When I was buying my schoolbooks for the upcoming semester, a particular shelf caught my eye. Instead of being filled with textbooks, it had multiple clothing items.

On closer examination I discovered that this year we had to buy our exercise science clothes for the first time. Surprising yes, but no big deal. I approved of the change.

In years past we only had to rent them for the semester. My immediate reaction was relief, finally I would be guaranteed a fresh pair of gym shorts. Who knows what kind of people had been wearing them for years past. And think of all the sweat that has accumulated in the underarms of those shirts over the past semester alone.

Each year I found myself longing that I would be given a pair of garments that were previously used by a Lifetime Wellness student who skipped the 10-minute run.

I was now in control. I would be the one who could pick up and examine each shirt to make sure the one I wanted met the cleanness specifications I required. I could even buy multiple shirts and shorts so I wouldn’t have to wash them every other day between classes.

But the more I thought about it, the less excited I was at the prospect. Sure it is a great idea at first but soon I was having an inner debate about it.

For classes where teachers aren’t overly strict about the dress code, my pair of exercise shorts would work just as well as the university-mandated ones, and quite honestly, any of the 25 T-shirts in my closet are fully functional.

There is no way of knowing if the class I registered for would be one of those. I might be stuck with ACU workout clothes that I’d never find the need to wear. Sure, they work just as well as the ones I have, but I have an image to keep. Honestly, how many people have you seen walking around campus wearing Exercise Science clothes when they don’t have to.

Seniors also won’t get their money’s worth out of the deal. This is probably the last exercise class they’ll ever have to take, and come May, the outfit will just get thrown away or donated to Goodwill.

Freshmen might get their money’s worth out of the deal getting to use the same pair for the rest of their college career, but what if the classes actually do what they are designed to? The clothes will be useless within a year. Those shorts, which once fit snug across my wide belly, hopefully will be too big after dropping off a couple of pounds. And my shoulders, scrawny little chicken wings before, now resemble Stallone on steroids. There is no way on earth I will be able to fit my massive biceps through those sleeves.

I realize that the chances of four classes in four years working that kind of change in my physique are slim, but I can still hope.

By making us buy gym clothes, the school is telling us that we won’t make any worthwhile changes in our lifestyle – that we’ll stay the same shape forever. Or along a less sinister viewpoint, that we can afford to buy new shorts every couple of years …

Either way, I think making us buy our own clothes is an unnecessary change.