A Chop for Change: The Psych Behind the Smith Chop
On a quick walk around Smith campus, one can witness an entire rainbow of hair colors in an even larger variety of styles. Smith’s campus culture is the perfect place for one to make a small style change, or even embrace the Smith Chop.
Hazel Heiko, a first year Smith student, heard of the Smith Chop before even coming to campus. “Smith Chop is something that like every Smithie knows about,” Heiko said. But why has a simple haircut become such a Smith-associated phenomena?
It’s no surprise that the start of college is a time for many students to change their appearance. The transition from high school to college generally marks a substantial increase in freedom for students, as they move away from home and step into the full independence of adulthood. A new haircut is a distinctive way to embrace this change and start the school year fresh.
A dramatic haircut on any campus can be a uniquely creative form of self expression, but a Smith Chop is claimed to be a step beyond that. “I think it’s such a bonding Smithie experience,” Heiko said. Heiko’s Smith Chop occurred in a house bathroom, courtesy of their new housemate, and served as a great opportunity to get closer with the people they live with.
Many other Smithies recently got their hair cut by fellow students at a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) fundraiser, titled “Smith Chop.” At the event, student hair stylists offered hair cuts, hair tinsel, and hair dye on the Quad lawn with all proceeds going directly to families in Gaza. The fundraiser attracted a variety of students, some seeking bold red buzz cuts and others only a trim with tinsel.
Naomi Steckel, a sophomore Smithie, attributed the event’s popularity to Smith’s identity as a historically women’s college. Smithies feel welcome to change their appearance and express themselves without judgment from peers. “I feel like it’s about the creativity and freedom of expression,” Steckel theorized.
Both Heiko and Steckel volunteered at the fundraiser, enthusiastically managing the cash register. Steckel emphasized the event was also a great way to reduce the “stress or decision paralysis people have about donating” since the fundraiser was both physically accessible to students and provided an in demand service, a famous Smith Chop.
By Ashley Lang
