Point Counterpoint – Counterpoint: Should you purchase an Engineering Leather Jacket?

“The finest clothing made is a person’s skin, but, of course, society demands more than this.” – Mark Twain

These five years have taught me a lot, maybe even too much. However, if there is one lesson that I will take away from my five years at the University of Waterloo, it is to holistically assess the value of my choices. This lesson is applicable to the decision of purchasing an engineering leather jacket. Although not a ubiquitous presence, I have noticed them since 1A. Fellow students sport the school crest on the slick black leather, sharing with us their discipline and convocation year. This triggered some thinking. Should I get one myself? Why should I get one? On the eve of my graduation, I can say with confidence that I will not.

According to Retail Services, the leather jackets start at $450.00. One can have patches of the school crest, degree, and convocation year stitched on the sleeves, and either patches of “University of Waterloo” or “Waterloo Engineering” on the back. Additional customizations start at $5.00, and include additional letters, crests, and lengthening of sleeves. My immediate reaction to the jacket is that it costs a lot. For many of us, this equates to a month of rent, several weeks of groceries, and multiple articles of clothing. Strictly speaking, in terms of necessities, the shelter, sustenance, and the added warmth and comfort are significantly more valuable to me than the benefits of the jacket. From that perspective, the jacket has extremely poor value. We do not need it based on the steep price tag.

The jacket’s high cost is only one of my hesitations. If I had to invest a major slice of my budget pie on one item of clothing, I expect to have a grand selection of style, fit, and colour to satisfy my aesthetic concerns. I want a trendier and more modern look so I can wear it at school and as a professional. That is, our expensive jacket should have both short- and long-term value. This is clearly not the case; its value is strictly short-term. It is appropriate to bring the jacket along to engineering conventions to network with other students from other schools. Wearing it at school is certainly a great decision. It is iconic at PubCrawls and OT’s. One may even wear it to work during co-op terms. All these events, however, are restricted to our tenure at the university. The tacky patches represent a time of formative years, not of a professional. The outdated design may give the wrong impression that I probably settled for a cheaper style. Moreover, I struggle to think of occasions where I will wear the jacket as an adult. I cannot wear it to meet with business clients, superiors, or employees. I cannot wear it to spend a nice evening with my family. I will be restricted from wearing it whenever a business formal dress code is required. My great investment will eventually settle in the bowels of my closet. I may find it in a box that I open when I move or have a garage sale. I may dust it off and lift it up into the sunlight, which will reveal a worn, stretched, and ragged memory of youth. It may trigger memories of my time as an undergrad at UW, but that may be the only thing it will do for me. I may wear the leather jacket as a student, but with each passing day, as I transition to being a professional, the jacket will become less valuable.

Those in favour of buying a leather jacket may use my very approach of assessing value to argue that it must be purchased because it has such enormous sentimental value. We are intelligent, wilful, and strong students who succeed despite our challenging program. We should be prideful as engineering students at the University of Waterloo. Even Retail Services tells us to “wear it with pride!” I have no questions about our school spirit. However, must the leather jacket be present for us to be prideful? Must it be our main badge of honour? We show our pride through our minds, our hearts, and our experiences. We deliver outstanding results in the workplace and overcome monumental problems. We need no jacket for this. Mark Twain once so aptly said, “The finest clothing made is a person’s skin, but, of course, society demands more than this.” We do not need “Waterloo Engineering” hanging from our backs to prove that we are Warriors of Engineering. Let our intelligence and skill do that.