May I ask how old you were when you had your ears pierced? It sounds like it was when you were old enough to buy your own earrings? White pearl studs are pretty good reason to do it! I had mine done when I was about 11 and I'd been begging to get them done for years. Everyone I knew who'd had them done had these little gold knobby studs. My parents insisted that I have them pierced in a dr's office and I had these long surgical steel studs-- I looked like Frankenstein and was mortified. All worth it in the end ; )
I think it's a great idea to wait until you can try them on. I found sets of 3 at Walmart for less than 2$, very pretty and in sizes that are roughly 5mm, 7mm, 9mm. So good for figuring out which sizes suit me best. And great for times I want earrings but worry they'll get damaged like when I'm getting my hair colored or I'm off on a hike and slathering on bug spray.