For some students on campus, November marks a month of stoic rebellion; they put down their razors and participate in “No-Shave Novembeard” by growing beards, mustaches, and in some cases, mutton chops. While it is a fad that usually only affects the men on campus, women are also welcome to participate.

For Eric Anderson, sophomore in LAS, the month-long challenge offers him an excuse to skip the daily shaving routine. His steadfast determination to stick it out the entire month has persevered; he insisted he will not shave until Dec. 1, though he admitted the task proved to be more challenging than he originally anticipated.

“It itches like crazy, but I am going to get the ‘Kyle Orton neck beard,’ I will not shave it,” Anderson said.

Anderson’s roommate and sophomore in Aviation, Kyle Johnson, is also braving the challenge. The pair views the month as an opportunity for friendly competition to see who can grow the longer, thicker, more grizzly-like beard.

“It’s a testosterone-fueled event,” Anderson said. “Our egos like to think we can grow a sweeter beard than the other guy.”

Anderson said the money they save from shaving supplies this month is going toward the apartment video game fund.

Sophomore in LAS Sean Berbert said he is also participating for the first time because of the competition between him and his housemates.

“We figured it might be fun to see who can come out on top, who can hold out the longest,” Berbert said.

Both Anderson and Johnson first heard of the event while they were in high school but had not taken the idea seriously until this year.

“It’s something I’ve always looked to do but never had anyone to do it with,” Johnson said. “Plus, in high school you’re still under the thumb of your parents, and my mom is not a fan of my facial hair.”

Johnson said he recently told his mother of his commitment to the cause, but thinks he will be forced to shave for Thanksgiving.

“She will definitely see the damage that has been done,” Johnson said.

Anderson added that he hadn’t told his parents yet; his bear-like beard was going to be a “Thanksgiving surprise.”

The roommates stopped shaving the last weekend in October and set up apartment rules to follow so that the competition was fair.

“At first, we were going to make a trimming rule, but then decided we had to do this legit(imately) without trimming anything, including the neck beard,” Anderson said.

Berbert and his housemates set up similar standards; their unique rule requires that there must be at least one inch of bare skin throughout the entire month to determine how long the hair has grown.

Anderson said he actually prefers to be clean-shaven but enjoys the experience of boycotting shaving temporarily because it’s something fun he can do before hygienic worries settle in surrounding a professional career.

“It adds a little change-up to the daily routine,” Anderson said. “And I figure it’s a nice little man scarf for the colder days.”

Johnson, on the other hand, only remains hairless for a few occasions because of the time and effort that shaving entails. He said it takes him only five minutes when he does shave once a week. However, shaving at the month’s end will prove to be a grittier challenge, he added.

“Getting through this forest is no easy task,” Johnson said.

Anderson, too, said he was not looking forward to the excruciating shave in store for him.

“I started getting facial hair when I came out of the womb,” he said. “It’s going to be difficult to shave and hurt a lot.”

Johnson also enjoys the practicality of his beard on nippy November mornings.

“Surprisingly, it does keep me warm in the winter,” he said. “It takes the bite out of the wind, especially when I’m riding my bike.”

He added that the inspiration for face protectors came from man’s natural face protectors – beards.

Anderson said the competition has potential to be carried into other months.

“Shave-less September, Don’t Shave December, Facial Hair February, Mustache March,” he listed. “We could expand a winter sport into a year-long sport, really. By that point, though, I would look like Kimbo Slice.”

While Anderson and Johnson both consider the phenomenon a competition of sorts, some students are refraining from shaving in order to raise awareness for a particular cause. This year, Noshavenovember.org established the event in order to help raise support for the Save Darfur Coalition.

Apart from raising money or awareness, Johnson said No-Shave November is about championing the disapproval that society bears toward scruffy young men.

Berbert appreciates the ideas behind No-Shave November because he does not feel judged when he goes out because people can assume he is participating.

“I feel like every man should not be afraid to grow a beard any time of the year, but I think it’s special during November,” he said. “It’s a just cause.”

When asked where the fear stemmed from, his answer was simple: “the women.”

“Girls don’t like a full beard,” Johnson added. “I’ve got one roped in; she really doesn’t have a choice.”

However, he said he was not an advocate for girls’ participation in the stretch to shave as little as possible.

“I’m not into the whole leg warmer look,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s beard-growing idols include ZZ Top, Zakk Wylde and a former professor who had “one of the finest beards (he’d) ever seen.”

“It’s a dream of mine to one day grow a beastly beard,” he said. “I just have to get motivated.”

Luckily for Johnson, this month allows him to flaunt his facial hair freely in his attempt to defy society’s strict norms. Interestingly enough, one synonym for “defy” is “beard.”