There’s nothing like seeing a person gain the self-confidence and courage to be who they really are. Sometimes, it takes a big change like leaving your family home or your hometown to feel free enough to express who we always were deep inside. TikTokers are sharing their impressive personal transformations after they left their conservative households or towns, and the jaw-dropping results are inspiring others to reveal their own stories of change.

The person who popularized this latest trend is a 19-year-old TikTok user from Utah, Cherryemojigirl, whose ‘glow-up’ is very radical: the difference is like night and day. Scroll down to see some of the very best TikToker ‘glow-ups’ and let us know which ones left the biggest impression on you and why.

Bored Panda reached out to 24-year-old teacher and writer Jay Burleigh (aka jaybaebae96) who shared her glow-up video after coming out to her family and friends as queer. According to her, this was a huge turning point in embracing her identity. “I was terrified for so long of the judgment I’d face and the relationships I’d do but I finally decided that I needed to prioritize myself and accept who I am,” she said. Read on for the rest of our interview with Jay.

TikTok user Cherryemojigirl started a viral trend

She shared how she felt pressured to dress and look a certain way while living at home

However, when she moved out, she completely transformed herself

Image credits: cherryemojigirl

Her video got over 10.1 million views. You can watch it right here

@cherryemojigirlif you knew me in middle and high school, no you didn’t ❤️ feel free to use this audio ##gloup ##transformation♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Cherryemojigirl’s viral TikTok video got a massive amount of attention on the video-sharing platform: it got over 10.1 million views, 2.7 million likes, and 10.6k comments.

And, of course, the video got others sharing their similar stories about completely overhauling their appearance after moving out.

According to Cherryemojigirl, she wasn’t allowed to express herself through her appearance because she grew up in a conservative household. Her main issue was that how she looked in middle and high school didn’t represent the ‘real’ her; she felt pressured by her family, peers, and society to look a certain way.

After graduating, the TikToker felt that she was finally free to dress and look how she wanted to. She changed her hair, got piercings and tattoos, and got new vibrant clothes to fit her new sense of style. She barely resembles who she was just a few short years ago.

What do you think about Cherryemojigirl’s new look, dear Pandas? Which particular change stood out the most for you? Do you have any stories about your own personal transformations? Share your thoughts and opinions with all the other Pandas in the comments.

One of the people who shared their glow-up videos, Jay Burleigh, told Bored Panda about coming out as queer to her loved ones

Image credits: jaybaebae96

@jaybaebae96If you’re from hs and seeing this, yes I know I wasn’t cool but I’m on ~top~ now. ##iykyk ##gaytiktok ##lesbian ##lesbiantiktok ##lgbt ##lgbtq ##fyp ##glowup♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Since coming out, Jay embraced and explored her gender fluidity. “I’d been so used to such strict expectations of what made a person a woman and what made them a man so anything in between wasn’t seen as ‘girly’ or ‘manly.’ I had to release those ideas and restructure my ideas of what made me feel more feminine and what made me feel more masculine and what just let me float in between. With this, I really learned to love myself for every piece of me.”

Jay shared some advice for anyone who’s feeling pressured by their family and friends to look and act a certain way. “It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you’ll never please everyone, but by embracing yourself the self-love you feel will overcome the judgment around you,” she said.

“Be okay with the idea that people will leave your life, learn from the lesson they left, and be bravely and beautifully you despite the hate that lives around us. It’s a long and hard journey but it’s well worth the climb,” Jay gave some motivational advice for anyone and everyone who might be struggling right now.

Inspired by the trend, other TikTok users shared their own glow-up stories and showed how much they changed

Image credits: masondenverr

@masondenverrI’ve never felt so seen by an audio before.♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: ashertattoos

@ashertattoosSorry Mahm 🥳♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: captainofthecows

@captainofthecowsi had to google how to use tik tok to make this but this has me DYING. how do i find ##trans tik tok 👁👄👁♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: cybr.grl

@cybr.grlexposing my past 😳 my parents chose my clothes so I didn’t have much freedom wearing what I wanted to…but now that I’m grown I can 🤪 ##rainbowlady♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: leonardoxdeasis

@leonardoxdeasisThis sound read me for filth so I knew I had to do it. 😂🤣 I got a mullet now but I HAD to bring back my old hair for this haha! ##fyp ##guam ##gloup♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: moodie.maggie

@moodie.maggiehad to hop on this trend 👀 ##fyp ##alt♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: myakatee

@myakateeoops 🤭♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: nikidemar

@nikidemarthis is called graduating catholic school glow up ##greenscreen ##fyp♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: quiet.cos

@quiet.cosIt’s the Snapchat filters for me ##greenscreen ##fyp ##glowup ##goth ##trend ##stepintolove ##SongOfTheSummer ##moodflip♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: scary_styles

@scary_stylesaye yo. alabama check ##BeautyEssentials ##moodflip ##transformation ##glowupchallenge ##fyp♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: thiccydyke

@thiccydykemy friends arent “PrEpPy” but i had to hop on this audio ##greenscreen ##fyp♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

Image credits: thiiiisfoolia5150

@thiiiisfoolia5150Graduated 9 years ago and am finally finding out who I am ##fyp ##glowup♬ growing up conservative glo up – cherryemojigirl 🍒

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