Bethel University: Where academics, sports and the man bun converge

by Olivia Johnson | Royal Report

Soft, copper-toned, curly hair brushes his shoulders as he pulls out a black hair binder. Gathering the locks into a bunch, he wraps the binder around a couple times and he is done. The man bun has been achieved. A trend has been mastered.

The man bun is sported by celebrities, such as actors Jared Leto, Chris Hemsworth and Brad Pitt. Those people whom culture defines as “‘hipsters” have also adopted the trend, pairing it with stereotypical flannel shirts, cafés and the newest Apple products. The trend his visible at Bethel University, especially among athletes, like sophomore Danny Jaderholm.

“I did it for soccer,” the education major said. “It was partly … ‘I’m gonna try something different.’ It was out of curiosity.”

After his brother grew his hair to an impressive length, Jaderholm did, too.

“I found myself fiddling with it a lot (during the soccer season),” Jaderholm said.

When his bangs became long enough, he went for the man bun, which he also used with a headband.

“It’s manageable,” Jaderholm said.

Sophomore Ryan Kopca started growing his hair to join his football team’s trend. Kopca discovered the man bun, and occasionally pairs it with a hat. “It’s all right. It’s something new,” he said.

Sophomore Ryan Kopca, a biokinetics major, plays baseball and football for Bethel. He started growing his hair out and often tied it up in a bun and hid it under a hat in October 2012 in order to fit in with the rest of his long-haired teams.

“I figure this is the only time I’ll get to do this,” Kopca said.

He figures short hair is better for looking for a professional job after college. Kopca is considering cutting his mane for an organization called Locks of Love, which uses the hair to make wigs for sick children.

Junior business major Mark Torppey sports 12 inches of light brown, curly hair he has been growing for 26 months. Torppey started growing his hair out because of football.

“It’s fun having it with a sport,” he said. “It looks cool hanging out the back of my helmet.”

He models his hair after Hemsworth, who starred in Marvel’s Thor movis, and Torppey’s twin brother thinks it’s great. Torppey’s parents don’t share the same opinion and others poke fun at him.

Junior Mark Torppey utilizes the man bun if his long locks get in his way. Torppey has not cut his hair for two years and two months. “My brother thinks it’s great,” he said.

“They’ll say, ‘You look like a girl,’ ” he said.

Despite some opposition, Torppey wears the man bun proudly.

“Functionally, it works well.”

Jaderholm and Torppey shampoo and condition their manes every other day, while Kopca shampoos every other day and uses conditioner every day.

Sophomore soccer player Danny Jaderholm has mastered the man bun after letting his hair grow for one year and three months. Although he feels the trend is stylish, it’s more work. “The upkeep is more strenuous,” Jaderholm said.

“I’ve heard it’s not good to wash your hair every day,” Jaderholm said. “The upkeep is more strenuous and time-consuming. I’ve been told that getting a trim keeps your hair healthy.”

Although all three of these students commented on how longer hair is harder to maintain, the trend is gaining popularity. While Torppey and Kopca see the trend as “something new” to try out, Jaderholm connects it to the past and our culture.

“If you look at it from a historical perspective, long hair was in in the ‘60s and ‘70s,” Jaderholm said, pointing our that culture goes in waves and people in today’s culture express themselves through facial hair, clothing, tattoos — or the man bun.