I will accept some things in college: the all-nighters, the subpar dining hall food and the group projects that never actually function as a group. But there’s one thing I haven’t — and will never — accept: wearing sweatpants or flip-flops to class.

I’ve seen the white shirt that looks like it was balled up and has never touched an iron, and even the horrific combo of adidas slides with Nike crew socks, but we must do better than this. 

Now that’s not to say I dress for class like I’m going to the Met Gala or Paris Fashion Week, but I do wake up, take my pajamas off, pick an outfit and iron it before heading to class — the absolute bare minimum, or at least a minimum I follow. I’m no fashion curator, but I’d like to think I can put on a decent Grisch-style outfit. Of course, not everyone needs to dress up, but wearing sweatpants, sandals and a wrinkled shirt every day reveals a different problem. 

I fully understand why some students opt for these clothing choices. College is stressful, people are busy and making it to class is often the hardest part of people’s day. If sweatpants are what get you out the door, that’s absolutely acceptable. But, there’s more to clothes than just what we put on our bodies. 

Fashion isn’t just a choice, it’s a mindset. When you dress up, you feel good; it’s a mentality. If you roll out of bed, throw on a pair of sweatpants and sandals — too lazy to even put on socks — you are mentally giving up. 

Beyond fashion, taking the time to feel put-together is beneficial. It’s known that making your bed is immensely important. It can provide a sense of accomplishment while also boosting your mood and reducing stress. An organized bed and room translate to an organized mind. This same idea applies to a wrinkled shirt. 

Wrinkled clothes, especially a wrinkled shirt, are often associated with unprofessionalism and sloppy, unkempt behavior. You’d never show up to a professional business meeting or interview in an unironed shirt, so there’s no reason to show up like that to class either. 

USC is a relatively prestigious university filled with students with high ambitions who want to — and will — become lawyers, doctors and even the next director of “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018) or a “Star Wars” film. Yet, half of these students come to class looking like they just rolled out of bed. For a school that prides itself on professionalism, our collective classroom attire looks more fit for a frat party or a hangover than for our future CEOs. 

Dressing up doesn’t mean dressing fancy, but it does mean having some respect for our future and ourselves. 

If we want to prepare ourselves for our professional lives after graduation, we should all start now by putting the faded drawstring sweats, oversized hoodies and distressed flip-flops — which now lack tread — in the back of our closets. 

I’d be dumb if I didn’t acknowledge that flip-flops are part of the Californian style and aesthetic — and maybe it’s the French in me — but I just can’t accept it. 

Why would I want to have my feet out in the open air outside of the pool or the beach?

Los Angeles may be a beachy, coastal city, but we at USC are far from the sand. Unlike the University of Miami or Pepperdine University, USC is not a beachy school. We are five minutes from the center of the second-largest city in the United States. We are the city, not the beach. And city life comes with closed-toed shoes, not flip-flops. 

L.A. is not like the pictures; it’s dirty and grimy like every other major city. No one would ever wear flip-flops in New York or Paris, so let’s all do the same here. We can’t all wear Maison Margiela Replica sneakers or Ralph Lauren sweaters, but we can iron shirts and cover our feet to look presentable. 

I’m not asking for Trousdale to become Avenue Montaigne — and even if I were, it never could. I’m simply asking for jeans, real shoes and even, as challenging as it may be, a wrinkle-free, ironed shirt. 

Flip-flops aren’t a crime, but they’re also not our uniform and should not be glued to our feet like Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) in “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (2009). Let’s make ironing our clothes part of our morning routine and take a few extra minutes to put on more than just sweatpants and flip-flops. Putting a bit more effort into making ourselves look good will do a lot to make us feel good.