Has any - like me - just started college? I'm trying to ease into the goth look instead of going completely gothed up. And oddly enough, the lecturer was talking about a thing called "stigmatisation", when youre new somewhere and want to give a good rep to new peers and how this is in our subconscious.

Incidentally I also got called an emo in my class by the lecturer

Anyone have the same thing going on?

I've been in college since 2009. I've always gone to my classes completely Gothed out. I don't give a damn if my classmates like me or not- I'm there for my education. Sometimes it effects my chances of getting on a good team, but if someone on my team doesn't do their work- I won't give them credit on the assignment. It's that simple. Also, I'm majoring in Psychology, so you know.

I've been going to college for a while myself (maybe a little too long). When I first started, I had the torn jeans, flannel shirt, band t-shirt, long hair look then sorta just jumped into the goth look (nothing but black with the occasional band T and accessories)

I think people were already kinda use to "that guy with the creepy band shirts" look, so people didn't give much notice.

I say go for it, it's who you are. If your peers have a problem with that, then that's their problem.


Now, I can't say that for a job interview (as cliche as this is gonna sound, you gotta dress to impress interviewers), but when it comes to something like college and your social life, how you dress is up to you and you only, and if someone "mis-titles" you, just politely correct them and go your very merry way

I graduated college and I can give you some advice.

1- Don't answer questions like "are you a satanist or something?". Be evasive. A little mystery never hurts.

2 - When others give you malicious compliments in an apparently friendly conversation, do the same to them.

3 - Be friendly, communicative and open.

4 - It's useful to make friends from other cultures (rappers, metalheads, even chavs)

5 - "Never let them see you bleed".

6 - If someone has your back or fights beside you in a campus brawl, then you must also help him when he is in the same situation. It's common curtsey.

7 - Fashion always comes second after making a good academical impression.

8 - Keep your chin up always. Never look down in the presence of foes.

Hope I helped.

Has it occurred to you to just be yourself, and not give a shit about what other people think?

Regardless of whether you're sporting goth clothing, or some other style, people are always going to draw conclusions based upon your appearance. I can't help but believe that girls running around in uggs and lululemon clothing are idiotic; they never seem to have an individualistic bone in their bodies. Their personalities seem cookie cutter to me. I try to get to know a person before I judge them, but if someone's spending like a hundred bucks on some shitty jogging pants, they probably aren't the kind of person I want to be hanging out with.

You can't fight biases and stereotypes. The best you can do is give a good impression, and educate people. Above all, wear whatever you want. You will have a way better experience starting goth in college than if you had started in high school; in college everyone is there to learn, they likely don't give damn about you or what you wear.

I think you should do what makes you comfortable. Depending on the area in which you live, it is sometimes better to ease people into it or to dress a little more casually. I find the same thing where I live. There are a lot of misconceptions and sometimes it's better for people to get to know my personality a little first.

It's always important to dress for the occasion. I took my son to school wearing yarn falls and it was incredibly distracting to the staff in his classroom. I replaced the yarn falls with a snood because I want them to be focused on the preschoolers running around, not whether or not I wanted to do my hair that morning.

I tone it down a bit considerably so as not to freak out the sensitive nature of the kiddies (you'd be surprised how image conscious Sydney-siders aren. Nothing like the rest of Australia) , but I wear my metal shirts without a damn for what the other students think.

I'm there for my education, friends are of little concern as I already have a decent enough group of them, and in fact, the drama picking the wrong friends can bring is just not worth it. If you don't feel comfortable being yourself around someone then they're probably not worth socialising with in on even a regular basis.


PS. I am the old man on campus, it's easier for me to put it in to action.

I just started college as well but i don't really dress in a gothic style... just normal black clothes, some spike bracelets and chains once in a while, and luckily i met awesome people and i'm getting along just great
I can't help much, but i can say this: you WILL meet great people in your college years, who will accept you for what you are, no matter what clothes you wear or what music you listen. BUT you should keep in mind that first impresions are very important, so i think you should ease up on the goth style a little... i imagine it may be hard, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices..
If you talk to people, they will eventually see through your clothes (not literally lol) and see the great person in you

I started in August; going for music recording and sound reinforcement programs at the moment, then getting the degrees. To answer your question, I dress trad Goth for the most part, and more 'in depth' (accessory wise, etc.) during the fall, winter and spring (I have the warmest, most awesome wool overcoat ever produced, and can wear more than a simple t-shirt), but always take the time to 'Goth Up' before school. I couldn't be bothered to care if people make snide remarks or disapproving glares at me, I guess I'm past the point of trying to be everybody's best friend all the time, plus I like the way I look, I'm not out to impress anybody. People are going to group you whether you're wearing docs, reeboks, converse, toms or uggs (vague allusion, you get the picture), so why not dress the way you want? It's impossible to gain everybody's acceptance anyways.

On a side note... Today, one of my instructors kept calling me Robert Smith, it was truly the most flattering thing anybody who doesn't know me, and my absolute, undying love for the Cure has ever said to me.



Sound advice, except, more often than not, very little in the physical world can be gained from hanging around chavs... But granted, it's better to give everyone the benefit of the doubt

Everyone here is so right, please be yourself. If you aren't, you'll regret it later, and who wants that? You'll be surprised at the friends you make just because you are you. It's also easier for others to accept who you are. It might be shocking for some at first, but they'll get over it quick. Keep your chin up and live life the way you want to!