Every day students are faced with the most crucial or the easiest decision of their day: what to wear. While many take hours carefully picking out and coordinating outfits, others choose to simply dress comfortably.
Northwestern State University of Louisiana students have mixed emotions as to which of the two they choose to do. Unlike most high schools, NSU students do not have to adhere to uniforms or a dress code. Students can choose whether they dress up or dress down for class.
Dressing up for class always gives you an opportunity to impress. However, not all students choose to dress up every day.
“I would rather be in comfortable clothes because it is something I can easily control,” Milo Sealy, freshman communication major, said. “I may not be able to change other stress factors, but I don’t have to worry about the added stress of getting up early to get dressed up or having to stress about buying clothes to actually get dressed up. As a busy college student, it is truly just one less thing I must put mental effort into.”
Dressing down can create a more comfortable and less stressful environment while learning.
“I like to do an equal medium,” Kairi White, freshman psychology major, said. “I dress down on busy days for maximum comfort or when I’m not feeling 100%, and I dress up on short days or days I have something fun to do.”
While it is a nice effort to always be dressed extravagantly, for most people it is not realistic. Some students said that they found their balance: they only dress up on days that have special events.
“Whatever I wear to class depends on whether it’s a normal class day or a badge attire day,” Ashlynn Fiske, sophomore nursing major, said. “On a normal class day, I tend to wear more comfortable clothing versus on badge attire days, where I must wear more professional attire.”
Sometimes, the question of whether to dress up or down is a daily question. While most people change their outfits based on the day ahead, students have varying opinions about whether people should dress to impress or just not stress.