By RACHEL CHERNER
I wish that Homecoming was about the game. Cornell is not a Big Ten school, so don’t be ashamed that you didn’t know we lost 19-14 to Bucknell. In fact, Homecoming might not be about sports or even about Cornell at all. It’s about apparel.
Before I was accepted to Cornell, I was very superstitious about apparel, were you? My older brother was a freshman in the Hotel School at the time and I came up to visit him over Halloween weekend. He bought me my first red long-sleeve Cornell Big Red shirt. I was too afraid to wear anything Cornell of my own before I knew if I was accepted, so I wrote his name in sharpie in the back of the shirt. Since then, I have accumulated a large number of my own Cornell apparel. I no longer write his name in my clothes.
There is no better excuse than Homecoming to go to the bookstore and charge Cornell spirit jerseys and baseball hats to your bursar account. PSA: You can charge Cornell clothing to your bursar account. Thank you, Mom and Dad! Keeping in mind that too much apparel is the first tip-off that you’re an over-zealous freshman, here are some guidelines for your next bookstore binge.
A great way to handle any bad hair or bad weather day is a Cornell baseball hat. The vintage hats can add to any flannel and leggings look without being too “loud.”
You must have a sweatshirt! Choose a comfortable one that is not red or too flashy so you can wear it underneath a jean jacket or winter coat when you’re just “not feeling it” this January.
If you’re alternative like my younger brother, maybe you want to buy a quirky sports T-shirt for sports like polo, fencing or women’s softball. Personally, I stuck with Cornell men’s soccer and called it a day.
If you’re not quite finished with your purchases, buy a water bottle or sweatpants! I have neither, but that’s because I have Harvard sweatpants and a Georgetown water bottle. Both of which I have by accident. Both of which are also not mine.
As for some of the pricier stuff the store has to offer, like the polo and Vineyard Vines custom Cornell quarter zips, take my advice: Skip the bursar purchase and wait for Parents’ Weekend.