Writers 
When Your Appearance Lies About Your Age
I really don't understand why people would just look at me and judge the living daylight out of my appearance. Like, how can someone look at me for two seconds and immediately conclude that I'm a full-grown adult? Brooooooooo! 😂
The funniest part is that I'm barely 18 years old myself!
Sometimes, I can literally be walking peacefully somewhere and someone will look at me and say, “Good afternoon, ma.”
MA??? 😭😂
Please, let's calm down. There is every possibility that you are actually older than me, but because of the way I look, you've already promoted me to somebody's mother.
And honestly, whenever it happens, I just laugh about it in my head. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. Maybe it's my body structure or the way I carry myself. Perhaps I just naturally look older than my actual age.
But sha, everything has its advantages and disadvantages.
One advantage is that sometimes people probably take me more seriously because they assume I'm older. Maybe they think I'm more mature or experienced simply because of how I look.
But the disadvantages?
Ha!
That one is another story entirely. 😂
Especially when it comes to some men.
Some men genuinely forget how to behave like normal human beings the moment they see a girl they find attractive. They'll just approach you with unnecessary confidence and start asking questions like, “Can I get your number?”
Number for what, sir? 😭
And before you know it, they're already trying to start a conversation that nobody asked for.
Then the moment I tell them my actual age or say something like, “You know I could literally be your child,” their whole attitude suddenly changes.
They'll laugh awkwardly and say, “Ah, you're lying.”
Lying ke?
What exactly do you want me to gain from lying about my age? 😂
Then, after realizing that I'm much younger than they thought, they'll quickly switch tactics.
“Oh, I actually just wanted us to be friends.”
Oga, friends for why? 😭
You didn't come with friendship energy five minutes ago!
And the funniest part is that some of these men are actually married. Imagine having a whole wife waiting for you at home, yet you're outside looking for young girls to disturb.
Kai.
Sometimes when I encounter men like that, I genuinely wonder what goes on inside their heads. Like, don't you have sense? Don't you have responsibilities? Don't you have somebody at home who loves you?
Honestly, God needs to help some of these men because the lack of self-control is becoming something else. 😂
As for me, I've accepted that people may continue to mistake me for an adult simply because of how I look.
What can I do?
I can't exactly walk around with my birth certificate hanging around my neck. 😂
So, whenever someone says, “Good afternoon, ma,” I'll just smile, laugh inside my head and keep moving.
Because at the end of the day, I know who I am—and I'm still barely 18. 😂