Preparing for College- Experimentation by BuzzedBoi

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I was finally 18 years old, and moving away from home. In fact, I was moving across the country to start college, and my parents and I had decided it would be good for me to get an apartment near the university for the summer before I started, so I could get used to the surroundings and gain some independence before starting the new school year. Personally, I was looking forward to a fresh start.

Two weeks after my high school graduation, I had moved in to my temporary apartment, and my parents had gone back home. I wouldn't be seeing anyone I knew for quite some time, and I knew it was time for a change, specifically, with my hair. For most of my teenage years, I had had the same hairstyle- basically just a dark brown curly mop. It worked on me, and I didn't like the attention associated with a new haircut. But now I was ready for something, and I decided to do a bit of experimentation. I'd get lots of little haircuts throughout the summer, and eventually- if I didn't chicken out- work my way down to an all out buzz cut.

For my first haircut, I decided to go with something I had thought about doing for a while now: a buzzed back and sides without changing the top. I went into a random Great Clips store and asked for that to be done. The lady was very happy to do that, and asked how short I wanted to go on the back. I asked what her thoughts were, and she suggested a #2 buzz around the back and sides while keeping the long, curly top. I agreed and the cut started, with most of my hair falling to the floor. When she was done, I paid and left, unable to resist feeling the short back and sides, and excited about what cut I was going to do next.

3 days later, I was ready for more, I decided to take about half the length off the top, and maybe take the sides down to a #1. I found another great clips store and went in. I asked for about 3 inches off the top, which took the stylist by surprise. She let me know that that would drastic cut, and that there was no going back. I said yes, I couldn't handle the curls hanging down in the summer heat. This cut took much less time than I expected, and before I knew it, she was done. She seemed to have gotten a little carried away at the cutting, and brought the top down to shorter than 2 inches-shorter than I had ever had. I asked if she could take the sides down to a #1, and she said no problem and did this too. I was getting closer to my end haircut of choice.

This time, I let about a week pass before my next haircut, and I found yet another Great Clips. This time, I asked for another inch off the top for starters and said we would see after that. This stylist started right at what was left at the bangs, reducing them even further. When I saw what was actually left, I asked if she could just use the clippers all over, and use a #8 on the top instead of scissors, and if she could take the sides back down to a #1. Once again, she asked if I was sure, I said go for it. Here it was, my first buzz cut. And there would be more to come.

That night, I was doing some shopping for my apartment, still not quite used to my old curly hair being gone when I saw it: a set of Wahl hair clippers on clearance for less than the cost of a single haircut. I decided to buy them, reminding myself that I didn't know anyone here for now, and that my hair was already so short I could experiment even more with all the lengths.

When I got back home, it was already after 10pm, but I was so ready to take it down further. I decided to take down the rest of the length one guard at a time, until my brain told me to stop. I thought I would probably stop around a 5- but surprise- I didn't. From the inch long top, I kept shaving it down, to a #7, a 6, a 5, a 4, and a 3... and then to a 2. My hair was never the most dense when it was the curly mess, so my scalp was clearly visible. And with that, I snapped on the #1 guard and ran it over my entire head. This left just a tiny dusting of dark hair on my head, when just a month earlier I had a 6 inch curly mop. I decided that was enough, but I couldn't stop rubbing my nearly bald head.

In the morning when I woke up, I was almost started by my reflection in the mirror. I had a few moments of regret, thinking to myself that this was just too short, and I had really messed myself up. Then, something took over me, and I ran into the bathroom and started rubbing shaving cream all over my head. Then I started shaving, stroke by stroke, until the last hints of hair were gone. I froze and just started at myself in the mirror, eventually convincing myself that although I probably looked a bit young to be bald, I actually didn't look half bad. When I stepped outside, breeze on my scalp felt amazing, and I knew that my days of worrying about the wind messing up my hair were gone. For the rest of the summer, I kept it nearly bald, loving the sandpapery feeling of a no guard buzz, and growing it to about a #2 before buzzing it again.

I kept up the habit once my classes started and I moved in to my dorm. While I had had the longest hair of almost any guy at my high school, I now had the shortest hair of anyone that I saw at my college. I was happy to have a fresh start in life, as a totally different person from my high school self. And while I don't shave it with a razor, the five minute morning routine that comes with the style is just a bonus.

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