To those of you who make the rest of us look bad,

You, yes you. Sitting in the front of the room looking nice with your hair and makeup perfectly done and your outfit looking like you picked it out a week ago. The fact that you're dressed up makes it look like you have your life together and look like a functioning human being.

I can't decide if I should admire the time you put into looking good or hate you. Either way, I seriously wish I had the time and patience to look like you every day, or at least look a little better than I currently do.

Although I admire your effort, I would like to thank you for pointing out the fact that I look like a train wreck. I just rolled out of bed, I ran to practice, ran to class, and still haven't eaten. My hair is a rat's nest in a ponytail holder and my outfit currently consists of sweatpants and a sweatshirt (that's on a good day). You, on the other hand, look like you have your entire life figured out and are about to become the first neurosurgeon to go on a space expedition or just discovered the cure for cancer. I apologize for not showering yet this morning and especially because I didn't even have the time to change out of my sweaty clothes from practice before getting here. But hey, at least I'm trying. No, I'm not.

I read an article a few months ago explaining that dressing nicely for class, to study, or for an exam, is positively correlated with doing well in that class, being more productive, and doing better on exams. When you dress nice, you tend to feel happier and more confident than if you are wearing something like sweatpants (not as comfy though). In return, it is expected that you will be more confident with your answers and may also even calm any nerves you are feeling. Although there has been plenty of research on this topic, whether or not this works for everyone is still a mystery and varies from person to person.

Dressing nice is also referred to as a way to establish your presence (how could we miss you with your heels clicking on the ground every step you take?). It allows you to feel like you stand out amongst a crowd (believe me, you do), and amongst your peers in class.

Whether you choose to dress up for an exam because you are superstitious about it making you do better, wanting to stand out, or just because you have nothing else better to do in the morning, I will probably be sitting in the back of the classroom either happy with my decision to wear sweats that day (and every day) or wishing I was looking successful and like I have my life together.