📙 Part 2: Describe a time you had to wear a uniform

This episode's vocabulary

Utter (adj.) - complete or extreme.

To fall to someone (phrasal verb) - to be or become the duty or job of someone.

Blasted (adj.) - used in phrases to express anger.

Blazer (noun) - a type of formal jacket that is a different colour from the trousers or skirt that are worn with it. In the UK a blazer often has the symbol of a school or organization sewn on the front pocket and is worn as part of a uniform.

Enamoured (adj.) - liking something a lot.

To enforce (verb) - to make people obey a law, or to make a particular situation happen or be accepted.

Uniformity (noun) - the quality or fact of being the same, or of not changing or being different in any way.

To call on/upon somebody (phrasal verb) - to ask formally for someone to do something.

Unfailingly (adverb) - in a way that shows itself at all times.

Presentable (adj.) - looking suitable or good enough, especially in the way you are dressed.

None the wiser (idiom) - to not be aware of something.

Questions and Answers

M: Rory, are you ready to give us your story?

R: I am. Let's get cracking.

M: Bring it on.

R: To be honest, I haven't worn a uniform in years, probably not since I left school. And even then I wasn't a huge fan of having it on properly. So I suppose we'll just have to talk about that. We had to wear it every day at school. So it was easy for us to be recognized as part of the student body by all of the staff. So it served a security purpose too. The teachers also said it would prepare us for the modern workplace. Though, that turned out to be utter nonsense. Since you can pretty much wear what you want these days regardless of where you work. Since I didn't have a job in school, and I wouldn't have spent my own money on it, even if I did it fell to my parents to buy the blasted thing. This was quite common for all students in my area since it was a pretty middle-class school that we all went to. Not that it stopped the uniform itself from being awful, of course. The main parts were a white shirt, a school tie, and black trousers for boys and girls. Although, the girls could wear skirts if they wanted. If you were really into the uniform, you could have this kind of black blazer, which is like a jumper but not nearly as comfortable. I tried one on once and I felt like I was wearing cardboard. The tie was in the school colours. So blue, silver, black and white. I think that was an emblem that would go on the blazer too, but can't remember what it looks like. And of course, you could get badges as well, but I never bothered with them either. As you might have guessed by now, I wasn't exactly enamoured with the thing. The whole purpose it seemed to serve was to enforce some kind of uniformity that never worked. If you pardon the pun. If people violate the rules all the time, but it was only certain students that were called on it. And it was almost unfailingly the ones that teachers liked. I suppose it was cheap. So poorer students were able to afford something presentable, which is a good thing. But aside from that slight silver lining, the whole thing failed miserably. I mentioned earlier about the security aspects, but anyone could borrow a tie and wander into another school. And teachers would be none the wiser. If I could have changed the rules, I think I'd have simplified the whole thing just to clean white shirts and trousers. That would have been enough I think. Instead, we had this ridiculous set of rules and regulations to follow.

M: And what about your friends? Did they like this uniform?

R: The ones I went to school with absolutely hated it as well. Nobody liked it.