I've begun to notice just how tired of caring about image I've become. Everyday when I wake up and decide what to put on, the pressure is always on how will others percieve me through what I'm wearing. As a result, my identity is not completely in my own perception of myself any longer, but rather in an illusion given to me by others but presumed by myself to be my very own. Yesterday, I ran out of contact solution, so I had to wear my glasses. In addition to these accessories deemed "nerdy" by society, I wore an old button up shirt that's probably a size too short in length. With the combination of these two articles of clothing, my perception of myself was altered from the normal, comfortable idea I have of myself to one of "Dude,-you-look-like-that-dorky-guy-who-sits-in-front-of-you-in-your-political-science-class." I was so anxious to get home and shed the shell of nerdome that I had so readily taken upon myself. My sitation and reaction to it were sad for two reasons. First--as you obviously have picked up on by now--the state of my appearance was something very nagging to my idea of what should be cool. Worse, though, is the fact that I actually cared.

My question is this: why do I even care about the way shallow kids my age think about what is cool and what's not. If they think that glasses and loose-fitting, frumpy shirts are uncool, why should I take on that same mindset. But I do, though I don't want to...though it'd be better not to.