You wouldn’t know it at first glance but yes, Mesa is still an institution of learning despite all of the young students roaming around dressed like they’re in for a night of booze, sex, and drugs.

It has become quite common nowadays to see students, especially new ones, dressed for a night of fun with their short skirts and booty shorts, low cut top revealing much more cleavage than what’s appropriate for school, all complemented with high heels, too much make-up, and a petite handbag. This attire is appropriate for going to a nightclub, not to school.

The most annoying look is when I see a student wearing a sweater, a short-short, and those atrocious UGG boots. That just doesn’t make any sense. Are you hot? Are you cold? Is it snowing? And what’s most ridiculous is that I see this outfit everyday I get to campus, which is around 7:30 a.m.

This is not only limited to female students. The male students are also at fault here. Many and many a times I would see a group of guys parading slowly through the quad with their oversized shirts, baggy pants, a hat tilted to the side, a pair of kicks, and with jewelry around their necks, wrists, on their ears, and in some cases in their mouth. All the while they’re just carrying a crumbled up notebook if anything at all.

If that doesn’t scream, “Hey look at me!” then I don’t know what does.

There’s nothing wrong with dressing up for school; in fact I implore it. I’d like to see students dress up and have a sense of dignity and pride. But there’s a fine line between dressing classy and being trashy. These students have crossed that line and into obscenity and stupidity.

The most interesting part is the absence of one vital accessory that every student scholar should be carrying around: a backpack. I see many students, male and female, walking around campus empty handed and dressed to impress, flaunting what they got. They seem to have a one track and we all know what they’re here for and it’s not for an education.

It puzzles me to see students wasting their valuable time not trying to aspire to become a better person through education. And it angers me to know that some of these students are making way with financial aid, taking from those who deserve and actually want an education.

I know that there is no dress code in the student handbook, but maybe it’s time that we have one. Being able to dress freely is invaluable right, but it should be done properly and not be abused. Scantily clad students are a distraction to other students of the opposite sex, which in turn hinders their education. Not to mention it may lead to some unwanted sexual harassment. So let’s protect ourselves and preserve our education by dressing more formally.

So please, just dress for school. If you are not here for an education stay home.