The idea is pretty daunting. It takes a lot of confidence for ladies and gents to rock the Natalie Portman "V for Vendetta" or Bruce Willis look. It's normal to want to switch up your look, but the bald-headed birthday suit is definitely a hard core move. For St. Baldrick's participants, it definitely makes a statement — that you care.
It wasn't just the ladies giving up long locks this year. Jonathan Schommer, a sophomore from Knott Hall, shaved his dreadlocks for St. Baldrick's on Thursday. He invested two years into his dreadlocks, and the experience was the he first time he had cut his hair since his senior prom.
"It's just hair," he said. "I'm doing this because I think this cause is really great and I really believe in standing in solidarity with others, and this is just a little way to do it."
Schommer's main reason in making the change was his grandmother, who died of ovarian cancer when he was five.
"I was really close to her, so cancer has always been a part of my life," he said.
His friends were also a big part of his project, with 81 attending the Facebook event he created to help raise money. The ones who showed up on the special day got a special prize — each got to cut off a dread.
"A lot of people always joke that they are going to cut them off, so I figured I would give them the experience."
Although a part of Schommer's look for two years, he said losing his dreads wasn't so bad.
"The most nerve-wracking part was having people constantly ask if I was ready for it," he said. "The anticipation was the worst part."
The best part? Schommer raised around $170 and received a new ‘do that — if possible — makes an even bigger statement than the dreadlocks. He also loves his look.
"I think it's great that I now have hair shorter than my roommate who is in Air Force ROTC," Schommer said.
Take note of and maybe give a ‘hey there' whistle to one of these bold and bald beauties like Jonathan Schommer. Caring and confidence is way sexier than any hairdo could ever be.
