I was scrolling through my personal Instagram, trying to figure out what to post. I haven't posted since December, which is very concerning for me. I need people to think I have a social life and not stay in on the weekends. All jokes aside, I actually planned on posting some pics with friends from spring break but seeing as we were all on lockdown I couldn't hang with them. As each passing day comes and goes my Instagram becomes more and more like a ghost town. It's ironic because my popular Instagram account has me posting once a day to the point we could consider that my main account! Either way, I noticed that a large majority of my posts have me wearing baseball caps. I always wonder if anyone notices my constant posting of me in baseball hats, no one has ever called me out on it. Seeing all these posts with me in a cap made me self reflect as to why I wear hats?

It all started when I was a little kid. For as long as I can remember, I have worn baseball caps. One of my favorite hats for the longest time was my Cleveland Indians hat that I would wear everywhere. As the years went on and I was forced to take the hats off for school, I remember I would feel a slight bit of emptiness not having my hat on. I especially remember in high school when our student handbook had, IN BOLD, that no baseball hats were allowed on campus! I didn't understand why, but it low-key offended me. There is such a negative stigma against baseball caps in society. But not only are baseball caps shamed but other things like women's leggings or earrings. I've never understood why people are annoyed at what other people wear. This isn't me saying that I should be wearing shorts and a gold necklace to a job interview but it just really irked me that throughout my K-12 years, I was gaslighted into believing someone shouldn't wear baseball hats unless on special occasions. I remember a conversation I had with my mom a few weeks ago. I was heading to a Latino fest at the Union and I was showing my mom my outfit and she asked if hats were allowed in the club. I was confused and she explained how in some bars in Cleveland you aren't allowed to wear a hat. Something about the club not wanting any "thugs" in the club. I was so annoyed to hear that, it sounds like low-key profiling.

I'm glad I'm in college now because no one cares what you wear. And it's not like I dress like a slob either when I wear the hat as well. I pride myself in excellent outfits when I step out of my dorm room. I am usually found in khakis or black jeans with a nice sweater or stylish jacket. You got to make sure you look good even when you're walking to class. Overall, It's relieving to come to the self-realization that baseball caps are not that bad as the world may want you to believe. Everyone needs a style for Instagram and my cap is mine.