Eric

Bearded since: 2010. I am a dedicated, permanent beard grower.

Comments:
I spent almost twelve years in the Army before deciding to get out and go to school. My release date fell within a few days of my thirtieth birthday. After having the mandatory clean-shaven look all of my adult life, I knew that I needed to change things up a bit to usher in my thirties and to express my individuality. It's also sort of a badge of maturity as I'm surrounded by a much younger crowd of college students.

How do I feel about my beard? The act of grooming my beard and shaving around the edges fosters a greater sense of pride in my personal appearance than I've ever really had before. When all of my friends and relatives see me for the first time since I got out of the military, they usually look quite surprised and tell me that it looks good on me. I feel like it makes me appear more confident and have noticed more attention from the ladies.