I think I am an addict. My assets are frozen. I’ve drained my bank account to the single digits. My friends say I’ve lost it, but I can’t stop now — I’m too far gone.

While packing for college, I struggled to choose what to keep and what to leave — especially when it came to clothes. What did I stuff my bags with? Dozens and dozens of sweaters.

To me, they feel like memories of different times — a glimpse into the many different hats I used to wear. Each of my sweaters embodies an activity that mattered to me, a trip I took or an experience I will never forget. Some people collect snow globes; I collect sweaters (much more practical, in my opinion). 

In my extensive collection, a few stand out:

UGLY Club Sweaters 

In the back of my bottom drawer reside my ugly Debate Team sweaters. When I say ugly, I don’t mean to be demeaning, but they certainly turn heads for the wrong reasons. The first one says, “I talk to walls,” with a penguin facing a brick wall – which has actually received quite a few compliments. I have a matching sticker too. Instead of making me look like an academic debater, I just began to look crazy.

The second one says, “Resolved: your mom wishes you were on the Speech and Debate Team,” which to be fair, is from 2019 — and still wasn’t cool back then. 

The third one has a penguin and an obnoxiously large team crest that looks like a mix between the Harvard and Morse College crests. The penguin was a win but the crest ruins the appeal.

I’m not sure why I brought them; I knew I’d never wear them, but they still serve as a reminder of home and the friends that are all too far away. I look back at these sweaters and reminisce about the debate tournaments where I would wear them not caring that they were ugly. My team would pull up in these sweaters — all mixed and matched because we could coordinate — but it didn’t matter because we did it together.

The Neon Green “brat” Sweater

In the bottom of the top drawer is a bright green “brat” sweater I purchased in D.C. I was trying to branch out and find my personal style. When I saw a bright green sweater with the “brat” logo, I thought, “I like green.” It turns out I do like green — just not when it makes me look like a highlighter.

Fortunately, one of my friends was kind enough to not so subtly tell me, “You are certainly making a statement,” when I asked them if they liked my sweater. Easy to say, I retired this one to the bottom drawer. 

White Gilmore Girls Sweater

This one was a must-have after seeing Gilmore Girls for the ninth time. It is the right amount of chunky while still being light and warm. Whenever I wear it, I channel my inner Rory and walk around campus holding a warm cup of coffee and a book until I find a nice tree to read beside. At Yale, I get to live out my Gilmore Girl dreams — hopefully without the “WHY DID YOU DROP OUT OF YALE” part.

Random Beige Plaid Sweater from Depop

Mixed feelings about this one. It simultaneously makes me look like I could be your grandfather and a scary polisci kid. I like it, so I don’t care.

Purchased in the midst of college applications, this sweater was a form of retail therapy. Whenever, I wasn’t working on my common application. I was looking through Depop for hidden gems, trying to imagine myself wearing them at the specific colleges I was applying to. This beige one I thought really gave student at Brown University vibes — I swear it’s not just because it’s beige.

The Slightly-Stained White Half Turtleneck

Don’t know what to do with this one. It is that reflective type of white that blinds people when I am in the sunlight. I couldn’t commit to a full turtleneck so instead I’m stuck with this awkward in between that covers a quarter of my neck. 

I purchased it branching out for senior photos, thinking it would make me look like an ivy league academic — lowkey out of place in my midwestern high school. At Yale, I still haven worn it — mostly because I have been too lazy to bleach a tiny stain.

Naval Academy Sweater

This one in big block letters just says NAVY in all caps; I purchased it at the U.S. Naval Academy, but all of my friends thought it was just from Old Navy. So, no one knew I was genuinely considering attending a military academy. I still haven’t worn this one yet but it is a reminder of the different paths I could’ve taken, and weirdly a way to appreciate the one I’m on.

The Yale Sweaters

Yeah, the ones that everyone has from the bookstore. Yes, I know I’m basic, but I’ll never change. The classic big Y is both iconic and a symbol of a new chapter here at Yale. 

Every big chapter of my life has brought with it a few new sweaters. I’ve already added seven sweaters to my collection at Yale and am co-parenting two more with a downstairs neighbor. So, I’m not giving up my addiction — but I’m excited to see what my new adventures add to my wardrobe.