I went to private school from kindergarten all the way to my senior year of high school. My high school uniform consisted of two different skirts and three options for shirts. The most exciting variance was choosing between white Vans or black Converse. Needless to say, I could not wait to add more variety to my wardrobe when college started. I imagined myself walking around campus like the girls from "Pretty Little Liars." Maybe I would even throw in a little Blair Waldorf here and there. I was so excited. That is until one of my coworkers laughed at my enthusiasm and said, “Sweetie, you know nobody actually dresses up for class, right? Wear your pajamas or sweats. ‘Looking nice’ is wearing my best pair of yoga pants and, maybe like, a sweater.”

By the time first semester rolled around, I was worried that rocking heels and cute skirts to class was a little too flashy. So, I donned the sweatpants, hair tied, chillin’ with no makeup on look for at least three of the five days I went to class. However now, looking back, I certainly wish I had not. I entered class dressed like I was ready for Netflix, not Organic Chemistry. The lack of effort fashionably began to seep into my effort at school. Rolling out of bed and straight into class made me feel like my day had accidentally started. I would snooze my alarm until the very last second I needed to leave for class and barely make it each time. The comfort of my outfit would make me feel a lot sleepier during the lessons. Basically, dressing lazy made my entire day very lazy as well.

Second semester prompted a new experiment. Was the reason I felt so sluggish in class due to my lack of effort in getting ready? I woke up an hour before I needed to get to class so that I had enough time to prepare myself. Now, I am not saying I all of a sudden started looking like Kylie Jenner every day, but I did brush my hair, apply some makeup, and swap the yoga pants and Nikes for jeans and combat boots. It was weird how good I felt on my way to class. My confidence was not due to the fact that I woke up with enough time to walk instead of sprint across campus (though I am sure that helped), but I felt confident because I looked confident. Taking a small amount of time to prepare myself for the day actually boosted my overall outlook. I was ready to take on a fresh, new day. Maybe I pulled an all-nighter studying for an exam, or maybe I realized I forgot I had an essay due for today’s class and had to write one last minute, but taking the time to pause from the weight of college for two minutes so I can apply fierce red lipstick seemed to alleviate a lot of stress.

I view the way I dress for school like preparing for battle. Wearing sweats and a messy bun are accepting defeat. I adopted the attitude that college was simply too tiring and too stressful to even fathom wearing something a little nicer. It was as if I was telling everyone, “I am exhausted, overwhelmed, and barely holding on." I found, though, that dressing even in shorts and a shirt emulates a sort of preparedness. When I put a slight effort into simply matching an outfit, I did not feel any less tired, nor did the amount of schoolwork I had decrease. However, I did feel proud that despite the three exams and a 10 page essay I had that day, I was at least coherent enough to match an outfit.

So as a result of my experiment, I have decided to keep the sweats to a minimum. Do not get me wrong, I am a very big fan of yoga pants, but not as a daily fashion staple. I am not even saying that I am dressed like a model daily. Even wearing a casual, but matched and ironed outfit works the same way. Giving a little bit of importance to my appearance makes me feel like I should care about my day. I look like I got ready for a purpose, so why not actually give my day a purpose?

I bought a shirt a few months ago that sums up my experiment quite nicely. It says “Stressed, Depressed, but Well Dressed.” Life is stressful and weighs down pretty heavily every now and then, but I have found that putting a small amount effort into something as trivial as wearing eyeliner or an unwrinkled tank top makes it seem like I am at least a little bit above water. That small reassurance that some part of my life is put together inspires me to then help the rest of it – school, work, friends, family – to catch up. I have purchased some adorably retro red pumps that would make Taylor Swift swoon and am ready to take on this next year of college.