One of the funniest things I regularly experience on campus is overhearing other peoples’ conversations. This phenomenon is pretty common all over but I think college campuses are particularly conducive to it. You don’t even have to be actively listening, either. Often someone is talking so loud and/or near me that my iPod doesn’t even drown them out completely.

Everyone thinks that because they don’t talk to the people around them or consciously register all their faces or their conversation isn’t directed at them that they’re not paying attention. The truth is, though, that the person next to you on the bus or walking behind you on the sidewalk or in the row in front of you in class or at the table over at dinner can all probably hear what you’re saying regardless of whether they look like they’re listening or not.

Now I know things can sound a lot stranger than they really are when taken out of context. Some things I hear, though, I can’t even imagine a context for them that wouldn’t be extremely bizarre. It makes for some pretty hilarious listening, though. Maybe I eavesdrop too much because I find myself trying desperately not to laugh at something someone near me has said at least a few times a week. Here are a few things I’ve overheard recently:

- “Some people just like pictures of naked women all over their home.”

- “She wants to name her hamsters Coco and Chanel!”

- “You’re not that fat.”

These aren’t even the best ones I’ve overheard; they’re just the ones I can recall right now. The last one of these was said by a guy to a girl. When I heard it I inwardly groaned that “oh” that every Hokie in Lane stadium simultaneously lets out when one of our receivers drops a pass. It’s funny how much difference a word can make.

The tone that people use to say things can add to the words themselves too. In the second quote, for example, the girl who said it was infuriated, as if this was the most ridiculous idea ever conceived. The words themselves are pretty funny but her tone made it that much more hilarious.

My favorite thing to overhear is when someone around me is talking about someone I know. What are the odds at a school this big that you’d hear something about someone you know and that you’d know it was that specific person they were talking about.

As I was reading The Modern Mind: an Intellectual History of the 20^th Century, I noticed a pattern. I love that book by the way, even though I’m not all the way through it! Warping the human form or destroying form altogether seems to go hand in hand with the artist’s personal life. Just as Cubism and Abstract art shocked the world, it seemed to have been a reflection of the artists’ own life. Yes, I like to write about this sort of stuff.

Kandinsky painted wonderful abstract art. He turned to Abstraction at the very time his marriage was falling apart. Kandinsky completed his series called Impressions, Improvisations, and Compositions at the very time his divorce was going through. He finished these just as his divorce is finalized. These works are numbered and totally abstract. When I see the swirls of color in an abstract painting, I feel like it is a person who doesn’t belong with the world, who can’t seem to live in it. The painting becomes a person to me, a person with no rules and someone in a state of confusion. I can see now that this may have some truth. Kandinsky’s divorce was in 1911, a time very few people divorced. He was going against the norm of his culture, and breaking a bond that was, and for the most part is, considered a pact made with God as well as with the spouse. Thus he was breaking religious rules and general rules of society. So he began to break another rule. He decided to break down life like his life was breaking down. What we see as great art, I see as a symbolic representation of decline. I see Kandinsky’s decline and a precursor of decline as a whole. Divorce rates are rising and sometimes it seems like none of the promises made between two human beings is certain anymore. Whether you are religious or not, it can’t be denied that divorce rates have caused poverty rates and the rate of juvenile delinquency to rise. A society where poverty and criminality is rising is a society in decline.

Most people have seen at least some of Picasso’s cubist paintings, and are familiar with the way he breaks down form into geometric shape. At first glance, the women in Les Demoiselles d’Avignon seem hideous. Picasso painted many women he saw and knew in Cubist form. But a closer look at a broader expanse of his work shows that often times, he would paint the same woman in a more traditional way. If you look at a biography of Picasso’s life, and compare what was going on in his love life to what was going on with his art, it becomes clear what cubism meant to him when he painted women. When he was in love with one of the women, he painted her in a more traditional style where the human form is not distorted and she looks pretty. It was only when he came to hate her, as he did all women at one point or another that he painted her in the cubist style. Cubism was used to destroy the woman, to make her ugly, to dehumanize her. What to many seemed like a wonderful work of art [and many feel it is on a certain level] was Picasso trying to destroy a woman on canvas. Picasso became perhaps the most well-known artist of the past century largely because of his cubist paintings. He became well known for making art that was intended to be ugly and crude. He wanted to destroy the more human, beautiful forms before him because there were people he wanted to destroy. Does it not seem like a sign of decline that our most famous artist only wanted to destroy? Societies that like to destroy are societies in physical and moral death throes. I wouldn’t argue that we should go back to past periods where only religious scenes were done and myths from other cultures. But I do think a stable society focuses more on the beauty within, and tries to build things. Much of our art today wants to take the past and destroy it.

North Face. Vera Bradley. Sweat pants. Hoodies.

Any of the aforementioned ring a bell? They’re becoming the staples of college attire, and, personally, I’m scared. What is the reason for sporting ill-styled arctic gear or cookie-cutter quilted handbags? And don’t get me started about Crocs.

There seems to be a developing trend among college students: lack of style during the school week. Now, I know it’s a common urge on a frosty Blacksburg morning to crawl out of bed and haphazardly slip into your favorite worn-in sweatpants circa high school track team. But let’s face it people, even though you may not entertain the thought of looking presentable for classes, it is important.

I won’t be hypocritical; I’ve been guilty of donning a tracksuit on my treks across campus. However, it is not a daily routine. Nor should it be for any other student. Regardless of whether or not you just rolled out of bed after a weekly celebration of Thirsty Thursday, you’re about to make an impression in front of your instructors and peers. At least attempt to pull it together appearance-wise. In some cases, these professors will be writing you a letter of recommendation to your future employer. You wouldn’t want them to reminisce on their days teaching you as you sat in class with XXL sweats and a worn-out, three-year-old Maroon Effect t-shirt. Keep it professional, folks.

What several people don’t realize is that you can be fashionable and still be comfortable and practical.

Ladies: No one’s asking you to strut into O. Chem. in five-inch stilettos. Instead, opt for some comfy flats in a bold color; pair them with some skinny jeans and a loose cotton top, and you’ve got a fashion-forward look that will endure through a long day of classes.

And, believe it or not, sweats can be acceptable if done right. Tracksuits in neutral colors can be mixed and matched and paired with clean sneakers for a sporty but put-together look. Rocawear and BCBG make some attractive tracksuit sets with fun colors and adornments for a more flashy, yet wearable, ensemble.

Furthermore, while I’m sure your grandmother loves your quilted tote by Vera Bradley, it’s a wardrobe piece worth rethinking. A paisley pattern in an array of rainbow shades is not so versatile for daily ensembles, and there are other options. A leather satchel in a neutral tone works day to day and is durable. If you like statement bags, you can choose a bold accent shade, such as a mustard yellow or ruby red, to add a punch of color to your wardrobe.

Fellas: While I’m sure that old high school football t-shirt adds a bit of nostalgia to your day, it’s probably best that you save it for the gym. For you preppy guys, try some tasteful jeans, a white tee, and a relaxed button-up in soft patterns. Roll the sleeves up for ease throughout the day and add some clean white sneakers to give the look a casual feel. Look to designers Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors for inspiration.

For those not so keen on the clean-cut look, roughen the edges with some distressed denim and a vintage-like tee. Old Navy offers some great options in shirts with fall hues and funky designs. A good choice for those guys not into the label craze.

Some words of wisdom to all:

If I could offer only one piece of day-to-day clothing advice to my fellow Hokies, I could sum it up in one word: LAYERING. We all know the drill; you wake up to 40-degree weather for your 8 AM, and by 12:30 you’re walking into McBryde with disgust as you wipe sweat off your face from the grueling journey under the blazing afternoon sun.

Dress smart. It’s fine to wear short sleeves in late fall; cover up with a trench or light jacket for your morning travels. And, for those bitter cold days up in the mountains, please spare everyone the eyesore of a gargantuan, unflattering ski coat. Save it for the slopes and opt for a nicely tailored pea coat, trench, or down jacket.

While it’s perfectly acceptable to bum it every once in a while, you can’t underestimate the power of great style. When you dress well, not only do you appear more professional to those in authority, but you also show those your own age that you’re confident and care about how you present yourself. There’s nothing more attractive than that. Fashion is not rocket science, it can be done well, and it can be done easily. It won’t kill you to put on some fashionable jeans in lieu of those sweat pants every once in a while, I promise you. And while by no means should we turn the drill field into a catwalk, we can at least dress with the confidence that we belong on one.

Follow these links for some fabulous shopping and styling ideas:

Style inspiration from ready-to-wear collections

Essential guide to fall shopping