An ode to the fracket:

I look around my dorm once more before ushering my friends out and shutting off my light. It's a Thursday night, and we are ready to dance our cares away after a tough week of classes. But before I can go, I must grab one last staple item of the evening on the way out. I have my M card, my housing card, and a twenty dollar bill in the pocket on the back of my phone but I can not forget the most important piece of the evening- the "fracket". I go to the bottom drawer of my dresser and grab it without looking- I know exactly where it is.

The "fracket" by definition is an old or unimportant jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt worn to keep the fun and flirty college aged female warm on her sub 20 degree walk to the perspective frat, bar, or club on a weekend night. But to me, the fracket is so much more.

Worn with the intention of losing it, the fracket keeps me warm on my plight of the party- I walk undefeated to the mixer, my bare arms warmed by its hug. It's zipper stuck halfway, stained on the back... but it's okay, it serves it's purpose perfectly as I travel down the busy streets. As other girls shiver as I walk past them, I laugh. Have they not heard of the both wonderful and useful "fracket"?

Upon arriving at the destination, the fracket is tossed beside - in a corner, on a couch, in a vacant room, or in a bush with hopes of retrieving it on the way to the uber as the night comes to a close. It's a sad parting, like losing an old friend, knowing your fracket may never find it's way home; warm and safe in bed, eating pizza house, like you'll be in a few hours. But a triumphant victory when you remember to return to the place that you ditched your fracket hours ago, and there it lies. Defeated? Yes. Dirty and worn? Yes. But gone forever? No. The "fracket" has come out on the other side, it has made it through the evening once again.

Oh the day when you lose the fracket you've spoiled with so much love, which has done so much for you too. It's a sad parting; a tear will be shed, a brief funeral held. You forgot to return to the place you left the fracket at sigma bandaid delta arthritis alpha rocking horse omicron omega water bottle chi beta booty phi - or a girl in delta kitty meow desk lamp gamma calzone alpha kappa stole it as she saw your abandoned fracket as an opportunity to carry her to her next destination, safe and warm. You left the party with that cute pi kappa giraffe pledge and forgot the fracket. Whenever it goes, however it goes- at least you know it did its job for as long as it could. Kept you warm every new frat party and every new night out.

Thank you fracket. This one is for you. We couldn't struggle through a night out without your safety and comfort. We couldn't make it to the end line: eating Feta bread on the floor of Markley, sitting in Pancheros, feeling warm and cozy in a lofted bed. You're truly a staple in the life of every college girl with a crop top and a dream.