This past July, during Summer B, I went to school for the first time without having to wear a uniform.
Please don’t be shocked by this, it really was not as terrible as many might think. Anyone else who has started their mornings by donning a plaid skirt or oxford blouse may not be completely in agreement, but overall uniforms have been a great part of my childhood.
I never had to second guess what I would wear the next day. And I like to think that it saved me money through high school because I didn’t need quite as many outfits, but in reality that would probably be a lie.
So now, at 18 years of age and a college freshman, I am facing the problem that many had to answer years ago: What do I wear to school?
It’s a legitimate problem, as I’ve never had to consider it before. But from what I have observed, the attire really depends on the person.
Many people are perfectly happy sporting gym clothes at all hours of the day. Whatever is easiest to slip into immediately after the alarm clock buzzes is the day’s outfit.
But others are not content with this style. Class to some is a place to be seen, where makeup and a decent outfit are required. Mainly this is embodied by females, but I have spotted many guys sporting collared shirts and khakis — the typical prep look.
But when I look into my closet every morning, I still don’t know what to wear. I have done my observation, but still have yet to find my daily style category.
This is one of college’s greatest objectives; students must learn to think for themselves. Clothing is not the only decision I have to make daily. There are more obstacles to hurdle and many opportunities to take the easy way out. Many professors don’t take attendance, and no one would notice if I slept all day, never venturing beyond my room.
University life is filled with choices, and the answers add up to equal a personal college experience.
In years earlier, I have always relied on some form of guidelines on everything from how to dress, where to be at an exact time and so forth. But now, left to my own choice, the pressure that accompanies the personal freedom is overwhelming.
Until the day I left my hometown and moved to Gainesville, the world seemed a lot smaller.
And a lot easier.
This is true with many other concepts that early education, especially private school, has instilled in me.
Growing up, many topics were hushed. Issues such as drug use, gay marriage and teenage pregnancy were not socially acceptable, so teachers steered clear of them. The same goes with curse words or any sexual remarks.
The adults I grew up with brushed unclean topics under the carpet and kept them there.
College takes that carpet and shakes it out. All the dust once collected underneath comes to life and is discussed in and out of the classroom.
In college, some of the hardest tests don’t come in an exam format.
One of the greatest is what to do with 24 hours in a day. Maximizing time and getting the most that this campus has to offer for four years takes a strong commitment.
Learning to think for myself and forming my own personal opinions takes the same amount of brain power as studying for a chemistry exam.
But for now, I just need to decide what I am going to wear tomorrow.
Abby Wolz is a health science freshman at UF. Her column appears on Thursdays.
