It’s that time of year again. A time when well-shaved men turn into what looks to many of us, a different person. Girls dread it, employers forbid it and men go crazy for it. Yes, “No-Shave November” is upon us.

Students around campus are participating in this nationwide activity for many reasons.

Kevin Ball, a third-year in criminology, said he likes the convenience of not having to always shave.

“Shaving sucks to begin with, so if I can get a month of not doing it, it’s kind of nice,” Ball said.

However, Ball said the convenience of not shaving could come at a cost. There are times when the beard can become so itchy and scruffy that many people give up growing it.

Sam Harrington, a second-year in political science, said that is exactly why he stopped participating.

“After just not having facial growth, as I suspected, I kind of gave up on it and lost interest because it didn’t seem that important,” Harrington said.

The importance of “No-Shave November” is something Harrington and other students said they never knew about.

“I have never heard of it as an actual movement,” Harrington said. “I have just heard of it as something people do in November just for fun.”

However, “No-Shave November” has a bigger meaning that some Ohio State students said they did not know.

It is part of a global movement called “Movember.” According to the Movember website, mustaches are passed out and various outreach activities are held to tell people that November is Men’s Health Awareness Month. “No-Shave November” has become an extension of this by representing a bigger issue of prostate cancer, according to the website.

Jeremy Dolan, fourth-year in sociology, said he first heard of the “Movember” movement last weekend at gallery hop in Short North when he spoke to someone who was giving out free mustaches to people.

Kapil Melkote, a fourth-year in international relations and theatre, said he was surprised there was a reason for the activity.

“I have never seen it tied to that ever, I just hear people talk about it,” Melkote said.

Melkote said the main reason he always participates is because it is fun.

However, Dolan said he has never participated before but, after learning the meaning behind it, he is more likely to.

“Its kind of spreading awareness about something and not just being lazy and not shaving,” Dolan said.