Concordia Men Compete in No-Shave November

by Abigail Wisniewski

For many guys looking for an excuse to grow out their beards without the criticism of nagging mothers, girlfriends or even concerned female friends, No-Shave November is the perfect opportunity. This year, the trend has taken on the name ‘Movember,’ encouraging the manly participants to post pictures of their mustaches including hashtags to make sure their facial hair achievements are properly shown off.

Junior Resident Assistant Benjamin Browne has put his own twist on the trend for the second year in a row, making it a hall competition between residents.

“I think it’s a fun thing for guys who enjoy doing it,” Browne said. “It’s the perfect timing because you can grow it out and then you can shave before you go home.”

Residents in Browne’s hall compete to win prizes in several categories—Best Baby Face, Grossest Mustache and Manliest Beard. The prizes reflect the category. For example, the winner of Grossest Mustache wins a bottle of Old Spice as a hint to clean it up.

Though not every male hall makes an event out of Movember, other halls also make it a competition throughout the month.

No-Shave November was originally started in 2009 by the Chicagoland Hill family as a way to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. The untamed hair is meant to start conversations which can serve as an avenue towards bringing awareness and inspire action.