SICK DAY

                 Although my wardrobe oftens allows me to choose from many teacher-appropriate skirts, dresses, shirts, and shoes, it does not afford me with something that is stylish yet comfortable much needed on a sick day. Aside from the fact that I probably should not be teaching while I nurse a cold, I got ready this morning for work with only one clear thought in my head: sweatpants. While I am someone who will never condone people who wear sweatpants to work, no matter what the profession, I reached for my navy velour, drawstring pants paired with a Coldplay concert t-shirt and a large men's sweater stolen from my brother. As I packed myself tea in a thermos, a nagging thought went through my head: "Is this the day when Miss Deitcher wears sweatpants to school?" After all that hard work I have put into establishing my teacher status as a fashionable one, am I willing to throw it away just because of the sniffles? Checking myself in the mirror before I left, I hastily discarded my sweats and threw on a pair of light-wash boyfriend-cut jeans. Achieving a relaxed-yet-somewhat-put-together look, I slipped on my oh-so-comfy moccasins (slippers really), and added diamond stud earrings.

                    Sometimes it seems as if my scrubby jeans and oversized sweater still constitute a more put-together outfit than some other teachers I observe, but even though I adore sitting around in comfy clothes, I did not feel as professional as I usually do. Good thing a cold only last a few days, a week at most. Although surely the students aren't criticizing my choice of jeans over a pencil skirt, I am still teacher by day...