Firstly, I just got my first hairsticks and I like them a lot.  It's pretty easy to use them too, easier than I thought.  I don't think I'll wear all of my hair in a bun; I like feeling it on my neck and I like the way it looks too, having some of my hair down.  I have put the upper part in a bun and it holds pretty well, even without a ponytail holder to help.  I'm still practicing and improving doing it. 

I also got some satin pillowcases.  I've noticed my hair being more and more messy in the morning and decided to try this suggestion.  My hair is quite a bit neater in the morning.   

Congrats on the ChapStix!  Keep practicing and you will find you can make a bun without thinking!

I too find the satin pillowcase to be the best for sleeping.

Your bun looks great!  You have lovely waves.

I regularly use a single stick to hold a bun.  I think it works well with your hair and bun.  Congrats!

Shedding is normal.  Statistics say up to 100 hairs may be shed in a day.  Personnally I shed about 20 a day.  In my discussions with other long haired individuals, it seems that the follicle knows when you have long hair and the growth cycle lengthens (or maybe we are just that much more careful with our hair!) so that fewer hair are shed each day.

Depending on the growth cycle of the follicle that lost the hair, there may be a resting period before a new hair starts to grow again.

Most people will shed more when they wash - the massaging of the scalp releases hair that is ready to shed.

You will notice your hair acting differently as it gets longer.  It may become curlier or straighter - depending on the type of curl/wave you have.  The ends are getting older, so they may seem drier or more brittle (oiling helps this!).  You find you have more split ends - this will happen as the ends age and dry out.  Trimming the splits regularly will help prevent this.

Some people notice their hair tangling more.  This can be due to the additional split ends.  Trimming and moisturizing the ends will help a lot in this area.  Tangles can also come from increased curls as the hair gets longer.  Remembering to finger comb your hair more often can help prevent these tangles from turning into big tangles.

Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do to help this hair catch up with the rest.  Just be very careful with it so you don't damage it and cause it to break.  I've found this hair seems to have a shorter growth cycle and never gets as long as other hair, so I am constantly "dealing" with these shorter hairs.