What can I do with long very thick hair?

[JudgeyHotPants]

I have long thick, coarse and wavy/frizzy hair. I always wanted long hair and have been growing it out for the past year or so, but now I'm finding it so hard to style. I work in a school and really to wear it up to avoid catching head lice but wearing it in a ponytail or bun gives me the headache from hell because my hair is so heavy. I can only stand it in a very low ponytail but I think that looks so untidy and scruffy.

I don't know what to do with it? A bob always looks puffy on me due to my hair thickness! Layers look a mess. What can I do with it so it looks tidy but is still manageable?

People always wish for thick hair, but they can have mine with pleasure!

Plait it. Mine's thick, slightly curly and down past my bra strap and I also work with children.
I French plait it, put it in a loose plait or French plait it from one side coming across to the other. Which the kids love as it looks like I have 'Elsa' hair.

I don't know how to french plait. I've never learned. My mum always made me have my hair in an awful "German Helmet" pudding bowl style as a child but that's a whole other thread....

Is it easy to do?

Should also say that I also have lots of layers growing out meaning it's all different lengths!

Switch to curly girl method, for a start (search on here for threads about it). It's amazing and will make your hair less frizzy so generally tidier looking. What about a low bun, if a low ponytail is untidy?

I suppose a low bun could work. I hadn't actually thought of it. I don't really want to get it cut, but that's looking like the only option at the moment. I find with it being so thick it's a faff to do anything with, it really is that thick. Every hairdresser who touches my hair without fail will pass comment on how thick my hair is.