nic at night

I can tell that I'm internalizing my age, because I'm wearing jeans more when I'm teaching. when I started teaching college classes, I was 23. like most grad students, I dressed pretty much like most of my students, but since I was working with professors on most of the courses my authority wasn't an issue.

when I started teaching post-grad-school, I was 27. because I was teaching a night class, most of my students were my age or older, and I tried to dress up more so that they'd listen to me. ok, now I know that when people are paying someone to teach them something at night after going to their regular job all day they pretty much listen no matter what the person is wearing, but there was still this element of being taken seriously that I was concerned about.

I've continued like this, wearing my Lawyer Clothes to teach, through the past 3 years. but this semester, I've been wearing jeans a lot more. ok, jeans with jackets and collared shirts, but still: jeans. I can't figure out if this means that I don't care if they like me, or I've become adept at controlling them through fear, or that I no longer believe they will continue to confuse me for a 25 year old if I don't dress the part.

probably some of all of the above.