Siting Liang (287)

It is a typical Monday morning at Central High. You’re running late for advisory, your hair isn’t cooperating, and the thought of putting together a “fit” feels like solving a calculus derivative before coffee. Whether you’re a 288 or a 285, school merch is the unofficial uniform of our hallways. But as we navigate the sea of screen-printed logos and class numbers, a heated debate is rising: which merch is actually a wardrobe staple, and which is just taking up space in the back of the closet?

We all have that one item that stays folded at the bottom of the drawer until a pep rally or a specific event. For Guang Yue Su (287), that’s the class t-shirt. “The new 287 shirt is just a really bright color,” she noted, suggesting that while class pride is great, this level of flashing visibility isn’t always the move for a casual Monday. Guang Yue ranked her school spirit as a five out of ten – she said she likes “the building and the teachers,” but she isn’t necessarily dressing up for every spirit week event. For her, the merch is fine, but it isn’t necessarily the first thing she would grab out of her closet.

However, not all bold merch is saved for special occasions. While some might find the bold colors intimidating, others fully embrace them. Matilda De La Rosa Vargas (287) ranks her school spirit at a nine out of ten. Matilda doesn’t wait for special occasions to break out the boldest items; her go-to is the bright crimson hoodie, which she described as “the biggest, brightest thing” she owns. 

When it comes to the “worst” thing you can wear, it usually isn’t the design, it’s the functional failure. While Guang Yue hasn’t suffered any major issues yet, noting most items are “standard quality,” Matilda has a bone to pick with the Central sweatpants, which “don’t correctly fit [her] waist.”

On the flip side, some items become “ride-or-die” pieces. Despite its intensity, Matilda admitted she wears that crimson hoodie way more than she expected. It has transitioned from a spirit item to a wardrobe staple Matilda grabs when “[she’s] tired from picking out clothes or [she’s] late.” Whether it’s a black sweater or a long-sleeve tee, if it says Central, Matilda is probably wearing it.

If we’re being honest, some merch definitely reaches its expiration date. Matilda is ready to send the current water bottle into permanent retirement. The Central logo – her main reason for purchasing the item – “has already scratched off,” prompting a call for a redesign that includes a handle and a lid that doesn’t leave the top exposed. She envisions a more functional bottle, one with a hand loop and a more secure cap. Guang Yue is a bit more forgiving of the designs, noting the graphics are “actually really cool” sometimes. However, the takeaway is clear: in a school where students work hard, our merch should too.

So, what’s the final verdict? The most overrated items are the class t-shirts – especially that bright orange 287 t-shirt. They’re too bright for everyday wear and destined to sit in drawers until the next spirit event. The water bottle isn’t far behind, with its scratched logo and impractical lid. Meanwhile, the most underrated piece is undoubtedly the crimson hoodie, which has quietly become the wardrobe MVP for students across all spirit levels.

Whether you’re a five out of ten or a near-perfect nine out of ten on the spirit scale, the conclusion is the same: in an environment as work-centered as Central, our merch needs to be as reliable as our calculators. We might retire the water bottle and avoid the ill-fitting sweatpants, but the crimson hoodie isn’t going anywhere. It’s the one piece of merchandise that proves whether you’re trying to stand out or just trying to make it to first period on time, Central’s colors are here to stay, faded logos and all.