With No-Shave November at an end, tensions are higher than ever for beard-growers and baby-faces alike. Some participants are relieved as they are finally  able to shave off their unwanted beards. Others resent the coming of December, as their prized facial hair becomes slightly less socially acceptable. Ladies everywhere lose patience with their significant others’ fuzzy faces while men who continued to shave through November remain boring.

But how should you, dear reader, react to the end of November? The following is a series of questions to help you decide whether or not to de-beard yourself once December begins.

November is a magical time of year where everyone can experience the wonders of facial hair without being judged for the quality of their beards. Outside of November, your ratty-looking whiskers just aren’t going to fly. So go take a look in the mirror. Is your beard patchy? Does it fill in all the wrong places? Does it venture any further down than an inch above your Adam’s apple? Shave it. November is over, and you will be judged. And it will be terrible. If you’re like me, you probably fall into this category. However, if you’re like me, you also don’t care.

If you are capable of growing a solid, full beard like Santa Claus or our very own photo editor Nick Nelson, that may very well be something you want to keep. Lets face it, beards are nice. They’re warm, they’re fuzzy and most of all they’re just fun to have.

However, a beard is a powerful thing and not all are capable of pulling it off. Having the right attitude and style is essential to successful beard ownership. Are you a fine arts major? Do you ride a long board to class every day? Do you frequently wear one of those baggy sweaters that appear to be made out of carpeting from the 1960’s? Do you shop organic? Do you enjoy the outdoors more than the average person? Are you frequently told that you smell of granola? Would your friends describe you as a ‘lumberjack-y’ sort of guy?

If you answered yes to at least half of those questions, rejoice. I, in all of my omnipotence, have judged you to have serious potential as a beard owner, and you could probably get away with your beard intact even after November comes to an end.

Congratulations, reader. You are now properly informed to make the important choice of whether or not to keep your beard now that November has come to an end. Think hard about your options, for the choice to come is not an easy one and will determine the fate of your face forever. Or at least the next month or so, after which you could probably have yourself a nice, new beard, should the mood take you.

Luke Price is a staff writer for The Dakota Student He can be reached at [email protected]