By: Kelly Chia, Humour Editor

We don’t give enough recognition to the true underdogs in our lives. We really don’t, and if we’re entering the new year as honest people, we need to be honest about who really has our back. No, it’s not your childhood best friend that you’ve known for a decade! It’s your jacket! Obviously! You adorn it every time you bravely venture out the door, of course. I’ve named mine Moonie, because like the moon, we are also going through a phase, à la jacket. And I think it makes me look and sound quite mysterious, thank you.

I am not alone in my closeness with my beloved coat. I know we all do it, I’m just brave enough to say it out loud. Yes, every autumn, we turn to our closet, we pick one jacket, and that jacket stays with us through rain, sunshine, and the three other tumultuous weather patterns we can expect while living in Vancouver. It doesn’t really matter if it doesn’t have a hood, or isn’t particularly good for the rare -15 winter days. What matters is the vibe. The message. And the message is, “I want to hide inside a fleece jacket that’s actually masquerading as a blanket for my morning classes!” 

When I walk onto campus with my silly little fleece jacket that I have worn fifteen days in a row, and will continue to wear until the season turns over, I am actually expressing my deep longing to burrow deep in the safety and comfort of childhood days. So you must understand, not only is my decision a fashion statement, it is also an art piece. Like an onion, it has layers, and if you would only be so curious as to ask, I could indulge you in the deep machinations of my mind. If at this point in my very touching confessional, you find yourself asking, “What is a comfort jacket?” I would urge you to look deep into your heart. See the jacket that has seen you through your toughest days. 

For example, Moonie was there for me when classroom temperatures were so cruelly irregular, they forced me to continually take my jacket on and off. The semi-thin jacket lining is just perfect for the fickle Blusson classrooms, and I can drape it over my shoulders, like a fancy little cloak. That’s the kind of comfort I’m looking for in my jackets: escapism. Every single one of us, I swear on my neverending undergrad degree, has had this experience. 

So give your jacket a close hug tomorrow before you put it on and face the world again! Adventures await the both of you.