to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group: One has to conform in order to succeed in this company.
My history teacher uses this word whenever somebody's being rowdy in my class (so every lesson). Now, I love her, I've been getting such good marks this last year because of her teaching, though can she please slow down when changing slides? Although, whenever she uses the word conform, I honestly feel like standing up and protesting the notion.
Since I learned what the word conform meant, I protested against what it stood for. I don't want to conform, but the shame is that it's ingrained in us. We don't realise it, but simply abiding by our school uniform standards is conformity; of course, anyone can say that it's preparing you for work where you may have to wear a uniform. I don't mind wearing a uniform, even though I can't wait for the day where I don't have to wake up and put a tie on, but the word conform honestly makes me feel like putting a tie on on a morning just shoves me into a box where I can only do what I'm told. I myself have started adorning the box that we call uniform; as I type, I have 6 pin badges on my lapel, 5 of which are charity badges. In year 8, I was told by my form tutor to take off a Red Nose Day badge that I was wearing, because it wasn't school issue. He's left, so now I've tried to challenge it and see if any other teachers protest. So far, the only comments I've had are that they're colourful, or just asking why I wear them. At one point, at Christmas, the choir was told to remove all badges so they don't blind anyone due to the lights, but I think that was directed at me more than anyone else. I walk past senior members of staff everyday and they're more likely to tell me off for having my sleeves rolled up than a load of badges on my lapel. Go figure!
I went off track. What I'm trying to say is, don't feel you need to conform. If we were to all conform, then we'd all be the same, and who wants that? Leave your box behind, because you don't need it to be special!
Just a little Public Service Announcement for your weekend :)
Love, Eve <3
OH MY GOSH THANK YOU :D I have been wanting to write about this for ages but I've literally had no idea how to phrase it or anything. I've always hated the fact that I have had to wear school uniform, and how the education system thinks they can tell me what to and what not to wear. It's just so wrong. It also means that everyone looks like everyone else, which is annoying as hell. My friend was recently told that he couldn't dye his hair blue because we have work experience soon, and I just find that so weird. My sister (who was 12 at the time) was told off for wearing eyeliner to school... like, what? How does that affect her or anyone else's learning? It's hardly distracting! The colour of your hair, the amount of piercings and tattoos you have, your makeup and the way you dress should not limit your academic abilities, creativity or productivity.
ReplyDeleteAnd HELL YEAH to customising your uniform! :D
RANT OVER. (sorry if you have read till the end of this!)
Lucy <3
YOU'RE WELCOME!!! It's something that needs to be said more often. I don't see how people with mildly interesting hair colours are 'distracting' in a working environment when there are people in top set classes who shout out and get sent out get by scot free. He's not even in school for work experience, he should be allowed. My friends used to get told by an old form tutor to remove their eyeliner every single morning. It's only ever certain teachers, though because they don't get told off now. I don't see how stud earrings affect it either. The only thing that limits our academic abilities are the things that limit us as people who need to express themselves, because if not as teenagers, then when? I honestly think I'd be more productive in my own clothes; I'm even considering wearing linen trousers to school, because they'll be a shell of a lot cooler than my.uniform usually is.
DeleteApology accepted, but not really needed, because it needed saying anyway!
Eve <3
Ugh that word and its concept is absolutely terrible, albeit the fact that it's completely engrained in our being. We can't help but conform in one way or another; I don't mean with school uniforms and stuff, I just mean socially. We always want to belong and be similar and sometimes conforming happens before we can tell ourselves not to. But I still think it's stupid, and I still think we should try our best to think more individually, no matter how hard it may be.
ReplyDelete-M
The Life of Little Me
Oh gods, yes.
ReplyDeleteThank you SO much for sharing this. I mean, I don't really have a problem with abiding the so-called 'rules' or whatever but when these rules actually rip you off of your own identity, now that's where it gets bad. Like, we were not allowed to be on social networking platforms (Facebook, really) until recently, we're not allowed to bring non-academic books to school, we cannot personalize our uniforms etc. Hades, we're not allowed to bring a bag that isn't the one provided by our school, even. I could make a huge list and send it over but c'mon, even I am not that bad, you know? :D
I don't have a thing against uniforms. I get it, even. It makes everyone seem equal and whatnot. But all the other rules that we're forced to follow, let's just say, I'm not a huge fan. Sorry.
And I seriously am sorry for writing it all down her, I just had to went, you know? Sorry.
But yeah, thanks for sharing. :)
All the love,
Mazha.