you can pick up the photos and other perfect records of the past and say “Wait…what was going on with me?”

The good news is that this is a more or less universal experience and thus there’s no sense getting all shy about it. Instead, celebrate your strange past, and even spread it around the internet, if you wish, like these denizens of Reddit did.

10. Many talents

Do you think the person creating that page layout knew what was up?

I was so proud when I made the yearbook. When I got home and showed my mom she said I would regret that later in life.
byu/chalfantkr inblunderyears

9. Super cool

Smoking kills, kids. Don’t do it.

My super cool 15 year old self skipping school to smoke on a playground.. year must be 2010 i think
byu/PrinzIpiellTheFirst inblunderyears

8. Blow that horn

I’m not sure why, but I can just hear the cicadas in the background of this photo.

14 or so self circa 1995 playing an outdoor concert for family. I could really toot my own horn…
byu/tenor1trpt inblunderyears

7. She bangs, she bangs

Hey, better than adult me could do. Good job.

1989… I cut my own bangs for picture day
byu/jacksonrebecca inblunderyears

6. A historic moment

If you actually ate that entire thing I am really proud of you, kid.

Bless my Dad for capturing this historic moment.
byu/Zadyk_Tron inblunderyears

5. Christian Granny Goth

Do you have a moment to have some tea and talk about our lord and savior Nosferatu?

I call this look “Christian Granny Goth” and it was pretty bold for a 12 year old in 1995
byu/BrashPop inblunderyears

4. Look out

Eh, you’ll grow into ’em.

Hi my name is Jacob and when I was a kid, I didn’t have to look both ways before crossing the street.
byu/lospolloshermonos357 inblunderyears

3. All the way done

This kid is about to go write some VERY intense and also illegible things in her diary.

I was 100% done with life at the age of 4.
byu/missnewjulia inblunderyears

2. Signs of things to come

Well that’s just downright weird.

My now husband and me circa 2004, a year or two before we would meet.
byu/1tarabyte inblunderyears

1. Spiral perms and shoulder pads

I don’t know why it was a thing for a while for women to have pretend broad shoulders, but it was.
And it’ll probably come back, because, fashion.

The year was 1990. Spiral perms and shoulder pads.
byu/giskardwasright inblunderyears

Ah. Good times.

What were your awkward years like?

Tell us in the comments.