Should guys put more effort into their skin care routine?
He Said: Of course guys should! We have been exposed to way too many ashy elbows and too many basketball-sized callouses. Having your elbow look like grated mozzarella cheese is not “manly,” it’s disgusting. Taking care of your skin is no different from any other hygiene regimen: cut your nails every now and again; wash your hair; shave; PUT SOME LOTION ON. It is not hard, and feels good in the long run.
So ladies, this Christmas, get booboo a bottle of cocoa butter, one of those ped-eggs, and a good ole mud mask. You can chill in the dorm with your face masks and have great bonding time while you show him how to press the nozzle to get the lotion, and gently rub it on the alligator skin he calls elbows. Do men a favor, and turn these typical girl’s night activities into a seminar!
She Said: Yes, yes, yes. Now I do not think guys need four or five different essentials that they take with them everywhere (like me…my purse is full….) but, it is extremely good practice to wash your face each night and have moisturizer on hand for after your shower or when it gets cold outside and dry skin is inevitable. Sometimes I don’t feel like washing my face if I don’t have makeup on, but it is important for everyone to do because of the dirt in the air and the oils on your hands when you subconsciously touch your face during the day.
How much effort should people put into their appearance for class?
He Said: I ascribe to the belief that men and women should always look presentable when out in public. You never know when you are going to meet somebody that you want to make a good impression on. It could be a dean, a professor, that cute boy you like, or somebody that might be able to give you opportunities in the future. I definitely understand the struggle of getting up for that 8 A.M., but it is for the best if you look presentable. That doesn’t mean you have to go all out! I am not saying that you have to get up, curl your hair, spend an hour on makeup, and pick out the perfect outfit for the day just to go to your class. But going to class in the baggiest sweatpants you have, with hair in a bun, wearing your bathroom slippers, and having threw a piece of gum in your mouth instead of brushing your teeth is not very good either. It isn’t about being the most beautiful person in the world; it’s about showing that you care about being prepared for the day and that you can do more than the minimum.
Also, the fact of the world is that people judge. It’s the way it is. And it will not change. The argument that one should be able to bum it and be free from judgment because its only class is understandable, but misguided. We can wish freedom from judgment but it doesn’t make it true. You will be judged. You will be judged negatively if you are bumming it. That doesn’t matter for Joe Schmoe in your class, but it does matter when talking about people that can offer you opportunities – your professor, the dean you pass on the way to class, or a future employer that may be stopping by on campus. Regardless of how you feel about judgments, you should never want to tank a possible opportunity for yourself because you couldn’t be bothered to put some jeans and a cute top on.
She Said: Alright, I have to agree with Marlon. I have no one to necessarily impress each day for class or wherever I am, however, for as long as I can remember I have lived by the “Look Good, Feel Good” motto. Even if that means putting on small earrings and some mascara to go with your Nike’s and leggings, I guarantee you’ll feel better about your day if you at least put in a little bit of effort. My best days are when I feel confident and good about myself because I put in 2-3 extra minutes to getting ready that morning. There is no need for heels, tights, skirts, caked makeup, and freshly curled hair each morning, however, that little bit of extra oomph before rushing out the door could never be a bad thing. Another phrase I live every single moment by is this, and you can take it or leave it, but I hope you adopt it as well… “One can never be overdressed or overeducated.”