The first time you saw it was probably sophomore year in high school. Guys who had just started shaving within the past year or two were finally feeling bold enough to take that next big step in their paths to becoming men -- growing out their facial hair. They decided to leave that patch of fuzz on their chins and upper lips, effectively ending their days as fresh-faced teenagers and making them sophisticated adults.
Now that we're in college, however, just about every guy and his grandma can grow facial hair (assuming his grandma is on steroids). This must mean the male population as a whole has truly reached nirvana, right? Unfortunately, things are not that simple. Some people consider facial hair unattractive, goofy or even sleazy.
If you ask around, you'll find a lot of varying opinions on facial hair. But, before I divulge the sentiments on Grounds to you, let's take a look at some of the memorable and notorious people in history who sport facial hair:
Good: Gandhi, Jesus, Moses, Abraham Lincoln, Jason Cain, Mario Brothers
Bad: Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, Genghis Khan, Adam Morrison, Yosemite Sam
As you can see, both sides certainly have their share of mustachioed individuals. The battle lines are drawn, but let's get back to our first question: What do students think? After asking around a little, I think it's safe to say the female population does not like facial hair in most of its forms.
Most girls find a little scruff or stubble to be cute or even attractive. Depending on the guy and style, even a significant amount of facial hair can be appreciated if it is well kempt and under control.
In reality, though, guys are rarely able to pull it off. Nothing drew as negative a reaction as the mustache. Girls were quick to point out their distaste for it, at times even throwing around the g-word (gross). What is it about mustaches that make them so repulsive? In the words of my girlfriend, "It's like a hairy creature or caterpillar landed on your face and died." Ouch.
I do happen to know one member of the female population who adores mustaches, though -- my mom. In fact, it is one of the first things to come up when I ask her why she was first drawn to (and eventually married) my dad. Could this mean that I owe my very existence to a mustache? If it weren't for my dad's furry friend, his allure might have fallen just short of reeling in my mom, which would mean I'd never have been conceived.
So if girls don't really like when guys have facial hair, why do guys bother at all? Personally, and a lot of guys would agree with me, keeping a clean-shaven look can be a hassle and sometimes it just feels like it's not worth it. This attitude, after a week or two, leads to a semblance of a beard which can project a general lack of care for one's appearance. If you want to avoid this and have a more put-together look, you'll still need to spend time shaving a bit and trimming, which defeats the purpose of being hassle-free.
Then what about guys who have completely intentional and planned out facial hair? Well, I talked to one guy (we'll call him "Jerry Wombat") who is going with a mustache/goatee combination. Jerry explained to me how, when he noticed after not shaving for a while that he could grow some real facial hair, he decided to give it a try.
He felt like, even if it wasn't going to make crowds of girls throw themselves at him, it at least gave him a unique look and was fun to experiment with. Not to mention that, after every shave, Jerry would quickly grow just enough hair for his upper lip to look "dark" and certainly not clean-shaven, so he might as well let nature take its course and let it grow.
As you can see, the pros and cons of facial hair could be debated endlessly. If you bump into me one day and would like to share your thoughts with me, feel free. Just don't be taken aback if I have a beard ... I was probably too lazy to shave.
Daniel's column runs bi-weekly on Wednesdays. He can be reached at mcnally@cavalierdaily.com.
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