Prof. Jessica Penner | OL05 | Fall 2020

Meet my Shorts, Dylan Nanjad Revised

In the summer between 7th and 8th grade, my parents decided to enroll my little sister and I in a summer camp. I was really mad about it because I wanted to spend pretty much all of my time reading books, but they wanted me to try it so I did. The first day was awesome, and the rest of the summer followed suit. I ended up loving going there, and my parents realized that I needed new clothes to hike in. We went to an American Eagle and in the sales rack was a set of dark grey cargo shorts. They were big on me and I had to use a belt, but we bought them among a ton of other shirts, and that was that. Little did I know how important those shorts would become later on.

    Now, I wear these things more than any other article of clothing. I’ve never really been into dressing up or getting expensive clothes. That’s probably because I had to wear a uniform in school for most of my life. Whenever it comes to big events like weddings I actually really enjoy shopping for nice dress shirts, vests and suits. I also occasionally indulge in stuff that catches my eye, like a cool hoodie or shirt with an anime that I love. Aside from that, I’m super practical, and my cargo shorts are pretty much the ultimate proof of that mentality. They’re perfect. They give my legs plenty of space to breathe and move, and the cargo pockets feel awesome. They rest right by my hands when I let them down naturally, so to access them all i have to do is bend my wrist a little bit. So convenient. I usually pair them with a tank top or one of my favorite t-shirts if I’m spending the day out. Usually when I go by my best friend’s house I usually change into gym shorts because they’re less baggy and feel lighter, since we usually end up relaxing on the floor or couch. 

    My mom’s been telling me to throw them away because of how worn out they look, but honestly, I’ll take comfort over aesthetics any day. Lately I’ve kept my eye out for similar pairs whenever I go out, but nothing’s caught my eye yet. Even if I did get a new pair, they wouldn’t replace my old ones. They hold a lot of sentimental value, so they’re here to stay.

7 Comments

  1. Jozelyn

    Dylan, I remember commenting on this piece when we first started this memior piece. I enjoyed hearing how you came across your favorite pair of shorts? How have you been able to keep them for so long?What your laundry secret? 🙂

  2. Angelica Salazar

    Hey Dylan, I enjoyed reading a the context on how you got the shorts, I also liked that you still held on to them over the years. Is there anything other than their comfort and convenience that you like about them like maybe the color?

  3. Leviza Murtazayeva

    Hey Dylan, I loved nd enjoyed reading a story about your cargo shorts and story behind getting them, it was nice knowing more about you as a whole person, since many would change their style consistently. It is nice to know that there are people who value small material things and which mean a lot to them.
    Would there be a shirt convenient as these cargo shorts?

  4. Amna Ahmed

    Hi Dylan, these pants must be really sturdy because of how long they’ve been with you. You got them in 8th grade and you can still wear them. Must be some sturdy pants.
    What color are your cargo shorts?

  5. Angelica Hernandez

    Hi Dylan, nice work. I feel the same way with some shirts I own.
    A question I have is do you wear your shorts inside during the winter due to the weather?

  6. Mamadou

    At one point I had an attachment like that to my sweatpants but I couldn’t keep anything because puberty made me almost double in size. The part about your mom telling you to throw them away is especially relatable because despite my growth spurt I did cling onto my old clothes for a while because of the sentimental value they hold,

    Do you have anything else that you are keeping because you’ve had it for a long time?

  7. Mamadou

    At one point I had an attachment like that to my sweatpants but I couldn’t keep anything because puberty made me almost double in size. The part about your mom telling you to throw them away is especially relatable because despite my growth spurt I did cling onto my old clothes for a while because of the sentimental value they hold,

    Do you have anything else that you are keeping because you’ve had it for a long time?

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