Aggies take part in No-Shave November, alternatives
Many people have heard of No-Shave November, the time of the year when guys don’t shave their faces and girls don’t shave their legs. Enter “Movember,” a month-long event where men can grow an impressive mustache to raise money for prostate cancer research.
Many males at USU – especially students – have been taking part in these activities and welcome the chance to grow out a beard or mustache. Freshman Aditya Chauhan said he loves seeing how an individual’s look change every day simply by growing and stylizing their facial hair.
Chauhan said he heard about the annual events from his friends and decided to take the opportunity to grow out his beard.
“It’s something new for me, and I have never done something like that,” he said. “When some girls say ‘Dude, please shave,’ and others say ‘You look good,’ then you will know who you should choose.”
There are also some alternatives to No-Shave November, and many of them aren’t as widespread and well-known.
Some events going on across the country include No-Shout November, a movement geared toward sports fans. This idea, invoked at other collegiate institutions across the country, is designed to promote good will. While a person is at a game of any sort, no aggressive shouting at either competing team is allowed.
In the past, No-Shot November was organized and promoted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, to get hunters to put down their guns and bows and avoid hunting during the month. The idea garnished little support and has since been disbanded.
There are several counterculture November movements currently going on at USU and in Cache Valley.
One apartment of USU students is participating in No-Sweets November, and this month-long event has also has been deemed No-Sugar November by other groups of students.
“We just wanted to eat healthier,” said Natalee Scoresby, a freshman Aggie. “We are avoiding the freshman 15.”
Scoresby said the activity hasn’t been easy.
“We messed up a couple times, but we are doing great for the most part,” she said. “The hardest part is saying no to brownies. My roommate and I went to her grandparents’ and they had pumpkin pie. Things like that are the hardest to pass up.”
Along with No-Shave November and No-Sweets November, some female students are participating in No-Makeup November, when girls don’t use makeup for the entire month. Some male students are taking part in No-Shirt November, where they can wear jackets, vests and other outerwear, but no shirts. There’s also No-Shovel November, where students don’t shovel snow in November.
Whatever the cause and whatever the activity, November gives students a chance to break through their common routine, said Easton Humphreys, an undeclared freshman.
“It’s the middle of the semester, and things are getting serious,” he said. “Having a little tradition to break up the busyness can really do wonders for you and keep your spirits up when you start to feel overwhelmed.”