College students are not necessarily known for their keen sense of fashion. Ask anyone. When most people try to conjure up the image of a typical college student, they envision tousled, unruly hair, ratty sneakers, unwashed jeans and old sweatshirts.
This student, let's call him Jim, just got up five minutes ago and is late for class. He's barely brushed his teeth, much less had the time to comb his hair. He doesn't care about what people think. He's a rebel, and the women love him for it. After all, it's college. Right?
Of course, this description does not apply to all of us. It is almost offensively stereotypical to say that most college students roll out of bed not caring how they appear to others. There are many students out there, and here at Hopkins, that take time and effort to look put-together.
Yet, we all know this image of the "typical" disheveled college student. We see Jim on campus everywhere, whether on our way to class or sitting in lecture. We know Jim. Some of us may even be Jim. But is it appropriate to dress that way on campus?
I say no. Our parents, our college guidance counselors and those college brochures we all collected our senior year claim that college prepares you for the real world. In the real world, appearance does matter.
Therefore, students should take some care in the way they dress for class. If professors dress appropriately for class, why shouldn't students? They should treat their classes as they would their jobs and dress accordingly.
I am not saying that we should wear pantsuits to class and I am not saying we should dress as though we are going to the Den, which is equally inappropriate. Clean jeans and a clean shirt are more than acceptable.
But it's more than the clothes we wear. It's also about how we look. Students should brush their hair, shower and wear clean clothes. We should take the time to look like we care.
I think that those who complain about time constraints in the morning can easily take an extra five minutes to brush their hair and put on a clean T-shirt. It is not that difficult.
I understand the pressures that come with being a student, particularly at a prestigious university such as this one. I understand that sometimes all you want to do is throw on a sweatshirt after a long night of studying. And this is perfectly acceptable once in a while. But it is completely inappropriate to do so everyday.
What you wear in your free time is your own business. But if you are going to class, you should dress accordingly. Take some pride in your appearance.
And if you won't do it for yourself, do it for the people in your class - it's unbelievably distracting trying to hold your breath throughout an entire class period because you're trying not to smell the unshowered, unkempt heathen sitting next to you.
