in
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n o i t a l iso BY
CHLOE
�BEC
KER
It has been over a year since COVID-19 has dramatically altered our world. As a result, we have been spending an increasing amount of time at home. Furthermore, the word home for college students has always been a complex term. Is home our childhood bedroom? Is it Gibbons, Grandmarc, a sorority, or a fraternity? Right now most of us are forced to find our home in a small room and stay in it for an uncomfortable portion of our day. This has resulted in a dramatic decrease in social interaction. With less social interaction comes more time alone, and more alone time forces everyone to become comfortable with their own company. So how do we make this alone time more enjoyable? This recent decrease in socialization has taken away our many opportunities to find joy in expressing ourselves through personal style. However, we have spent so much time in the confines of our apartments and dorm rooms that these spaces have perhaps morphed into our identities. Making these spaces of solitude ones that truly feel personalized and in line with who we are has become an integral part of finding joy in these times. Before Covid, my personal style was a tool I used to express myself, as I am sure it was for many others. I found joy in picking out an outfit and wearing it to class. It was a daily choice that allowed me to dictate how others perceived me in a controlled, yet small, way. I admit I found solace in compliments, and validation was something I chased. Nowadays I find that external acknowledgment in close friends, but it is a much less frequent occurrence. Instead, I think a lot of us have channeled the desire to express
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