Two special events happen during the month of November. First, my birthday. If you are reading this after Nov. 20 – you missed it. That’s okay, though, you can hit me up next year with a card, money, a present or money. The other event is something that lasts the entire month: Beardvember.

Beardvember, or as many people call it “No Shave November,” is a psychological, physical and mental roller-coaster that I believe all men – and select women – should strap themselves in for.

On Oct. 31 men – and select women – partake in a “Shavabration” where individuals completely shave their faces. As the month progresses, men – and select women – observe their faces as it fill out with hair until 12:00 a.m. on Dec. 1. At that time, on that day, people can finally shave their faces for the first time in a month. This affair is called the “Mustachio Bashio,” specifically because men – and select women – can experiment with their facial hair, often times dabbling with the idea of a mustache.

As November wore on, many people observed my face and asked me why I hadn’t shaved for nearly a month. My answer coincides with what Beardvember is all about. I have pulled the following from the official Beardvember group on Facebook.com:

“Mission Statement: To unify and beautify men through the common objective of obtaining a full beard throughout the month of November.

For one month, we shall let our facial hair grow as it was intended to. It is not a contest, but a celebration of the privilege we have received. A membership to this group is a commitment to excellence in the field of beard growing. Psychologist Robert J. Pellegrini reported in Psychology, 1973, Volume 10, No. 1, the results of an experiment on the perception of male personality as a function of varying states of beardedness.”

Now, I attempted to last the entire month without shaving. It is much more difficult than one can believe. I lasted 24 days before I realized that I was too hideous, too different of a person than I had been, pre-beard. I’m not knocking bearded people, I’m just saying, it changed the way I live my life.

Robert J. Pellegrini was right in his findings, at least in my case. I was portrayed as more masculine and dominant. There was a beard screaming to be let out.

What the psychologist didn’t discover in his findings was how sloppy various aspects of my life got. My room became more cluttered and messy than it was during other months. The craftsmanship in my handwriting decreased significantly. I was consistently late to places. I got much lazier and I played many more video games over the course of November.

I am a strong supporter of Beardvember and feel that it is something all men – and select women – should partake in. There is nothing like letting that rebellious beard out. What I am advising is to tackle November with caution.

As November ended, my face is shaved and I am looking back at the time I spent with my beard. I enjoyed watching my masculinity grow as I could easily measure it. Unfortunately, it got too sloppy for my own good.

The final breaking point came on Thanksgiving while I was in the family room of my aunt and uncle’s house watching what I found to be the funniest thing on TV that day: Bryant Gumbel commentating a National Football League game. Supposedly, as my mother reports, my grandmother asked my aunt whom the bearded fellow was sitting in the family room. My grandmother didn’t even recognize me. That night, my parents requested I change my face and my life.

Beardvember was fun — fun while it lasted, but even I have a breaking point. When next November rolls around, I hope that my face will be more adapted to growing hair and that I will be able to fill out better than I had this year. Prepare yourself now for next Beardvember and join me — and select women — in a pursuit of masculinity and a full face of hair.

Brian Fadem is a freshman in the College of Communication.