Reactions

Day 3 after The Buzz has come and gone and the reactions I've received have all been quite positive. Granted, I was still in the college environment where one may witness braided dreads, a pink frosted mohawk, and a half-shaved look walk by on separate occasions while people-watching for a couple minutes in the dining hall.

In pure shaved-head form, I have been said to resemble a Tibetan Buddhist nun, an airbender and, most recently, a lightbulb, courtesy of my ever-flattering and loving mother.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns

Aang

Lightbulb

I am thankful for the supporting feedback various people have given me. General complements have included remarks that the look works for me (and my personality), that I have a shapely head (which my mother readily takes credit for), and that I'm a little crazy but brave. The most common questions I've been asked are "Why?" and something along the lines of "How did your parents react?". I suspect that an overarching assumption is that my drastic hair styling decision was partially a move of rebellion against authority; a young adult declaration that I am my own being of human! I have fun describing how my parents made the first cut of hair and how my dad took care of wielding shaving cream and razor to ensure a clean-shaven scalp.

At this point, my hair has grown back enough that it feels kind of fuzzy. I haven't felt any more or less like myself since I shaved all my hair off, but I do have a tendency to rub the top of my head frequently because of how interesting it feels. The longer the hair grows out of my scalp, the more my hair line is accentuated; perhaps the only time my "sideburns" will be noticeable. Another characteristic my hair has developed besides the fuzziness, is its increased Velcro powers. I can now wear a beanie without fear of someone snatching it off my head. Why? Because no matter how hard I yank the beanie, the hairs are just long enough to keep it firmly in place. Beanie theft prevention tactic #53: Shave your head.

Tomorrow I may wake up with enhanced fuzziness and beanie-wearing abilities. Who knows what other power-ups my growing hair may hold?