By Thomas Cottingham
Features Assignment Editor
Redheads, gingers, or whatever you want to call them, are actually a very rare group of people. Only about 2 percent of the world has red hair, which is approximately 140 million people. Red hair is not seen that often around the world, — well, except for places like Ireland and Scotland — but St. Bonaventure University seems to have more redheads than “average.”
Growing up with red hair, it feels good to just have it, but others might see it differently. Not many friends have red hair and standing out in a crowd is much easier with a wild color of hair. The transition of having red hair in social life from high school to college seemed to be a big one, especially at Bonaventure.
Will Tighe, senior strategic communications and digital media major and redhead, feels that Bonaventure does have a good amount of redheads on campus.
“I do believe that there are more of us here,” said Tighe. “It’s difficult to explain why, but there’s something to the fact since there are more redheads, people here seemingly comment about my hair less.”
Jason Klaiber, journalism and mass communications major and redhead, also agrees with the bigger amount of redheads.
“I definitely have met more redheads at Bona’s than elsewhere,” said Klaiber. “At my high school, I was one of two [redheads] in my whole class.”
So what does the amount of redheads at Bona’s mean? Well, it can mean many things.
For one, redheads (like myself) feel less unique because there are so many. Back in high school for most, there were only a very small amount of redheads in the school. Here at Bona’s, seeing a redhead on the way to class is almost the norm. Being a redhead could have weakened the feeling of being “unique.”
Another fact is that people with red hair know what it’s like. There can be some playful teasing to full-on harassment when it comes to the auburn hair color.
Matt Bizzaro, senior finance and accounting dual major, has had experienced some bullying because of his red hair.
“I haven’t been made fun of here, but I was a lot in high school,” said Bizzaro. “I have been called ginger a lot, but more of an identifier than making fun, with the occasional ‘you don’t have a soul’ comment as a joke.”
Although most college students with red hair can get through that teasing, Bonaventure feels more welcoming to redheads.
Tyler Holmes, junior marketing major, has agreed that having the fire flow brings more attention and uniqueness to himself.
“I feel like [red hair] makes it easier for me to be spotted around campus and makes me more unique,” said Holmes.
As some people may think, some redheads might feel out of place sometimes.
Tighe said he only feels left out when he spends time with his mother’s side of his family, thanks to their Swedish background.
“[But] not so much anymore,” he added.
Another place to feel left out is on the beach. “The only time I feel like an outcast among other people is at the beach,” said Klaiber. “I usually get a bad sunburn even when I put on sunscreen.” So, redheads can get along with everyone without feeling that out of place.
All in all, redheads here at Bonas are not that rare of a sight. And as Holmes puts it, “redheads have more fun.”
cottintf14@bonaventure.edu
