“Life’s better in flops” Katie Carlson, Senior 

“You don’t see humans wearing gloves across campus covering the ligaments attached to our palms (fingers), why is there such a stigma around toes? To be Pro Toe is to be Pro Freedom, and if you hate freedom, just say that instead of projecting onto foot ligaments.” Juan Pablo Garcia-Flores, Senior 

There is nothing more atrocious than walking to class in 90-degree weather. When only weeks before the same temperature called for a pool day, you are now climbing up the mall, sweat forming under your backpack and sun blaring in your eyes, as you trudge to your next class. On grueling days like this, it is important to take every effort to stay cool.   

Therefore, when I arrived back on campus this August and began sporting my favorite Teva sandals, I was appalled by the disrespect I was served for wearing open-toed shoes to my classes. “Who let the dogs out?” “Getting a little casual this year, huh?” and “Okay, Granola girl.” were only some of the disparaging comments I was forced to endure on a daily basis. I had no idea that simply wearing my functional, fun, and fashionable sandals would draw such strong emotions from my peers. I soon realized there was a strong debate boiling under Creighton’s surface: “to toe, or not to toe?” 

For me, open toed shoes are how I cling to the last remnants of the summer. Starting school in the August heat is hard enough; if I can’t have freedom from the indoors, why do my feet have to endure the same injustice? Wearing my sandals makes me feel chill and collected, like I am hanging out on a back porch rather than sitting in a stiff classroom. 

People tell us to put the toes away, to shield them from the world. They say it’s unprofessional for class or purport it’s an invasive showcase of the foot. However, these naysayers don’t realize that showing one’s vulnerabilities, including their toes, opens them up to the world. A person in sandals is bringing their whole self to every situation: toes and all. 

Sandals are so much more than just a shoe; they are a signal. The frat guys wearing golf shirts and Birkenstocks show that yeah, they got that return offer and will soon be in the big leagues, but for now they’re still down to hang. The girls wearing jeans and flip flops are showing they have it all together and spent the summer calling everything “kinda chic.” My fellow Chaco and Teva wearers are silently yearning to still be outside and probably trying to keep our strappy tan lines. 

Whether you think the dogs need to be concealed, or you’re all for freeing the toe, this is not a disagreement that is likely to end for many semesters to come. Soon, as the temperatures drop, we will all be enclosing our toes. For now, my only hope is that the Creighton community is able to look past their neighbor’s open or closed-toed shoes and have an open heart and mind instead.