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TCU 360

TCU 360

All TCU. All the time.

TCU 360

Students discuss religious topics in a small group. (Photo courtesy of tcuwesley.org)
Wednesday nights at TCU’s Methodist campus ministry provide religious exploration and fellowship
By Boots Giblin, Staff Writer
Published Mar 27, 2024
Students at the Wesley said they found community on Wednesday nights.

Students embrace the scruff for no-shave November

Students+embrace+the+scruff+for+no-shave+November

It’s that time of the year again to put away the razor and shaving cream.

Not only is it the beginning of no-shave November, but it’s also a month dedicated to bringing awareness to prostate cancer and multiple sclerosis (MS).

The rules are simple: do not shave your face until Dec. 1.

Nick Wynkoop, the process-lead for the Noshember website, said the idea to start the website began in 2004 with a humorous competition against a fellow band member.

“I decided that I was going to grow out my facial hair for November and compare how much we had,” he said. “The weird part was that the other member was a girl, and she grew out her leg hair.”

It was not surprising that Wynkoop won the competition, he said.

“People do all kinds of different fundraisers for Noshember, whether they hold big events where the proceeds go towards a certain charity, or simply to try and get sponsors,” he said.

Noshember is not officially affiliated with organizations, such as the Prostate Cancer Foundation or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, but it does advocate for donations and passes on information on how to donate through its Facebook and Twitter pages, Wynkoop said.

Whether someone grows out a mustache or a beard, any awareness helps, Wynkoop said.

Ralph Carter, professor of political science at TCU, said he has been sporting a mustache since he was 18 years old.

Carter said his mustache has a certain personality in it that has stuck with him for such a long time.

“It is such a part of me now that if I shaved it off, I would miss it,” he said.

Carter was not aware of no-shave November but said he likes the idea because it brings awareness to prostate cancer.

For some TCU students, such as Connor Lea, a senior english major, no-shave November is also about having fun and experimenting will different styles of facial hair.

Lea said it is humorous in certain ways because it shows who can actually grow facial hair and who cannot.

“Your friends do it, and it is funny to laugh at how bad some of these beards can look,” he said.

Lea said he likes that there is a month dedicated to bringing awareness to cancer for men, but only as long as women do not try to grow out their own leg hair.

Lindsey Wolfe, a sophomore nursing major, said November is an interesting month because even though men participate, many can’t grow out an attractive beard.

Although Wolfe is not a beard advocate herself, she said she does think no-shave November is for a good cause in bringing awareness of cancer to the public.

Wolfe said she would never participate in no-shave November because she cannot imagine why a woman would want to do that to herself.

Chapman Bane, a senior geology major, said that he struggled with the itchiness of no-shave November last year, but this year he is going to toughen up for the cause.

Bane said he participates in no-shave November because it gives him a chance to see how “manly” his facial hair can be.

“Boys cannot grow facial hair, but men can,” he said.

For more information on how to donate proceeds towards prostate cancer or multiple sclerosis research, you can visit its websites and click on the “Donate” tab.

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