accidentally prejudice?

I have recently cut my hair significantly shorter than it was before, so today I focused on how differently people looked and treated me in comparison. I refer mostly to strangers and those whom I was only acquainted with.

Before, when I would sit in the same spot every Sunday or Monday and watch people and feign interest on my phone to appear less creepy, I would often get looked at like I was doing something criminal or offensive. Few times people would approach me or ask me questions, mostly I caught stares and sharp glances. I feel that with longer hair, I was being much more judged for what I was doing and how I was behaving, even if it was mostly purely observatory. I would wear a black jacket and sit alone most times scratching notes onto a dingy notebook pad.

However, with a cleaner cut, although I wear the same clothes, and have all the same mannerisms, I am much more likely to get waved at or catch a smile from someone that I don't know. People approach me more and say things to me about how I look lonely or ask if they can sit with me. 

Today in particular, a girl came up to me with a cup of coffee and sat it by me, she told me that I looked like I needed it and I din't know how to respond, she told me her name was Anna, and she walked away. Never have I had this happen to me, no one has ever randomly bought me coffee or even approached me in such a way. It was so specific of an action that I ended up buying a coffee for someone else to keep it going.

Before, when my hair was longer and I felt more judged and restricted to social liberties, I never would have been able to imagine this type of feeling that came from pure benevolence. Somehow, in the midst of going through the motions of a more normal looking man to societal norms, I was found more worthy of being treated with benevolence. I don't doubt that I have passes Anna a thousand times throughout the course of my college career and it took me to change my appearance for her to be influenced to be so nice to me. It is interesting and frustrating to think that this is the way the world is. Altruism is hidden behind subconscious and conscious judgments of others and their level of need or deserving. However, it does still exist, contrary to my own prior beliefs.