When I was a baby-faced boy in the arms of my grandfather, he used to take out his dentures, pucker his lips and rub my face against his stubbly white beard. I would giggle and squirm, confident that when I grew up, I was going to have a beard just like his.

This November, for the first time, I just might (though I’m hoping I’ll still have a full set of teeth).

Yes, I’m partaking in No Shave November, known also by its apt portmanteau, Noshember. The annual event has permeated autumn culture as bearded men and prickly-legged women come together to embarrass themselves at the Thanksgiving dinner table. (“I’m sorry Nana, I look like a vagrant for the school newspaper.”) By not shaving for the entire month, some participants in the event also aim to promote awareness and solicit donations to different organizations, and I’m making mine to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

I write this with absolutely no knowledge of what to expect of my visage come Nov. 30. I once went a few days without shaving after having my wisdom teeth removed, but even then I somehow managed to run the Gillette over my chipmunk cheeks. I take great pride in keeping my stubble at or below the Bieber-Efron threshold, so perhaps a month without shaving will affirm that yes, I am post-pubescent.

To prepare for the month ahead, I consulted Noshember.com to understand what I’m embarking upon. According to their timeline, I can look forward to “Itch Hump Day” come the first Wednesday, and they project that men stop looking ridiculous come Nov. 14. The last day of the month is “Photograph Day,” where the before-and-afters are finalized and December’s razors are rekindled.

In my quest I fully expect to feel discomfort, avoid formal meetings and field jokes from friends and family. As for attractiveness, a naive part of me wants to think I’ll look like one of the those five o’clock shadow cologne models, but back on Earth I’m going to look like a certifiable idiot.

My hope is that the beard will help me channel my inner Hemingway (A Farewell to Friends?), so I’ve decided to blog about the struggles and snarky remarks I face along the way. And what No Shave November experience would be complete without a time-lapse slideshow?

My motive for embracing Noshember isn’t purely out of curiosity: Change is good, and fasting from the Fusion Proglide could help us all remember that true beauty is on the inside. Everything else can be covered up with a scarf.

_Evan is a senior in LAS._