I am not incredibly tall, but at 6'5", I am tall enough to have learned some lessons that I wish to pass on to the young tall people out there:
1. Always remember that being tall is a blessing, and personally, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
2. And furthermore, it is a gift that never goes away. Beautiful people all get ugly, fit people all get fatter and weaker, and smart people all lose their mental sharpness eventually, but you will always be tall. Of course, you also be ugly, fat, and stupid, but you’ll still be tall.
3. Be prepared to hear the following comment at least 10-15 times per month: “Oh my god. Your head almost hits the top of the doorway!” People never get over this, and they never will. It is a fascination that I’ve come to believe is inherent to human nature.
4. One thing you’ll learn quickly is among the more persistent features of being tall: everywhere you go, everybody in the area can see you, and you can see them. This is a strange feeling, and it can be both convenient (e.g., when finding people in crowds), as well as quite disconcerting sometimes (e.g., everybody can see what a pathetic dancer you are).
5. Keep in mind that tall people usually only realize that it is a blessing after puberty. Before then, it makes you different and awkward. I grew 11 inches in one year when I was young; talk about awkward. Also, for those of you in elementary schools that practice the “size order” walking in class lines policy, there is something really demeaning about being last in every single line you ever walk in.
6. A word of caution: public transportation and air travel are going to be a problem. Regarding the latter, my advice is bulkhead seats. Regarding the former, my advice is to avoid it at all costs.
7. You will frequently end up in situations where you must deal with the tall person’s worst nightmare: the little man. The little man is the short male who is profoundly threatened by your height regardless of how non-threatening you act, and he will automatically, almost instinctually, become aggressive and defensive in your presence. You must be very careful in dealing with the little man. I have always found it helpful to remain seated as much as possible in his presence, as well as to avoid using any words that imply length (e.g., say ‘what’s happening?’ instead of ‘what’s up?’). On the other hand, if you see one of these little men being aggressive, loud, or annoying in your general vicinity, there is a guaranteed means of shutting him up: walk over to him, and stand right next to him. He will always, very quickly, calm down.
