Dress code Deviants
by Rica S. Facundo on July 17, 2010
Air conditioned areas are oases in the middle of the scorching desert in places like the Ateneo. With the majority of classrooms and eating spots in campus not having such precious inventions, sweat is a constant companion for most of us once we enter the campus.
During breaks, students have two options to beat the heat – dress light or go to the Rizal Library and/or the Matteo Ricci Study Hall.
In this new school year, students face a strict reality – the stern tolerance for acceptable hemlines that has gotten as short as the bottoms that try to bypass them. On the days that they have to cover up for the sake of their education, students tend to be crankier than usual.
Many students consider the tradeoff between academics and comfort unreasonable. For senior Stef Orandain, “I’ll be inside for a maximum of ten minutes so why would I go around wearing pants the entire day just so that I can get my readings.”
Wearing comfortable clothes is conducive for learning. Thanks to the new dress-code policy, gone are the days of leisurely being able to wear shorts and tank tops to study in air-conditioned areas within campus.
“We’re forced to wear jeans just to be able to enter the library then that’s when [we’re] going to have a little problem” opines sophomore Macy Tayco.
Given that Ateneo is a Jesuit university, it’s practical that a certain atmosphere of order that must be kept. “Obviously they want to push for utmost propriety because it’s a place where distraction isn’t welcome,” says junior Manica Tiglao.
According to Ms. Ana Alifiler, the Rizal librarian, “We are not doing it to restrict people and prevent them from getting the information that they need.” She reminds us that, “We are an academic institution. Even as a student in formal presentations, you have to be presentable.”
The question remains that the definition of decent attire tends to remain subjective depending on who wears it and whose eyes are looking. “Different people can pull different things off,” says Macy.
What may come as a surprise for many students was the dress code being implemented in the Matteo study hall. Completely unaware of the new policy, senior Hallsy Al-taie wasn’t able to go inside for wearing a halter top. “I had no idea it had a dress code. When did it start?” she asks.
Students don’t know that the Matteo building is under the same management as the Rizal library. “Because of that, the dress code would likewise be implemented. This was stated in an email sent last March,” says Ms. Ana.
Given that it’s a building primarily for students to study, frustrations and confusion were expressed towards the practicality of its enforcement. “Places like Matteo [should] be open to all students regardless of what they wear,” says Hallsy.
Now that most of us are turned away from the places where we can escape from the scorching heat, we’ll have students drenched with sweat loitering around campus, looking for a place to park their camels. Unless they want to sacrifice their summer attire for their love for air con, this year’s stricter dress-code is just another change that they’ll just have to sweat it out.
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