help, should i completely chop off my 3ft long hair?

hey there!! :D

so, my hair is pretty long, about halfway down my thighs. it’s super thick, healthy (knock on wood) and pretty straight. everyone at school fawns over it all the time and loves to play with it, but i lowkey hate it 😭

my hair gets greasy, it's heavy, and i've only ever wore it in a braid. if i leave it down or try another style, it tangles and gets caught EVERYWHERE. plus, i’m not even allowed to wear it completely down in school.

sometimes i think, what's the point of having long hair if all i can do it braid it? this sounds stupid and silly, but i just don't feel "girly" because i can't let my hair down. i feel restricted.

i think braids are unflattering on me. maybe because i have an oval face and a big forehead, but it just looks ugly. i already have super low self-esteem, and i this might be why i'm so eager to cut it---like, doing so would magically make me pretty lol

then there's the bangs 💀

i've been experimenting with bangs for the past few years, and they've always been a disaster. a while ago, i got curtain bangs cut at a salon to try something new. the next day i was deemed as jack from titanic 💀💀 (FOULL but true)

i asked for some layers but they just flop around, and they're too thick. i actually spent months growing my old bangs out, got THIS close to being free... then impulsively cut them again. 😭

so now they’re layered and uneven and way too short to clip back properly. i should've gotten wispy baby hair bangs instead :( or nothing at all.

i feel stuck. i think i’d feel free if i cut it to shoulder length, like the less hair the less there is to worry about. i also had the same long hair four years ago and chopped it short, and i LOVED it. i felt confident and happier and free. i could wear it down however i wanted, i could try wacky and cute hairstyles, not to mention how fast it dried! it felt incredible.

part of me wants to do it---just chop it off and get it over with. but the other part is like, what if i ruin everything and regret it all?? then i have to grow it all out and then it'll be a loop. 😭 and what if my hair loses its texture and becomes frizzy or flat?? what if it never grows back again?

my long hair has always been part of me. everyone notices it right away, and without it, i feel like i'm not unique anymore, like i'll lose the only thing that makes me stand out. and what if i eventually grew my hair down to my feet? i'm like halfway to Rapunzel length! it's always been my childhood princess dream :,D

basically, i feel trapped: if i keep it long, i'll be stuck with my braids and its heaviness. but if i cut it short, i will definitely regret it and then i have to spend another agonizing four years waiting it out.

has anyone else experienced a dilemma like this?? did cutting your hair actually make you feel better or did you instantly regret it?? are there any hairstyles that'd make me feel good about my current hair? i'm open to any advice!

thank you so much! :D