I'm a college freshman looking for a barber!

As an incoming college freshman, there are several instances/situations, that you will have to figure out.  For example: culture shock, finding your classes, time management, etc.  HOWEVER, there is one very important thing that you will need to figure out for the duration of your college tenure.  What is that one thing? ... Well I'm glad you asked!  

WHO IS GOING TO CUT YOUR HAIR FOR THE NEXT 4-5 YEARS??

9 times out of 10, you've become accustomed to getting your hair cut by the same barber for a number of years, but all of that changes once you get to college.  There are several people that will make the trip home every 2 or 3 weeks if they are within a reasonable driving range, but that tends to get old pretty quickly if you are on a college budget.  You don't want to be that guy/girl that is notorious for wearing a hat everywhere, and there will be certain functions/events where having a groomed head is required.  Let's look at some possible solutions.

WHAT NOT TO DO:
The #1 thing you do not want to do out of desperation is go to the first barbershop you can find and go jump in the chair.  This is a sure fire way to be set up for disappointment!   Instead, try the options below:

1. Google search all of the barbershops in your college town and look at the reviews.  It is also strongly advised to visit each one of these barbershops to get a feel of the environment and cutting style of the different barbers.  This makes narrowing down a possible barber candidate easier for you.
2. Approach someone you see on campus with a nice haircut and ask them who their barber is.  This option requires you to be a little more extraverted, but would you rather have a nappy head or a fresh cut?  This could also help expand the number of people you know, so you're getting valuable info and meeting new people at the same time!.....you're welcome.
3. If you've already made some friends/acquaintances, go with them when they go to the barbershop.  This way you can determine if you like the barber or not.
4. Find a student barber.  No matter the college, there are always a handful of self-proclaimed student barbers; some of which happen to actually be pretty good!  If you're on all social media accounts, it should be relatively easy to find them, as they are always promoting themselves.
5. *This next tip is for if you've already narrowed down your selection and have chosen a barber.​  Don't just sit in the chair and say, "I want a fade," or ,"Give me a taper on the sides and the back."  Your first encounter with the barber needs to be a conversation/consultation about what you want.  Show him/her pictures and be very specific in describing the look that you want.

If none of the tips above really worked for you, there is one other option.

LEARN TO CUT YOUR OWN HAIR
If you're like me, I've had bad experiences with barbers.  After getting my line pushed back by one barber, and getting a chili bowl fade by another, I was done experimenting around.  I invested in my own set of clippers and trimmers and began watching tutorials. (Check out our tutorials on this website!)

The biggest aid in me learning how to cut my own hair was the purchase of the SELF CUT SYSTEM.  It is a 3-way mirror that you hand on your door and it allows you to see all angles of your head.  It can be purchased at www.selfcutsystem.com.

If this blog was helpful, share it with other incoming freshmen and college students that you know.