Best of Week: The Mixed Roles of Clothing

In English class last week, we discussed (briefly) how clothing plays a major role in how society looks at us, as well as how we look at society. While this discussion was somewhat quick, it surprised me and forced me to question my own views of the world.

Being involved in GBN's theatre program, I am constantly reminded of the the importance of props and costumes. In the real world, this translates to personal items and clothing. Ms. Robinson, our theatre director, often emphasizes how crucial costumes are. They reveal a person's identity as well as their outlook on life.

In Orlando, Orlando must give a lot of thought to her clothing, because before she began wearing "womanly" outfits, men never payed too much attention to her. Essentially, Orlando becomes a completely different person when she put on her ladylike outfit which showed her ankles. All of the sailors and passengers on the boat were suddenly smitten with her, and she was now a new woman.

The reason why Orlando becomes such a different person is very superficial, actually. When everyone's views of her change, her views of herself change as well. It is an action and reaction process; Orlando is transformed into a more elegant and feminine woman when people make her feel like she is just that. This creates almost an illusion in clothes, because clothing makes the world react differently to a person, and therefore that person reacts differently to the world.

My theatre director's words came to my head when I thought of this. Costumes and props are important for two reasons: they help the audience understand the character, and they help the actor relate to the part he/she is playing. Virginia Woolf's emphasis on gender and clothing have opened my eyes to what I once thought was just a false statement to get us actors enthused about the parts we were playing.

For example, last fall I performed in Glenbrook North's performance of "Air Guitar High," where I played a comic book nerd who was also a fashion expert. To play the part, I wore a Superman shirt under a brown sportjacket. When I looked in the mirror, I definitely did see a comic book nerd who loved fashion. If someone saw me in the street, they would not see the person behind the clothing, but they would see my costume. Just as in Orlando, clothes are disguises which hide who we really are. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it helps us understand that clothes, just like costumes and props, are just an illusion.

While the next time I pick out my outfit for the day I may not have a mental breakdown and freak out about how this decision will shape my entire day and therefore life, I will, however, understand that many people see us--just like Orlando--by our clothing, not by who we truly are. Clothes are an illusion, and we must try to see passed them.

Captured Thought: Block Schedule Homework

Two weeks ago, school was just beginning. After getting home from GBN, I sat on the couch and attempted to start my homework. As usual, I was logged on to Facebook. Although I was trying to set a good example for myself, as it was the beginning of the school year, there were just so many distractions. The T.V. was on, and my computer was running a profusion of different applications, including Gmail, Facebook, and Civilization V. The math notebook sitting on the living room table was simply an afterthought. 

Finishing my homework seemed impossible until I thought of the perfect solution. Since at GBN there is a block schedule, why bother doing homework over a two night period? It may seem like an act of procrastination, but it is actually pure logic. In this world of over-stimulation and excessive distraction, it is impossible to assume that someone can go an entire day without interruption or interference. Therefore, it is reasonable to assign one day to homework, and one day to Facebook and Civilization V.

When I first thought of this idea, a few issues brewed in my mind. What if we only have one day to complete an assignment? What if there is not enough time in one day to complete it? Both of these problems troubled me, but upon closer inspection, they are not problems at all--rather they are gateways for solutions.

First of all, many assignments are due the day after they are assigned, such as much of my Orlando reading homework. This is solved by schedule postings at the beginning of the week. My English and Social Studies teachers almost always post our homework schedules ahead of time, and all of my other classes are on a block schedule (except for Chinese, which has minimal homework). Therefore, I always have at least two days to do my homework. This is also a solution, because it keeps me organized and gives me a motive to do homework in advance.

In our busy lives, it might seem impossible to complete two days of homework in just one night. But it is actually not that difficult. With our technologic age, many teachers post schedules online, as said before, or just tell us the weekly schedule in the previous class. If we complete a good amount of the homework on Sunday, it eliminates a lot of the stress that comes with a heavy workload. For example, I am currently an entire reading assignment ahead in the book we are reading for English. On top of easing my workload, this also serves as a "just in case" precaution. If I have a lot of homework one night, it's not a huge problem because I am ahead on my homework. This also allows me to get enough sleep, because I will never have so much homework that it is unbearable.

As this thought began to take shape in my head, I really wanted to try this out for myself. That Sunday, I did a majority of the next week’s homework. Because there's no school on Sundays, I was able to finish a lot of my homework while still having some time to myself. Even with fall play auditions that week, my plan worked and I was able to get enough sleep while still completing my assignments without distraction. 

This idea burgeoned into a great strategy that I am currently using. It allows me to stay focused with a goal in mind, while still having some free time on the weekdays. I hope to keep this idea with me throughout the year. Although there may be some exceptions due to scheduling and just plain laziness, this thought filled me with hope that this year doesn't have to be so incredibly difficult. By scheduling and organizing time wisely, any student can make life easier, more fun, and more bearable.