Wearing lab coats to non-lab events “because tradition.”

WEARING LAB COATS TO NON-LAB EVENTS “BECAUSE TRADITION.”

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Recall those moments, perhaps at a late-night study group in the dorm or a casual departmental gathering, when someone would invariably arrive in a lab coat? No microscope in sight, no hazardous chemicals, just that crisp white fabric. “Because tradition,” they’d deadpan, and we’d all get it. It wasn't about scientific necessity; it was a badge, a quirky ritual that marked our collective identity within these demanding academic walls.

These seemingly absurd practices, like sporting protective gear at a non-science symposium, felt both ridiculous and strangely comforting. We might have privately scoffed, but they became the threads woven into the fabric of our collegiate lives – inside jokes, unspoken affiliations, a subtle acknowledgment of the unique blend of intellect and eccentricity that defined our institutions. They reminded us that amidst the intense rigor, there was also a shared history, a particular way of being.

Even now, years removed, as we navigate our professional lives, the memory of those out-of-place lab coats evokes a knowing smile. A testament to the peculiar rites that shaped us, these traditions weren’t just arbitrary rules. They were the subtle, often amusing, ways we learned to embrace our belonging, transforming the mundane into meaningful shared history. What traditions, however odd, still stick with you?

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