You awake to the rude call of your alarm clock and hit the snooze button. When you finally pull your groggy, sleepy self out of the comfort of your bed, you go to the closet and take out the plaid skirt, white polo shirt and designer ballet flats, your everyday apparel. As you march through the front doors of your school, you are welcomed by a sea of white shirts. It’s another day in a uniformed school.

You look upon your fellow freshmen and see no violence or teasing. You see your classmates socializing, not fearing ridicule. You see the glamorous make-the-most-popular-girl-in-school-jealous shoes your best friend is wearing and the exquisite earrings that dangle from her ears. Students beam with self-confidence and the anticipation of a new day. You walk confidently to homeroom, knowing that you are part of a huge family, knowing that the colors you and your fellow classmates wear give you a sense of belonging.

Many teens across the United States have mixed feelings about attending a school with uniforms. Some think they are a nuisance, but most don’t mind them. “It makes it easier to get dressed in the morning but doesn’t completely stop the competition because we can still wear designer shoes or earrings,” says one student.

Although many teens find uniforms tedious, they actually help schools in many ways. For one, they decrease school-related crimes, like theft, harassment, and hazing. Theft is reduced probably because students do not bring expensive clothing that would be worth stealing. Taunting, harassment, and hazing are reduced because everyone is dressed the same. It eliminates the need to have the latest designer fashions.

There is also a decrease in drug use and weapons. These two dangerous problems are reduced because the usual bagginess of regular pants and sweatshirts, which can hide drugs or weapons, is eliminated. A uniformed school is not a breeding ground for the next gang member.

Uniforms also make social standing less a matter of economics and more a result of moral character. In public schools, students’ popularity hinges on the clothes they wear. At uniformed schools, the social variable of clothing is removed.

Many studies hypothesize that uniforms help students focus better, since they can concentrate on the material rather than what those around them are wearing. Uniforms are also very affordable, which is why many parents support them. Parents also say “yay” to uniforms because in our society, many jobs required some sort of uniform; students are simply in the “business of learning.”

At the close of an academic day, I look back over the sea of white, swirling about in after-school bustle, confident that I will return to the same sea of white for the days and weeks to come.