At Penn State, we dress like we go to a university in Florida or sunny California. Skirts or heels are still worn even when snow is falling and sidewalks are icy. It could be minus five degrees out, and it will never cross one’s mind to simply stay in for one night. So how do we still dress like it is 70 degrees out without getting frostbite or hypothermia? Well the answer is simple: frackets.
A fracket is a jacket someone wears when going out for the night. It is a jacket that he or she does not particularly care about. It is stashed somewhere in the frat or apartment, and it is retrieved at the end of the night. (If someone else didn’t get to it first). Being a second semester sophomore, I have learned the unwritten rules concerning the fracket. They were either learned by observations, or the hard way
1. Never get attached.
This is the number one rule. It does not matter where you are, or how great your hiding spot is. There is always a chance of that fracket being taken. The life span of a fracket is a short one. When your fracket is gone, just cut your losses and move on.
2. Don’t take two frackets.
I know it is freezing out and it is tempting to layer up, but this is a greedy move. If you are lucky enough to retrieve one, then don’t go taking another. You will leave some girl fracket-less, and with this winter, that is a pretty cruel move.
3. Never bring a North Face.
In the fracket world, North Faces are gold. Unless you plan on keeping it tied around your waist the whole night, then this will never be a good idea. The chance of you getting it back is very slim.
4. Stay away from the fracket room.
Some call it a fracket room, but I call it the kiss-your-fracket-goodbye room. I was foolish once. It was a dark room with hundreds of frackets all over the place. Something told me to find another spot, but I was too lazy to try to find another place for it. I thought I'd found a decent nook to stash it in, so I took my chances. I returned hours later and there was not one fracket left in the room. I had to wear a wet zip-up I found lying on the floor that night. So, I repeat: stay away from the fracket room, and get creative with your hiding spots.
5. Don’t put anything you care about in your fracket.
As stated before, there is always the chance of your fracket being taken. So before you put it somewhere, check to make sure you don’t have your keys, ID or even your favorite Chapstick left in the pockets. Because the only thing worse than having your fracket taken is having your belongings go away with it.
6. Don’t be picky.
It is freezing out, so if an Aeropostale zip up hoodie from the seventh grade is your only option, then don’t hesitate. For example, my friend was given a piece of a curtain one time and used that graciously. Desperate times call for... well, you know.
