The decision to shave all of your hair off is one not popular amongst many, including myself. I always thought it was a crazy and dangerous idea. Take all this hair that sits nicely on your head and throw it off just to look like an egg? Didn’t seem very promising. However, after much thought and research, I saw the benefits and took on the task myself. If you’re unsure, I don’t blame you, but you may find it to be a freeing experience if you keep an open mind.

There are technical advantages to shaving one’s head that are beneficial to the individual. Specifically, how much time and energy is saved. The average American spends anywhere between $70 to $90 on hair products a year. I myself dealt with many different hair products that wasted money and time. With no hair to deep clean or style, you can drop the shampoo, conditioner, or whatever you use off your paycheck. With less hair, you also no longer have to deal with annoying things like bed head, hat hair and any variations of a bad hair day. Shorter showers and not having to worry about all that hair are all things that compelled me to take the leap.

Hair is an identity. It’s what separates us. Some have long hair they grow for years, while others keep it short regularly. Shaving your head is something that is perceived in a few different ways by many. As rising junior in Pelham and experienced head shaver Alessio Johnson said,  “I have nothing else to do.” Before shaving his head last year during the lockdown, he saw others trying it and decided to do the same.

After he shaved his head again this year, he suggested that I give it a try. I thought about it. I had been growing my hair out for a year and a half and it started to alarm me how long it was getting. While I did think of the other benefits like saving money and less energy, I realized it also can give a sense of new beginnings. Even though no one looks great with a buzzcut, it’s not about looking good. It’s about taking risks and trying something out of your comfort zone.

Some people see it in a darker light and associate it with going crazy or losing your grip. That type of stigma should be discarded because that pushes people away from the idea. Shaving your head can open a new chapter in your life. It’s a blank page. You can dye it, let it grow back in a different way, or even go back and shave it again.

Personally, I’m shaving it off to give myself a clean slate for the summer. The heat and my long hair were not a good combination. I felt it was time to try something new after years of having the same thing. While it seems like a very radical idea at first, shaving your head isn’t actually that crazy.

Am I writing this to try and get everyone in New York to cut off all their hair and create some sort of buzz-cut cult? No. I do think it is something anyone should consider. Regardless of who you are, taking a different route with something as simple as shaving your head may benefit your life. Whether that means you don’t have to worry about doing your hair every morning or you’re starting a new journey, shaving your head is something that can really change your life for the better if you’re willing to take the risk.

And hey, you can always grow it back.