It is a well-known fact throughout TBS that high school students get more leeway regarding uniforms. Instead of wearing school-branded merchandise, they can wear plain hoodies or ones with a college name. But why are these college-branded shirts so much more popular than those emblazoned with the Benjamin B? Are they really better?
School merch only goes so far in terms of style. Benjamin’s colors are orange and blue with a little bit of white. Those are two colors one wouldn’t often see together. To put it plainly, the combo isn’t for everyone. Wearing plain sweatshirts offers students the option to wear any color they choose. Stores like Amazon have hundreds to choose from. The Benjamin logos on said sweatshirts are also limited. Most have the classic Benjamin “B” or the full name somehow. The options are still limited despite the various styles to show one’s school spirit, whether from the Nook or online merch stores.
High school is a time of change for students, so self-expression is significant. In my years at Benjamin, I’ve struggled to find my style because of the uniforms. Since starting high school, I’ve been able to experiment more. Colors that I thought suited me didn’t. Even though the base of my outfits isn’t my choosing, a splash of my style makes a big difference.
Many students have strong connections to a certain college or university. Some may have siblings who plan on or are currently attending college. An entire generation of my family went to the University of Pennsylvania, and my aunt was a hall-of-fame basketball player there. The school also happens to be my top choice. Wearing my dad’s 1988 UPenn hoodie gives me great pride in my family history. Looking at the logo reminds me of what I’m working towards.
Freshman Cece Munder holds a similar opinion. “My family loves [University of] Michigan,” says Munder. “My dad went there; it’s my brother’s top choice for college, and we root for the football team. I’ve been programmed to love it, but I really do love the school and everything it stands for. Wearing the Michigan Navy makes me feel at home.”
Benjamin is home to incredible athletes. As they enter their junior and senior years of high school, many of them commit to playing their sports at the collegiate level. They can show pride in their future by representing a team on a sweatshirt. The same goes for fans of college sports. Especially in Florida, the spectrum of teams to root for is broad. Students sometimes even have friendly hallway rivalries about who will win that night’s game.
While many camps for teenagers are outdoor-oriented, some students at TBS take courses at universities during their summer breaks. I’ve studied at Oxford University for two weeks for the last three years. I hold the memories near and dear to my heart, so wearing the hoodies I bought on my trips reminds me of how much fun I had.
Combining these reasons results in a single conclusion: wearing off-uniform sweatshirts offers much more variety for students in their everyday dress. This privilege is invaluable for schools like Benjamin, which have uniforms.
