{"id":1722,"date":"2015-02-19T09:00:42","date_gmt":"2015-02-19T14:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/?p=1722"},"modified":"2015-02-19T09:00:42","modified_gmt":"2015-02-19T14:00:42","slug":"the-beard-a-mans-best-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/2015\/02\/19\/the-beard-a-mans-best-decision\/","title":{"rendered":"The Beard: A man\u2019s best decision"},"content":{"rendered":"

By CHADWICK CARTER – STAFF WRITER<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

On Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. It promises to be a frigid six weeks. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately for the many men on campus, nature has provided protection from the cold in the form of facial hair. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels a lot warmer with a beard,\u201d sophomore Hari Peri\u0161i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

, who until recently sported a glorious beard, said. \u201cI actually miss my beard a lot right now because I go outside and get a blast of cold air every time. When I had my beard it just didn\u2019t feel cold, ever. It\u2019s like a scarf for your face.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Just like head hair, a beard can both trap in heat and shield against the wind. During the harsh winter months, having a little bit of scruff can be the difference between cold, wind-burned cheeks and delightfully bearded bliss. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels far warmer. The sides of my beard are not as defined as my goatee, so I have a bit more warmth around my mouth,\u201d sophomore Austin Ryan said. \u201cBut sometimes there is ice on my beard, so that makes it colder.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, there is one caveat to cultivating a full beard \u2014 if not dried completely before entering the winter wasteland, the beard may freeze. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It may be too late to start a beard just for the winter, as beards can take months to reach their full potential. However, the benefits of beardedness extend beyond insulation. A beard can entirely alter the appearance. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWithout a beard,\u201d Peri\u0161i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

said, \u201cI look like my four-year-old brother. With a beard, a sexy, modern-day Abraham Lincoln.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Peri\u0161i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

can compare being shaven to being bearded, which is a comparison that John M. and Louise Van Winkle Professor of Sociology and Chair of Anthropology\/Sociology Program Dr. Beau Weston cannot do. Since adolescence, \u201cI have never been without a beard. I have never shaved,\u201d Weston said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Weston\u2019s beard has been growing since the first fuzz appeared on his face. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI looked really awful at 13 and 14. \u2018Mangy\u2019 would be the word. I didn\u2019t care what people thought, and had a girlfriend anyway, so I was victorious,\u201d Dr. Weston said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

His beard is far from patchy now, and he maintains that he will not shave it. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople have often asked me, \u2018Why don\u2019t you shave?\u2019 And it always seemed more trouble than it\u2019s worth. There isn\u2019t really a downside to a beard,\u201d Dr. Weston said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In any case, both Dr. Weston and his wife prefer him bearded.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife, who has never seen my chin, doesn\u2019t really want to,\u201d Dr. Weston said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The only downside, it seems, is waiting for a beard to grow in. Every beard is different, and the process of growth deviates from person to person. To illustrate this, here are the steps (in their words) of growth for Peri\u0161i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

, Ryan, and Dr. Weston\u2019s beards, along with the word they felt best describes their beard:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Life Cycle of Hari Peri\u0161i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2019s Beard:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFantastic\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Clean-shaven<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2. Five o\u2019clock shadow\/stubble stage<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3. Prickly stubble stage<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4. Uneven growth stage<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

5. Really kind of weird, hair everywhere stage<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

6. Trimming stage <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

7. Good-looking stage<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Life Cycle of Austin Ryan\u2019s Beard:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWork-in-progress\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Clean-shaven<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2. Defined blond stubble (3-5 days)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3. Defined goatee, beginning of chin strap (2 weeks)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4. Definition of sides (1 month)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Life Cycle of Dr. Beau Weston\u2019s Beard:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSalt \u2018n pepper\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Seventh-grade patchiness<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2. Increased filling in through adolescence<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3. Full beard for all adulthood, regular trimming<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A common point in the life of a beard is the trimming stage. Unless a lengthy, Tom-Hanks-in-<\/span><\/span>Castaway<\/i><\/span><\/span> type beard is desired, beards require some maintenance. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUsually I just use small scissors around the sides to cut off the longer hairs. If it gets too unruly I shave it off,\u201d Ryan said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Besides trimming, a beard may also require stylistic upkeep. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used a brush and a comb to keep it contained. When I would take a shower I would give it extra attention. I actually had a small little towel for just my beard,\u201d Peri\u0161i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Weston, however, uses regular scratching to keep his beard in check. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I keep it short I don\u2019t really need to groom it. It doesn\u2019t go anywhere,\u201d Dr. Weston.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Combed, trimmed, or wild, beards serve many purposes for the modern man, including one fascinating comparison for Ryan. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI get called a \u2018Young Kris Kringle\u2019 because of the redness of my beard and my love of children,\u201d Ryan said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A beard is a truly multi-functional facial feature: keeping warm, changing appearance, even defining identity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, as both Peri\u0161i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

and Ryan noted, beards are not for everyone. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeards are for those who want to challenge themselves and those who want to go into academia or sports, baseball for example,\u201d Ryan said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Weston, himself in academia, agrees. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProfessor is one of the jobs where you can get away with a beard the longest,\u201d Dr. Weston. For those who choose the beard life, though, a beard is a truly special thing. For Peri\u0161i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

, growing a beard was \u201cthe best decision I\u2019ve ever made in my life.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Men of Centre College, it can be the best decision of your life as well.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By CHADWICK CARTER – STAFF WRITER On Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. It promises to be a frigid six weeks. Fortunately for the many men on campus, nature has provided protection from the cold in the form of facial hair. \u201cIt feels a lot warmer with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1722\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cento.centre.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}