Uniform Diversity

Every Monday through Friday, I am forced to roll out of bed before the sun rises, get dressed, brush my teeth, paint makeup onto my face, and try to reason with my hair.  Sound familiar?  This is a proverbial routine for most teenagers, as school is the commanding factor in daily life.  To add even more fluency into the mix, I wear a school uniform.  Every day, I button a blue plaid skirt around my waist, wiggle my fingers into the sleeves of a buttoned sleeved oxford shirt, and dress my feet in black shoes.

There are many arguments for and against school uniforms.  Some say that uniforms aid students in avoiding distractions in school. Others argue that they strip a student of individuality.  It is certain that uniforms take away most distractions.  For example, uniforms are not comfortable.  Tights itch, girls have to be constantly aware of their skirts, shirts must be tucked in, and hair must be neatly polished. There is no room for laziness.  It helps us to sit up straight and stay alert in school, rather than being lulled to sleep by the comfort of a t-shirt and jeans.  Also, trying to pick out an outfit to wear in the morning is absolutely tedious sometimes, and school uniforms eliminate that frustration.

Many believe that students lose the liberation and expression of individuality when being forced to wear a uniform.  On the contrary, a student’s personality can shine brighter when she isn’t wearing the façade of clothing.  People often try to define themselves by the clothes they wear. Clothes are indeed an expression of personality.

However, true identity is found more deeply in how one acts, not what one wears. For example, when I’m at home, I wear comfortable pajamas. When I’m out with friends, I’ll swap those for leggings, a mini dress, lots of rings, and high heels.  In this process, who I am underneath my clothes doesn’t change.  Wearing a school uniform gives more opportunity to express yourself, because when people see you, they just see you, not the clothes you are hiding behind.  You are forced to express yourself beyond means of superficiality.

Of course, there are days that I wish I could strut into school wearing a new outfit.  Other days I want to roll out of bed and sneak into school wearing just my pajamas.   In the end, I know that my knife pleated skirt and white oxford shirt are to my benefit, and I carry much pride in being able to represent my school in excellence.

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