As the month comes to a close, campus seems to be speckled with the appearance of lumberjacks and Vikings. On Nov. 1, razors were stored away and the spirit of unkemptness was ignited among the Ball State populace in honor of No Shave November. “Movember,” the “m” alteration standing for “mustache,” was formed in 2008 when men were encouraged to grow out their facial hair to raise awareness and money for men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer. Here is a Q&A with a couple of Ball State men on their beard-growing journeys coming to an end.
Sam McClellan, a junior physics education major —
Q: How fast does your beard grow?
A: My beard grows relatively fast. I usually shave once a week, but if I desire to go clean-shaven for an extended period of time, I would probably need to shave every two days.
Q: What does your beard say about you?
A: It says that I am a ginger. It shows that I am adventurous — or my roommate would say “eccentric” — because I am growing a full beard in behind four or five months worth of a goatee. I also enjoy experimentation. I have been in the process of experimenting with my facial hair for the past couple months.
Q: How would you describe your facial hair?
A: My facial hair is red and coarse but grows pretty full. I am proud of it.
Q: Why are you doing No Shave November?
A: I am doing No Shave for two reasons. One, it’s an excuse to grow a beard. Two, I want a beard for the winter.
Q: What are some challenges and pluses about growing out your beard?
A: The challenge is being patient enough to not trim some of the hair on my neck because it really bugs me. But the pro to growing facial hair is that it keeps my face warm during the winter months.
Q: What kind of reactions do you get about your growing facial hair?
A: I get a lot of sarcastic reactions from my friends asking me when I am going to shave it or threatening to shave it at night when I’m sleeping or even friends coming up to me and grabbing it.
Q: Does anyone disapprove of you not shaving? Why?
A: No one truly disapproves of my facial hair, but a lot of my friends do not quite understand why I am doing it. Amongst certain friends of mine, facial hair almost always comes up in conversation and mine can come up sometimes. I am growing my facial hair the way I am because I want to. My friends can disapprove all they want, but I will continue to grow my beard.
Q: Have you done No Shave November before?
A: I have done No Shave November since my freshman year of college.
Austin Highlen, a sophomore criminal justice major —
Q: How fast does your beard grow?
A: My beard is pretty weak. It will grow about an eighth of an inch a week but is thin and nothing to brag about.
Q: What does your beard say about you?
A: My beard tells people that I have higher priorities then wasting time looking clean cut. It shows that the judgment of others against my weak facial hair doesn’t faze me.
Q: How would you describe your facial hair?
A: It’s all there but weak. It grows well around the chin but comes in blond and thin in the stash. I wish it was thicker but on the plus side, if I did need to be clean-shaven, I wouldn’t have to shave as often.
Q: Why are you doing No Shave November?
A: No Shave November gives a man a reason to grow out his facial hair in full. It gives people like me that can’t grow a respectable beard an excuse to try.
Q: What are some challenges and pluses about growing out your beard?
A: A definite challenge is not trimming the neck beard. It comes in super itchy and it is tempting to cheat, but that breaks the only real of No-shave November; no shaving. The pluses are the ease of not having to shave ever, the protection against the cold November wind and the facial hair to stoke in contemplation while looking off in the distance thinking about complicated philosophical questions.
Q: What kind of reactions do you get about your growing facial hair?
A: People don’t often comment on my facial hair. It’s not bad enough to mock, but it’s not glorious enough by any means to praise, so it often gets unnoticed.
Q: Does anyone disapprove of you not shaving? Why?
A: I had a lot of faith that I was going to make it this year. I had no one to impress and a lot of encouragement, but sadly there was a last minute change and I had to be an usher in a friend’s wedding, and he wanted the hair gone. I honored his request to shave but I may just start over and try “No Shave Winter Break.”
Q: Have you done No Shave November before?
A: I have begun No Shave November every year since my sophomore year of high school, but every year I bail out just before Thanksgiving. I recognize that my beard by that point isn’t respectable, and I don’t want to endure the jokes at the family gatherings. When my bread thickens up, if ever, I will wear it proud.
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