The Science Behind Fashion by Georgia Marshall, Assistant Editor, Sophomore
Ever notice how you feel more confident when you wear bold colors? Or how slipping into your favorite dress instantly makes you want to twirl? Or, on an opposite note, how wearing the same old sweatpants on repeat all week drains your motivation? It’s not just in your head – it’s science. This strange phenomenon is connected to the cognitive principle that clothes have the power to change your mood due to a combination of what they mean and how they make you feel. The concept, titled enclothed cognition, is a reflection of the influence our fashion choices have on how we interact with the world around us.
According to Fashion Journal, “In a study conducted by Hajo Adam and Adam D Galinsky, the intersection of attitude and clothing was analyzed by exploring both ‘the symbolic meaning of the clothes’ to the wearer and ‘the physical experience of wearing them.’” Participants in the study were all given lab coats. Some were informed of what they actually were, while others were told they were artists’ smocks. They then took awareness tests, and the results showed that those knowingly wearing lab coats had much higher levels of attention and performed more strongly on the tests than those wearing “smocks”. This is all due to the perceived intensity and analytical nature of the job associated with the lab coats (doctors and scientists). Despite the fact that none of the participants had these jobs, the instant association that came with the clothing instantly boosted their performances.
This experience isn’t limited to lab coats and art smocks, though. So many clothes have different cultural affiliations. While plaid skirts are typically linked to preppy academics, tennis and running shoes are generally tied to sports and movement. Depending on the elements you incorporate into your outfits, you’ll go through the day on different planes. When you tailor what you wear to what you have to do, you are guaranteed to have a boost in pheromones and a heightened experience of the situation. Headed to a country concert? Don a cowboy hat to get you in the zone. Got an important presentation in the afternoon? A power suit or blazer will give you instant confidence and go-getter energy. Whatever you choose to wear, the fact that you took the time to wear something meaningful will make you feel more motivated, no matter the situation.
Challenging yourself to incorporate some aspect of ambition into each day’s outfit will prove beneficial in so many ways. Your motivation and productivity will ascend in scale, you’ll feel happier and more confident, and you’ll have a reason to leave the house and show yourself off. So next time you’ve got something big coming up, or even if you’re simply experiencing a slump in creativity, wear that jacket you’ve always been afraid to wear, rock those bold new shoes, or try out a new look entirely. You’ll feel the effects instantly.
Should Schools Start Later? by Evan Eisen, Junior
Every morning I wake up and look at my alarm clock to see that it is 6 am and I think to myself that I have to get up and start getting ready for school, but another part of me says otherwise. As I wipe the sleep out of my eyes and start making myself look presentable I ask myself why do I have to wake up so early? I know that many other students and teachers ask that same question and that for some, depending on where they live they have to wake up even earlier. Even though we have been forced to become accustomed to it there are still good reasons as to having a later start time.
Studies have shown that when students have gotten more sleep they are more energised and tend to do better academically and socially. Even if school started an hour later at 9:00 it still would allow students and staff to not wake up as early and sleep in a little. Of course, it would be challenging for parents who have little kids when they have to be at work by a certain time and have to drive them to school.
I see many kids walking in the hallways or sitting at lunch looking out of it everyday. Would it honestly be so bad to let these kids get an extra hour or two of sleep by starting at 9am and leaving at 3:30? There of course is the issue of sports and other extracurricular activities that have weekly and sometimes daily after school practices and games. By getting out later students wouldn’t get back home until very late in the evening where they have to worry about getting their homework done for the next day.
With all that aside, if students are allowed to get more time to sleep and perform much better academically it could mean receiving more state funding. With that state funding we could get better sporting equipment, have more school events relating to music and art, and more classes that can actually teach us important life skills like repairing an oil burner, how to fix a sink and a toilet, or how to fix a light switch instead of being reliant and throwing money at people to fix it.
It can feel exhausting thinking about the logistics of a possible change in school arrival and departure times, but looking at the grand scheme of things it could help bring improvements to the student body and to our school.
A Trip to Ancient Times, by Grey Collins, Assistant Editor, Junior
Thirty six English students at Marblehead High School are counting down the days until they can pack their bags and leave the harsh Marblehead winter behind and travel to Greece. The trip is planned to take place during April break, and will continue despite the fact that there will be school days during that week. MHS English teacher Rebecca Blomberg is leading the trip, which consists of thirty- six tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders at Marblehead High School. Mrs. Blomberg believes that this trip will be a great learning experience for the students.
“I think this will be an incredible experiential learning opportunity for our students,” said Blomberg. “We’re reading a Greek play called Oedipus Rex, and we’re actually visiting some of the locations that the story takes place in. I think that this is going to be a unique opportunity to fully immerse ourselves in a text and not just learn about the play itself, but also the culture and context.”
The students are visiting many locations around Greece, including Athens, Corinth, Argoleta, Aurorus, Mycenae, Olympia, and Delphi. They will even take tours of islands off the coast of Greece.
They will spend time doing olive oil tastings as well, and will also learn about Greek pottery and will practice making their own pottery. The students will spend most of their time visiting museums, historic sites, and ancient ruins around Greece.
“I’m most excited to see the ruins,” said Blomberg. “I’ve been to Rome, and the ancient ruins there are so breathtaking and interesting. It’s Going to be just like a time travel experience to actually be there in the middle of it in Greece.”
The trip is still a few months away, but students are eagerly awaiting the day that they can pack their bags and leave the frigid northeast behind for a week.
“I’m super excited about this trip,” said MHS sophomore Felix Regnault. “I know I’ll go on trips to beautiful locations like Greece in the future, but having the opportunity to go with friends and classmates will make it a trip that I’ll remember forever.”