I started shaving in seventh grade. Until sophomore year, I kept a bald chin, but always thought I had the capability of growing some sort of “beard.” I saw upperclassmen with ‘staches, sideburns and goatees and thought “everybody should have facial hair like that.” Facial hair, after all, has always separated the men from the pre-pubescent boys.

For this article, I attempted to grow a beard in the course of about 3 weeks (although it developed into scruff instead). To put it simply, growing a good beard is hard. Regardless of the fullness of my fuzz, I was able to discover the benefits of being a KHS student with facial hair.

Recognition
People I had never met before would look me dead and the eye and call me “goatee” or “beardy,” when we would pass each other in the halls. I have never met a person who was identified by the lack of hair on their chin or called “clean-shaven.” Try to identify Charles Darwin, Teddy Roosevelt or Mark Twain without their whiskers. You can’t.

Economic opportunity
During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, a huge opportunity presents itself to those with long, full beards: Santa Claus. Every department store in America becomes populated with stressed-out moms and their screaming kids because they need a picture for the annual Christmas card. Santas are in high demand. For the teen with a less full, more scraggly beard, there is always the opportunity to dress as Shaggy from Scooby Doo for birthday parties.

Manliness
Abraham Lincoln oversaw the defeat of the Confederacy. Lincoln was a man. Brian Wilson led the San Fransisco Giants to win the World Series in 2010. Wilson is a man. Stephen Platte has vast knowledge of American history and a multitude of unique life experiences he openly shares with students. Platte is a man. What these three characters all have in common (besides being manly) is that they have grown iconic facial hair. According to a study by psychologist Robert Pellegrini, adjectives used most frequently to describe bearded men include masculine, mature and dominant.

Along with being able to to sculpt a beard in order to look like a biblical figure, a 19th century U.S. president or just a kid with a soul patch, a beard distinguishes the wearer as mature.
Even though the population of facial hair wearers is dwindling today, strength does not lie in numbers. Beards provide masculinity and recognition. So, as the 2010 World Series rally slogan goes, “Fear the Beard.”