VCU students celebrate No-Shave November

Mechelle Hankerson
Assistant Spectrum Editor

Every year after Halloween, young men shave ceremoniously to begin what most consider their true transition from boy to man. After this last shave, participants of the popular No-Shave November begin their month-long journey to increased masculinity.

No-Shave November is a variation of  Australia’s Movember, a month-long event created for men to grow mustaches to raise awareness about men’s issues, like pancreatic and prostate cancers.

The idea is that people in the participants’ lives will ask why they’re growing a mustache – and their answer will explain the men’s issues they are trying to raise awareness for.

However, No-Shave November in the United States just recently adopted the deeper meaning, and is better known as just an event to, according to the website, be more manly.

A website dedicated to the event, no-shave-november.com, says that participating in the event will save men money on shaving supplies, save time getting ready, and most importantly the website says, “Real women like real men.”

Some VCU students are taking a team approach to No-Shave November, like the men on the sixth floor of Rhoads Hall.

The floor’s Resident Assistant took one of the floor’s bulletin boards and decorated it with information about the origins of No-Shave November and how to correctly participate in the event.

“We talked about (the men’s issues connected to the event),” said Austin Hobson, a VCU freshman who lives on the sixth floor of Rhoads. “We weren’t sure what to do to help, other than grow our beards (for awareness).”

“It’s still fun,” Hobson said. “It’s fun to see people not be able to (grow a beard) and looking all scruffy for a month.”

Hobson said that the whole floor was interested in No-Shave November, but their R.A. was also very interested in the event. With the bulletin board also came a friendly competition of who could grow the best beard.

According to Hobson, the floor has yet to declare an official winner, but he’s pretty sure he knows who won.

“I think I probably won,” he said. “There was one other guy on the floor with a pretty nice (beard), so he might have beat me.”

Hobson has participated in No-Shave November in the past and usually begins growing facial hair every year during the winter.

“I still have (my beard),” he said. “I’m planning to keep it.”

Drew Milstead, a VCU freshman is also no newcomer to growing a beard.

“I’ve been bearding for like two years,” he said.

“I’ve always had sideburns since … a weird age for me to have sideburns. I’ve had good sideburns since I was a freshman in high school.”

Milstead, who was not part of the sixth floor’s competition, says he only shaves about four times a year anyway, so for him, No-Shave November is not a real challenge.

“My beard is more than a seasonal decoration,” he said. For Milstead, his beard is also a natural source of warmth during the cold winter months.

“I think my face is warmer,” he said. “I convince myself its warmer, like my neck is warmer than the rest of my face.”

For this, Milstead has decided to participate in No-Shave ‘Till New Year’s, an event he heard about from a friend.

From the beginning of October (often called ‘Octobeard’) until New Year’s, participants aren’t allowed to shave and are subject to the same basic rules as No-Shave November.

The concept of No-Shave November has been extended for most months of the year, like during Manly May or Forget-to-shave February.

Milstead does plan on shaving his beard, but not until Januarary.

“I’m going to have a practice goatee (when I shave) just to see what it looks like,” he said.