Because Pepperdine students cannot be put into little boxes, (except when they can…)
Perhaps it is that scenic ocean view, or maybe that serene ocean breeze that casts its spell on Pepperdine students and issues the subsequent decree “Thou shall wear and use the following…”
As much as we, as college students, try to resist the status quo, there are certain trends that rear their heads in what we believe to be our trend-proof barriers. These are the trends that are a hallmark of being a Pepperdine student, they are the things that make one so quintessentially “Pepperdine.” So what are these things? What exactly are the “thou shall wears” at Pepperdine?
Allow me to illuminate this divine decree:
1. A Northface Backpack
A Northface backpack brings to mind images of hiking, climbing mountains, and engaging in other outdoor activities that may be found by flipping through the pages of National Geographic. The campus may be small, but a trek to the CCB or perhaps an after-class beach or hiking excursion illuminates some of the reasoning behind the ubiquity of the Northface backpack. Or perhaps students are bracing themselves for El Niño, with durable backpacks that will weather the storm.
2. Birkenstocks
Birkenstocks are perhaps the most ubiquitous shoe and fashion item on campus, for guys and girls alike, because hey, it’s 2015 and what better way to challenge gender norms than through a functional German shoe? For a fun game, count how many students you see in a single day wearing Birkenstocks. The results may surprise you.
3. Refillable Water bottle
Many Pepperdine students traipse throughout the campus with a refillable water bottle in hand and their phone in the other. The water bottle is often plastered with stickers to give the item a personal touch.
4. Macbook
Whether you are in the Waves Café, Elkins, or the HAWC, you will most likely be greeted by a shiny silver Macbook, as a Pepperdine student either furiously types away, or stares at their blank Word document with a cup of coffee or tea by their side. As with the reusable water bottles, multiple stickers are plastered on the case for an authentic Pepperdine feel.