As the weather gets warmer, the clothes students change into become more revealing, and shoes are a part of that change. Since the start of spring, I have been wearing open-toed sandals with no socks on. This lets everyone who is unfortunate enough to see your feet, maybe even get a whiff of your toe cheese. This scene does not sound or seem pretty, and while it may be a summer staple, many students find the look out of place in a classroom setting. “I would wear them to the beach, but they just aren’t for the public areas like school,” Steven Procto, junior, said.
On the surface level, it seems harmless to wear sandals without socks, but there is a bigger picture to this problem. People do not seem to realize, but school is a breeding ground for bacteria, and having your feet so close to the ground unprotected can lead to bacterial growth. With bacteria breaking down sweat, your foot odor would be much stronger than it would be with socks. There’s also an increase in infections, without socks, feet get more damp on the bottom. If this remains consistent then an athlete’s foot might occur or other fungal nail infections.
The quality of your sandals also affects what may happen. The straps are one of the main problems. With leather or plastic straps, which often cause consistent rubbing against your feet, they can cause blisters. Cracking on the heels from being very dry can be painful. If you have ever heard in science class, “closed-toed shoes are required for labs,” this is because of the chemicals that may spill, and broken glass that could be shattered. Although this is just in science class, it shows that closed-toed shoes have many other protective qualities. Walking up stairs or running because you are late is much more risky in flip flops, with increased chances of tripping or twisting ankles. Beyond the safety hazards, there is the simple “ick” factor of seeing feet in inappropriate weather. Some noted that the trend started even before the heatwave hit. “When it was like colder out, and people had their dogs out, that was lowkey nasty.” Jealyn Kulich, junior, said.
In conclusion, the people showing their feet off on campus are the real daredevils. Flaunting their feet while increasing the risk of accidents is very bold. And many others would agree that it is also gross.
