Beard Me
Turns out, growing a beard is a full-time job
For the longest time, I wanted to grow a proper beard. I tried before, gave up, tried again, and eventually decided that July to September 2025 was going to be the great beard experiment. The goal was simple: challenge myself, step outside my usual comfort zone, and see if I could conquer a new horizon. I just didn't realise that the new horizon would require so much maintenance.
Growing the beard was easy. Living with it was a completely different story. Suddenly there was grooming, trimming, washing, brushing, styling, and the occasional moment of staring into the mirror wondering whether I was growing a beard or accidentally adopting a small animal. 😂 Apparently, a beard does not simply grow. It demands attention, patience, and a surprisingly complicated relationship with a comb.
But the funniest part was how people started treating me differently. Somehow, adding a few inches of facial hair made me look significantly more mature. Conversations became more serious, people seemed to trust me with greater responsibility, and I started wondering if the beard had somehow unlocked a hidden level of adulthood. Same person underneath — just with considerably more hair.
By September, I had learned that growing a beard was less about the beard itself and more about committing to something I'd always wanted to try. It was a small challenge, but it pushed me to be patient, consistent, and comfortable with looking a little different. And yes, I eventually shaved it off. But for those few months, I discovered something important: apparently, maturity can be achieved with enough patience, a decent beard, and absolutely no explanation.