Why are there so many gingers at UConn?

My hair is my favorite physical attribute of mine, but it came with its own, unique set of challenges growing up. When I started college at UConn, I was surprised to find there are a lot of damn gingers here. So, I figured it’d be helpful to supply the public with a description of life as a ginger, and how to approach one in the wild.

The life of a young ging

Growing up as a redhead, I received my fair share of snarky comments, ridiculous jokes about my lack of soul (really guys, it was funny when I was 12, but it’s just dumb at this point), and questions regarding my lineage; but this was because I had always been the minority. From kindergarten to eighth grade I was the token ginger of my class. In high school, I was one of three true redheads in a class of about 160. But when I came to UConn, I was no longer a member such a small group, which begs the question, why are there SO many gingers at UConn?

Boys and girls alike

I don’t know if it’s just me subconsciously searching for others of my kind, but they are everywhere here. Typically I notice there are consistently more female redheads than male, but at UConn there appears to be quite the even divide. In my biology lab alone, consisting of 20 people, there are four gingers of varying shades. That makes up 1/5 of the whole lab. While 1/5 does not sound like a very significant amount, for a group that comprises 2 percent of the entire world population, I’d say we’re doing a pretty good job.

When people expect your siblings to be redheaded too

So why are there so many here?

Is it something in the air? Are these gingers seeking the foliage to compliment their vibrant locks? Is it because New England’s merciless winter makes them feel less alone when their pale skin shines in the cold, snowy months? Are they hoping that their porcelain completion will literally help them blend into the backdrop of snow and become invisible? Don’t act surprised, these are not farfetched claims. The first time I saw a tan line on my back at the end of a summer, I teared up just a little. The world may never truly know the answer to these questions.

How to tell if it’s the real deal

Now you may pose the question, “How do you know they’re real redheads?” I have an answer to this. If you see a ginger, and it is a male, chances are they’re the real deal. No guy would willingly put himself in that position, voluntarily making himself the brunt of so many jokes. With girls, it can be a different story. If she has that fake-ass Ariana Grande circa 2010 boxed deal, that’s a no-brainer; but if she’s rocking the dark strawberry blonde, testing the waters, flirting with the line between blonde and full on ging, it’s probably fake. I’m not saying there aren’t real strawberry blondes, but if a girl wants to try out the ginger life, strawberry blonde is her best bet, especially if she’s a natural blonde. Tell tale sign: check the brows. Personally, my eyebrows are virtually invisible, and what part of them you can see is as red as can be.

A cheesy ginger holding ginger (despite the lighting,and this very old picture, I am in fact a ginger)

How to approach the wild ginger

Things we get a lot, and their answers:

• Yes, it’s real, but I don’t mind you asking.
• Yes, I’m Irish, but not as much as you think.
• There is no correlation between my number of freckles and the souls I’ve claimed
• Only my friends can call me fire-crotch, otherwise it’s verbal harassment, thank you very much.
• No, you may not ask me if the carpet matches the drapes.
• Idk, do you have a soul??????

So don’t be afraid of your local ginger, or their flaming locks. We’re nice, come and talk to us. Ask us about the fact that we can’t wear any pastels because it clashes with our hair, or how many freckles we have (sources tell me during summer months I have 86 on my face).