As Walsh Hall apparel commissioner, I have a duty to ensure the Wild Women look good.
As a lifelong fashionista, I wanted to create fall and spring collections of loungewear that were comfortable, collegiate and classy, not oversized and obnoxious.
Staples of this fall's order included a cardigan and a henley in classic colors with simple designs, both of which I purchased myself and wear proudly around campus.
But when it came to introducing new items for spring, both our rector and the dorm's residents were vocal: they wanted yoga pants.
Those who know me know I make it a point to dress up for class daily. I boast an eclectic wardrobe of varied styles, colors and patterns.
But if there is one thing I will never wear, it's yoga pants.
Not to revive last year's "Viewpoint-less" war, but yoga pants are glorified leggings. Just because they flare out at the bottom does not make them qualify as pants. Flare-legged pants have been out of style for years, so by that logic, it's better to just wear leggings as pants, but by no means is it good.
I found myself in a dilemma. I could refuse to order the yoga pants, stand firm in my beliefs and deprive the Wild Women of what they wanted, or I could cave and get the pants, ignore my personal principles and please the girls in my dorm.
As a future lawyer, I have to get used to this war between career responsibilities and inner convictions. Lawyers oftentimes have to choose between representing a questionable client and getting fired.
Criminal defense lawyers in particular must be at peace with knowing most of their clients are guilty, but as professionals, they're required to do their best to procure the most favorable sentence for them and guarantee justice prevails.
At Notre Dame, we're taught to follow our moral instincts and to uphold our Catholic code of ethics at all costs. When our careers clash with these tenets, we must hold true to our beliefs no matter what.
The Church claims it does not have a hierarchy of dogma, but when it comes to shaping personal ethics, a ranking of priorities is vital.
A good, moral person shouldn't defend someone who killed another in cold blood merely for the sport of it.
But if I were asked to represent a kid guilty of theft who is genuinely repentant and brimming with potential, I can disregard, "Thou shalt not steal."
Sometimes in life people have to do things they're not comfortable with for the sake of a greater good, and as long as these actions do not conflict with one's core ethical pillars, some dissonance is allowed.
I realized my petty vendetta against yoga pants was not worth standing in the way of my friends' joy.
In fact, I think those yoga pants will look fabulous on the strong, beautiful and ever classy Wild Women of Walsh, and not just because I designed them.
