Collared Shirts

Since as long as I can remember, my wardrobe has been dominated by mainly collared shirts. What makes collared shirts better than t- shirts? They seem more professional and seem to provide a different appearance. Of course some collared shirts provide a different look than other collared shirts which depends entirely on the brand. Brands such as Hollister, American Eagle, or Abercrombie & Fitch, dominate most wardrobes. Why? Because of the name, because of the logo.

The difference between a shirt that carries no brand name and a shirt that looks exactly like it except with a Hollister logo, raises the price and value in society. The majority of my wardrobe consists of clothing from either of the three brands mentioned above. How do I feel wearing a brand other than those? I start to feel suspicious, as if the clothing no longer contains value. How can you describe this reaction? Like everyone else's. Whether people admit it or not, they are attracted to the finer brands, to the globally accepted and expected brands. Yet is a person wearing clothing from American Eagle or Abercrombie worth more than a person wearing clothing from the Salvation Army? No as human value is not determined by clothing, but the person they are on the inside. Yet the idea of fitting in, going with the crowd, causes society to often reject these folks or force them to convert over to being like everyone else. So in general, to be yourself, does it mean that you avoid brands such as Hollister? Does it mean that a person who truly wants to be different will find style in other stores? these brands are just names; the popularity of these brands are created through society. If we reject to wear Hollister, it will become yesterday's news and a new brand will appear to dominate the market.

Today, if a scout were to come looking for future models, what might they think of my orange collared shirt? Honestly they would probably just mix me in with everyone else as it is a Hollister shirt which has become the norm. It would not stand out as much compared to a shirt from an unknown brand. They could think I am stuck-up, self centered, and care how I look because those are general feelings connected to wearing such brands as Hollister. They could view me as just following what the media thinks is good and not thinking for myself. They could consider me another mindless drone who can not make decisions on his own. Yet they might view me as prepared, as somewhat professional, because collared shirts produce that image. Yet nothing would really cause the shirt to stand out, it would just be another among millions.

A Passion to Learn

Everyone encounters things in their lives that interest them, that make them think beyond their normal perspective. A person can learn various new things a day if they truly apply themselves, yet some people could care less about facts or new information as long as their lives continue to go the way they are. Yet for me, learning is a key to success. Many others would say the same thing and it is true, without a doubt, that the more a person knows, the better off they can be.

I carry a passion to learn, from my mistakes or just to learn new things. By learning, I feel that I have taken a step in the right path. Of course there are some things worth knowing and some that ain't. By pushing myself to learn new things, I can better adapt to my environment. I am neither a fast learner nor a slow learner, but if I had to pick one, I would be a slow learner at times. Often I make the same mistake over and over again because I push my passion to better myself aside. In the past few months, I have been trying to get rid of that habit, to learn to avoid making mistakes and to learn to avoid the mistakes that I have made. Before, my passion was not so apparent, I cared more about leisure time than academics, but I have been working on making myself a better student.

How can someone view a passion? Through the actions of the person. Yet many would say that I have not tried my hardest, because beforehand I did not care as much. Yet I have worked on stepping my game up, which a few teachers have been able to note. By trying harder, I feel happier as I get things done, I understand things more, and I do better overall. Stay tuned for future results.

Gum Nom Nom Nom

Whats so great about gum? Is it the various flavors in which a piece can come in or is it the chewy factor which never ceases to satisfy? Is it the popping sound which is produced by the creation of the bubble and the inevitable explosion? Who knows. All I know is that it tastes good and it creates a nice minty smell that comes from my mouth. Who wants to get caught with bad breath? Of course gum has its downsides, like when one talks and the words come out all mushed because of the gum in one's mouth. The gum under tables isn't that attractive either (waiting to buy more gum disposals). Also produces cavities due to the sugar, but who really pays attention to that. I chew gum because it is cheap to buy, produces a sweet taste in my mouth, and gives me minty fresh breath. That's why I carry it.

One of the more popular asked questions in school is "anyone got gum?" Now why does this question get asked day after day? Because gum has become to be a factor of importance in the mind of the teenager. Teenagers believe that a person with gum is better off than everyone else. Of course this is untrue and teenagers do not exactly think that, but it is the deeper meaning, beneath the surface of their thoughts. Gum has just become of those factors that everyone wants, yet only few are willing to go and acquire it. The rest just expect to have it handed to them by friends, which sometimes happens, but the majority just have to live without it. It is just an unneeded commodity.

If I were to die right now and a police officer was emptying my pockets to examine the contents and analyze the items he found to see if I was a regular civilian or a drug dealer in disguise, he would find my gum. Assuming he actually examines it instead of taking a piece, he would see that I am just like the millions of other young adults who chews gum. He would assume that I had a sugar craving like everyone else and used gum to satisfy it. He could say that I cared about how my breath smelled. He could presume that I possibly enjoy the popping sound produced. If he wanted to go deep, he might presume I chew gum just to act cool, just to pose as someone who I am not. Or he could just assume that I liked chewing gum.