Many people have been growing their lockdown beard due to the pandemic. This “phenomenon” is due to the fact that most of us have been indoors in our homes from whenever the lockdown has started in your state or country and people have been either working from home and going out only for buying the essentials and for emergencies. I too grew my beard, choosing not to shave from March 21 till May 1st. This is longest that I have not shaved since I was 21!

21! Yes two decades ago. had stopped shaving for 30 days and then I had to have an operation, so I didn’t shave for another month while I recovered. When I finally had it shaved at the barber’s, I came out a new man or rather a young boy. I have also grown a goatee or French beard twice in my life – once when I was 19 almost 20 for about 2 months and then when I was 26 and living in Calicut for another 2 months. I love growing a goatee and people normally say that I look dashing with it.

So for another week I kept the goatee but not shaving the rest of my face for a week. On May 8th I finally took a new cartridge out and shaved off the rest of my beard and felt very light after that. So now I am still only shaving once a week, usually on a Friday (I am off on Thursdays & Fridays at the moment) and it feels funny having a week’s growth of mostly white stubble on my face.

I do not know why people grow beards for lot longer than that. It’s a mess and hair on your face is funny looking. And I can’t stand hipster beards at all but hey as long as you are not hurting yourself or anybody, grow a fucking long one if you want to.