I guess my time in the military had a lasting affect on me. After fifty plus years I am still clean-shaven and wear what little hair I have left high and tight.
I was pretty much the same, until about 10 years out when I wanted to try it out ...my wife hates it but now I grow a beard (takes about 2 weeks to be decently full) pretty much every winter - I’m 4 weeks in now and just ready to trim it out and make it more “formal”. I’ll admit I still keep the hair at a #2 on the sides, but it works well if I keep the beard tidy.