In her 2013 song, Lorde sings, “It’s buzzcut season.” Boy was she right!  

Shaving your head is one of the most exciting things you can do. During the COVID lockdown, I had a spurt of bravery combined with the fact I was not interacting with humans and their judgment which motivated me to shave my head.  

I haphazardly cut all my hair and there was nothing more cathartic than watching it fall to the ground. Hair has always been a security blanket for me and removing it was absolutely liberating. There was no better feeling than rubbing my hand over my fuzzy, bald skull. Actually, there was one feeling that beat that… the feeling of the wind gliding across my head.  

Student Zoe Nielsen recently decided to shave her head and does not regret her decision.  

“It’s been a bucket list item for me for years,” Nielsen said. “I was actually in the process of growing it out from a pixie cut I’d had for years now but realized I didn’t even really want to have long hair again. I’m at a point in my life where I’m approaching a big move to a new school, and it just felt fitting to do something huge with my hair too!” 

College is the perfect time to do it. College can be a time for experimentation, both academically and personally. For many students, college is a time to explore new ideas and interests, to try out different courses and extracurricular activities and to push themselves outside of their comfort zones.  

Once you have started your career, you are less likely to explore this liberating human experience. Are you not curious about what is lying under all that hair? 

Shaving your head can also be a symbolic gesture that denotes a new beginning or the letting go of previous identities. It might be a means for some people to rebel against societal standards and expectations regarding appearance and beauty. It can also be a way to challenge yourself and gain confidence by taking a bold and unconventional step. 

There is this certain taboo, especially for women, to maintain a certain unrealistic standard of beauty. Having long, healthy hair is a part of this standard.  

However, there is something exhilarating about breaking free from harmful cycles of unrealistic beauty standards. Shaving your head can be a practice of self-love, empowerment and personal growth.  

This was definitely the case for WSC student, Alexis Gamble.  

“I wanted to shave my head to step out of my comfort zone and find confidence in myself without the attachment of my hair,” Gamble said.  

Another student at WSC had a similar experience. Hallie Jensen decided to shave her head for spiritual change in her life.  

“I was going through some personal things, and I was reflecting about how my hair was such a big part of my personality,” Jensen said. “Removing it was healing as it removed that expectation. I saw the raw version of me and started noticing features I never realized about myself.”  

Ultimately, whether or not you should shave your head is a personal decision that should be based on your own motivations and preferences. If you do decide to go for it, embrace your new look with confidence and enjoy the freedom and individuality that comes with it.