“Short Hair, No Cares” has become the motto of Morgan Hall’s 3rd floor after eight of its residents donated their hair to Locks of Love and Pantene Beautiful Lengths. As of late, the group has been working on finding ways that college students can make a difference in the world on a low budget. Carmella Caltagirone, the Resident Assistant of Morgan 3rd, explained that previously they had done a “day of silence, working on how to change the world as a college student when you don’t have any money”. Now, they continue this trend with the donation of their hair.
“One of the girls on the floor came to me last semester to see if it was something we all could do,” explained Colista West, the community service chair of the floor. “This semester it actually happened, and it was something we could do all individually,” she continued. And now, every girl has at least 8 inches less of hair and wears it proudly. “It is kind of weird to get double takes, but it’s pretty awesome,” West said.
As many can imagine, cutting off this much hair was no small feat (10 inches for Locks of Love, 8 inches for Pantene). “Hair is a big security blanket and a big comfort item, but as women, donating your hair in a group is a really cool and empowering experience,” explained Caltagirone. And this truly seemed to be the case. When the eight women went to April’s Salon, they booked the entire salon for a two hour block. “All of the stylists that cut [the girls’] hair had such a fun time,” exclaimed Caltagirone. But even though it was a scary process, it was a surprisingly simple decision for some. “We were making a contribution to raise awareness by getting a haircut, which would have happened anyways,” Caltagirone continued, “It’s been an awesome community builder, and everyone that went through it relied heavily on the moral support of her floor mates.”
These women are truly an inspiration at Mines, and a phenomenal example of what can be done with a little bit of willingness. Though sacrificing something like hair is not always easy, the benefits far outweigh the downfalls, both for the participant and the persons being aided.
