So today I wore a Lynwood Knight shirt to school. Am I showing school spirit or am I just a dorkwad? Trust me, this one ain’t all that clear cut.

I mean back when I was a student in high school, I never wore any school stuff. That was for doofs. But now that I am a teacher, I wear school gear.

Fact is, I probably own too much of it. My wardrobe consists of Lynwood Knight sweatshirts, shorts, t-shirt, polos, hats and even headbands. I’ve got classic Lynwood gear (like the senior class sweatshirt from 2002) and just the other day I was thinking about springing for a new long sleeve t-shirt.

Why? I am not sure. My wardrobe is already disproportionally Lynwood-y and now I am going to add to the collection? Why would I do that? I mean let me tell ya, this ain’t Prada.

Of course occasionally I end up wearing school gear and regretting it. Like when you end up going out to dinner with other bona-fide adults straight after the school day ends, meet at a restaurant and feel like the biggest lunkhead on the planet when you realize how nicely other people with real jobs get to dress for their work.

And then there’s my wife. For some reason, she never wears Lynwood clothing. It’s not like I haven’t bought her stuff. She used to smile and say “Thanks.” That was when we first got married. Now she just says, “Why’d you waste your money?” whenever I bring something home for her… which I no longer do.

Ah, the frankness of marriage.

And let’s be honest, don’t some staffers wear just like WAY TOO MUCH school stuff? Really, is it every day gear? Is it every night gear? Is it every weekend gear?

Is it necessary that you wear clothing with school logos on it to the bat-mitzvah of your neighbor’s daughter?

When it comes to wearing school clothing, where is the line of sanity drawn?

When you are a teacher, sometimes you get worn out.

I mean WORN OUT. It’s inevitable. That’s why I endorse caffeine. After all, when you teach teens, they have hormones, sugar and youth on their side. Caffeine is the great equalizer. It allows me to hit another gear when I ordinarily would not have another gear in me but oh-so-desperately need it.

You can take away my paper supply, you can take away my access to resources, you can take away the electricity, pencils and even my chair — I’ll be just fine. But take away my caffeine and the game is over.