Question the school uniform, understand the school uniform, fall in love with the school uniform. It's only after many years that you realize the true value of the school uniform in your youth.

This is the "Confession Room for the Younger Generation" column. There's no priest here, but a quiet "confession seat" is reserved for you.

We're collecting the sincere thoughts of young people, allowing them to reveal their innermost yearnings. Sincere expression itself is full of power.

This is the 6th issue of the "Confession Room for the Younger Generation". Let's talk about "school uniforms".

We always thought youth had already passed by, but those items from our youth can always pull our thoughts back to those green years in a certain moment.

Among these items, school uniforms are undoubtedly the most special. They seem uniform and ordinary, but actually hide unique youth stories behind them. Whether it's the back view of a school - uniformed figure passing by on the road or the school uniform dug out from the bottom of a trunk during a move, when seeing that familiar logo and color scheme, the passion, innocence, laughter, and tears of our youth all come to mind one by one.

At that time, we always complained about its monotony and secretly drew our own exclusive marks on it with a ball - point pen. We also disliked its lack of fashion and secretly narrowed the trouser legs behind the teacher's back. But as we grow up, even though there are all kinds of clothes in our wardrobes, we always miss that neatly - uniformed coat we reluctantly put on back then.

Memories of our green years, regrets when looking back suddenly, innocent and beautiful secret crushes... It seems that all those campus stories are witnessed by school uniforms.

This time, the "Institute for the Younger Generation" launched a collection activity called "Exclusive Memories of School Uniforms". Everyone's stories about school uniforms are filled with both laughter and tears. Those stumbles in youth now seem to have become beautiful memories. Perhaps this is what youth is like. At that time, we always wanted to grow up quickly, but after growing up, we feel that those days were actually the most wonderful time.

 01 

 @Da Ke

In my first year of high school, it happened to be the school's centennial anniversary. I was selected to join the performance team for the anniversary. On the day before the official performance, we spent the whole day doing a formal rehearsal. Since the stage was outdoors and it suddenly started to rain heavily at night, and the school didn't arrange any emergency raincoats, and the anniversary event was quite important, we all had to rehearse in the heavy rain. Although the school uniforms at that time were wind - and water - proof to some extent, they were already soaked through after an hour of rehearsal. It was still cold in March, and we were all shivering with cold. When the classmates in the classroom knew about it, they came to bring us umbrellas and clothes, which were actually their own school uniforms. My back - seat classmate at that time was a boy. His school uniform was big and wide, and it wrapped me up two - thirds of the way. I immediately felt much warmer. Later, this back - seat classmate became my life partner.

The high - school school uniform was red. That red in the dark night, big and warm, is my deepest impression of school uniforms.

 02 

@A Zhou

In junior high school, skinny jeans and oversize tops were popular (yes, it was quite non - mainstream at that time). We would always buy larger school uniforms and then secretly have the trouser legs narrowed. But when I entered high school, short tops and extremely wide trouser legs suddenly became popular. So I started to buy smaller summer uniforms and have them taken in at the waist, haha. Moreover, even after going to college, I would still wear the school trousers from Shenzhen. It's one more way for Shenzhen students to recognize fellow villagers when they're away from home.

 03 

@It's All in Vain    

To be honest, I don't have any special memories of school uniforms. They were really ugly. The black - and - white color scheme of the junior - high school uniform was okay at first, but the school name was printed in bright red. The high - school uniform was even more strange, with a combination of sky - blue and orange - red. I bet you can't find the same style anywhere in the country.

 04 

@Time  

It's been almost ten years since graduation. Many classmates liked to scribble and draw on the back of their school uniforms back then. Some wrote the names of their idols, and some drew cartoon pictures. The first picture that comes to mind is a female classmate who wrote "I'm a student" on the back of her school uniform. Also, during morning self - study, the teaching group would suddenly come into the class with the student union to check school uniforms. I remember one day my deskmate didn't wear school trousers, so he followed the student union around the classroom and actually managed to get by without being discovered. It still makes me laugh when I think about it now.

 05 

@Secret Crush Expert aka Clothing Researcher

The weather in Shanghai during autumn and winter is changeable. At this time, some classmates wear autumn school uniforms, and some wear winter school uniforms. I used to look forward to going to school every morning. I would wait in a dark corner for the boy I had a crush on to enter the classroom, to see if he was wearing the winter or autumn school uniform. If we were wearing school uniforms of the same season, I would be happy all morning, thinking that we were really in sync and a perfect match! If we were the only two in the class wearing the same - season school uniforms, I would be both shy and excited. Isn't this just like a couple's outfit? Later, as the weather got colder, he often wore an autumn school uniform inside and a winter one outside. This really disappointed me, and I lost a great pleasure in going to school!

It really makes me laugh when I think about it now. In the same season, when I would get up every morning, look at the weather forecast, and struggle with what to wear and how to match, and whether to wear a coat, I would always think of that introverted and often - smiling self. I won't think of that boy anymore, because there are many boys in the world, but there's only one young me.

 06 

@Wang Fan Wang Ce    

My home is not far from my high school. Sometimes when I got home late, I would run into the kids who had just finished evening self - study. Our school uniforms had the year of enrollment written on the back. We were from the class of 2014, and now the ones I see on the back of the school uniforms are from 2024. Seeing them walking side by side to the subway station entrance to buy grilled sausages always reminds me of high school. Because of my poor weekly test results, I didn't want to go home every Friday. I would buy a portion of tendon noodles from the school gate with my friends and go to a milk - tea shop to order a cup of milk tea full of non - dairy creamer. One portion of noodles and one cup of tea, along with the gossiping with friends, were enough to relieve all my worries (of course, I would still be scolded by my parents for my poor grades when I got home).

 07 

@Hehe but not Hahaha    

The most memorable event was the sophomore class party. In the school auditorium, several good friends in my class and I wore the same blue - and - white school uniforms and danced a self - choreographed hip - hop dance. At that time, we complained many times about why the school didn't let us wear our own clothes on stage. It wasn't cool at all. During the National Day this year, when I was watching Wang Leehom's concert, he suddenly appeared on stage in that familiar Shenzhen school uniform. I didn't expect that school uniforms could become performance costumes, and I also didn't expect that school uniforms could be so fashionable.

When I got home that day, I rummaged through my closet and found that school uniform at the bottom of the trunk. I wanted to put it on and find that shining self on the stage. Touching that yellowed fabric, I suddenly felt a little sad. It's not just that it has aged, but I've also drifted further away from that youth. How I wish there was a way to go back to the past with this school uniform and make my youth shine a little brighter.

 08 

@Only

I remember a really sweet thing. In middle school, there was a boy who had a crush on me. Once during the break, he saw my school uniform jacket hanging on the back of the chair and said he wanted to borrow it (I don't know what game they boys were playing). I agreed without thinking much. He returned it just before class. I found that my pockets were full of candies and chocolates. Seeing my confused expression, he coolly said, "That's to show my gratitude." Childhood crushes are so pure and straightforward. No wonder all those youth idol dramas take place in school! I really miss those innocent days now that I'm working!

 01 

@Guan Er 

My school - uniform stories are always a bit sad. I'm a child from the mountains. In primary school, the school uniform cost 50 yuan. At that time, 50 yuan was a huge sum of money. Since I didn't have the money to buy a school uniform, my mother gave me my elder brother's. The old - style school uniform didn't match the new ones at all, especially during morning exercises. Now when I think about it, I really want to give that self a hug.

 02 

@It's All in Vain       

I come from a single - parent family and live with my mother. She has little education and works odd jobs every day, so she has no time to take care of me. I didn't like studying during my school days. I hung out with some vocational - school friends, smoking, drinking, and going to KTV every day. I thought I was cool and unique. I even drew some non - mainstream patterns on my school uniform. The teacher invited my mother to school many times, but I didn't care. The last time was when I was about to enter senior year. The teacher said that if I continued like this, I would be expelled. Anyway, I wouldn't be able to get into college, so it's better to find a vocational college earlier to learn some skills. My mother didn't scold me. When I got home, I saw her rubbing those colorful patterns on my school uniform and secretly wiping her tears. That was the first time I saw her cry. In that moment, I seemed to be suddenly awakened. I gradually calmed down and started studying. In the end, I was still 9 points short of the undergraduate admission line. It's a lie to say I don't regret it, but it's also a good thing that I didn't continue to degenerate. Now I'm working hard to get into a regular undergraduate college through upgrading from a junior - college degree.

 03 

@Le Le      

I transferred to a new school in junior high school and was very unaccustomed. At that time, the autumn and winter school uniforms were quite thin. Many classmates liked to wear a down jacket or a windbreaker over their school uniforms to keep warm. The school tolerated it, but we had to wear the school uniforms. One day, I was about to be late for school. In a hurry, I forgot to wear my school uniform and went straight to school. A classmate who liked to tattle - tale told the head teacher that I wasn't wearing my school uniform. I was very nervous on the way to the office, afraid of being asked to call my parents. I even made up some excuses, saying that my school uniform was still wet after being washed. But when I pushed the door open, I saw the head teacher smiling at me. She didn't ask me about the school uniform right away. Instead, she first asked if I was used to the new school. Finally, she said to remember to wear the school uniform in the future. She also winked playfully and said, "Even if you forget, don't let your classmates find out."

She was my favorite teacher ever. Unfortunately, she got sick and passed away during my college years. I've never had the chance to thank her properly. Thank her for protecting the little me. Every time I think of school and her, I feel a bit regretful.

 04 

@Duo Lai Mi 

The boy sitting in front of me in junior high school was my first love back then. I had a crush on him for three years (it wasn't really a secret crush; he should have known). At that time, being able to talk to him for a few words could make me happy all day. When it comes to school uniforms, the most memorable thing was during a history class. I was so sleepy that I hid behind the book and fell asleep. When I woke up, I found a school uniform on me. Later, I found out it was his. I was happy about it for a month, thinking that he might have feelings for me too. But soon after, it was time for the high - school entrance exam. There was no time for love. After graduation, we weren't in the same high school and didn't contact each other much. My first love ended without a trace. But now when I think of the days when I showed off to my friends that he put his school uniform on me, I still can't help laughing (it must be because I've been single for too long).