At the beginning of my freshman year, before my advisor was my advisor, she gave my freshman class some wise advise. She essentially told us to dress like we were going to meet our future employer at any given moment because you never know who you are going to meet when you leave the house. Not only will it generally be good practice for your future career, but you always to want to the present the best version of yourself to the world. You never know when you are going to have to ask a professor for a favor, run into a department head, or run into your boss. You don’t want these kinds of people thinking you are slob, now do you? No, you don’t. You will never see a professor/boss/department head show up to class/work in pajamas. So why wouldn’t you give them the same respect? I know leggings and a giant shirt are just plain comfy and easy to wear, but sometimes you have to do things you don’t really like doing, like dressing nice for class.

So without further ado, here are my DOS and DONTS for dressing for class:

DO- dress nicely, put a little bit of makeup on, and do a little something with your hair. Look like you tried at least a little bit. You obviously don’t have to look like you are going to the prom, but you should look like you put a little effort into the way you look and present yourself. Wear some nice jeans and a cute top. It doesn’t have to be an over the top outfit. You can also accessorize to spice up a plain outfit.

DON’T- Please, for all things that are good in the world, DO NOT show up to class in your pajamas. A good rule of thumb to follow is that “if you slept in it the night before, do not wear it to class the next day.” Even if it’s your comfiest shirt or favorite pair of leggings you own. If you’re running late, why not take a few extra minutes just to change out of your pajamas? You are already running late, so the extra minutes won’t make that much of a difference.

DO- make sure you wake up with plenty enough time to get ready in the morning. Try not to schedule an 8 am class (not like anyone really wants to) if you know you have trouble getting up in the morning. Trust me, as someone who constantly woke up late and went to class in her pajamas, it’s not a good look and your professors will notice! Some will even call you out on it, and it's totally not fun being called out when you’re already late to the class in the first place. So make sure you set plenty alarms to wake yourself up with enough time to at least put on clean clothes and brush your teeth, if nothing else.

DON’T- wear torn up, dirty clothes to class. This is another part of wanting to present the best version of yourself (yeah, yeah, yeah I know. I sound like a broken record, but I’m trying to make a point here). If you look like a slob, chances are people are going to treat you like a slob. You would never see a professor show up to class in ragged clothes or pajamas, for that matter! Your professors will only put in as much effort as you put in. They are there for you, and you should show them that you are going to put in your best effort.

DO- give yourself one cheat day a week, wear your most comfiest leggings, biggest shirt, and no makeup. I understand how hard it is to dress nice every day. Trust me! I love wearing my lazy clothes, but I know that when I dress nice, I feel like I can conquer the world. I always feel like I can do anything when I have a cute outfit on, but I still love to wear my legging because I mean… Leggings… Am I right, ladies?

Don’t forget that it’s not all about what you wear, but how it makes you feel. It’s about what makes you feel the most confident in your own skin. Don’t feel like you have to be someone you’re not, and always, ALWAYS remember to love yourself just the way you are because you are so perfect!