So long No Shave November
A month of thanks and giving is also a month of growing, beards that is. Students participate in national charity event to support cancer
Photo Illustration
Finally. The razors are being picked back up and the faces are smoothing. No Shave November has come to an end, and the prickly faced boys are no more.
No Shave November is an annual event where men, and the occasional woman, grow out their facial hair, or leg hair. In 2009, Rebecca Hill and her family started No Shave November with an original goal of spreading awareness for men’s health and raising the money usually spent on razors or salons towards the fight against cancer. What began as a Facebook page, turned into an organization partnered with the American Cancer Society that swept the nation.
However, through the years the original intent of the foundation has turned into a monthly trend, an excuse for girls to spend a little less time in the shower and an opportunity for teenage boys to compete with each other to see who can grow the least pathetic beard. It was the Hill family’s plan to design an event where anyone could raise awareness and have fun doing it. But for most, the main goal of No Shave November has been lost. Many do not know its true purpose at all.
“I don’t know why I do it,” senior Garrett McDonald said. “It’s just fun. It’s a time where I don’t care about what people think about facial hair.”
Some students acknowledge its possible frivolousness, but that doesn’t stop them from participating themselves. Even girls enjoy getting involved, just maybe not as openly.
“I feel like No Shave November is something silly to participate in and can get kind of gross,” junior Elizabeth Tullis said. “However, I do participate. I rarely shave my legs in the winter anyways. I’m just careful to not show my legs or let anyone see them so that they don’t think I’m nasty. For guys, No Shave November can kind of get carried away, and only some can pull it off without getting that homeless look.”
There is no doubt that No Shave November will continue to maintain its national involvement. The organization has achieved its goal of creating a fun event. However, they have lacked the advertisement to share No Shave November’s charity and awareness aspect.
Anna Graves is third-year newspaper lover. She is print co-editor-in-chief with Tyler Snell, whom she either loves or cannot stand. She is also senior...
