Display your OWN school colors

One day on campus, I saw a girl wearing a Bucknell hoodie. Bucknell? Isn’t that our school’s rival?

The same day, I saw someone with a Florida Gators hoodie.

OK, what’s going on? We attend Lehigh, not any of these schools. Why are they wearing other schools’ apparel?

The point here folks: If you want a school’s name on your chest, let it be your own school. Don’t disrespect your campus community by wearing another school’s attire. It’s disrespectful to your peers, student-athletes, and alumni. 

Don’t be an oddball. If you can’t showcase your school’s attire, don’t showcase another’s. Your school’s admissions staff wasn’t obligated to accept you. They accepted you because they felt you belonged where you are. So, be grateful and take pride in that. You should be honored to be accepted into your college. Showcasing another school’s attire is not a way to show appreciation.

I appreciate it. I would never put on a rival’s attire; whether I’m on campus or not. That’s saying I would rather attend another school.

And I don’t want to hear the bull about fashion. I don’t care if a Florida Gators’ hoodie matches with your jeans. I don’t care if a Kansas Jayhawks’ shirt matches with your hat. Find something else to wear.

It urks me to see students disrespect their school. Let’s use my school as an example. Half of the campus will wear brown attire. All of a sudden, you see someone sporting a Duke t-shirt. It makes me want to slap the person. I would feel out-of-order; no matter how fly I look.

I know some schools’ colors may not be as flashy as others. I get teased all the time about my school’s colors. I refuse to let it bother me. I’ll wear my school’s colors any day; and be proud to wear it. Why? Because they took a chance on me. I didn’t get accepted into every school I applied to. Wearing the colors is the least I could do in showing appreciation.

Another thing that annoys me: Oddballs walk around like there’s nothing wrong. They think it’s ok to wear another school’s colors.

Colleges should be allowed to punish students who do this. That would be something, wouldn’t it?

Imagine students receiving a fine for being an oddball. That’s one way to diminish the problem.

Folks, don’t make this harder than what it is. When you’re close to putting on another school’s attire, think for a moment. Think about your school’s athletes who give everything they have to win games. Think about the alumni who provide scholarships to help you attend school.

If you take a moment and think, you’ll gain a new perspective on the situation.