Changes: not just for Oreos, Pitt, couches

“You need to come over and see our new place,” my friend Melissa announced in between bites… “You need to come over and see our new place,” my friend Melissa announced in between bites of her Campus Deli chicken cheesesteak. Crap, I thought. My close friend moved, and I had no idea; I knew I should read her away messages more carefully. Before I figured out how I missed such an event, she continued.

“We got new slipcovers for our couches. They look great.” My first reaction was to rip on Melissa for implying slipcovers qualified as an entirely new South Oakland apartment, but at the time, my mouth was filled with french fries. Fortunately, this pause allowed me a moment of enlightenment regarding the value of slight, but significant, change.

People shouldn’t start shopping for their winter wardrobes in the slipcover section of Linens ‘n Things. Yet the power of a minor makeover shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s a simple formula: A slight, physical alteration with monumental results.

Billy Joel’s hit, “Just the Way You Are” has spent years in my CD player set on repeat. The words, “don’t go changing to try and please me … I love you just the way you are,” tempt my dominant lazy side. But, even without too much effort, change can produce unexpected benefits.

According to the Society for Sports Uniforms Research Web site, in the National Football League, there’s a correlation between new uniforms and teams reaching the playoffs. During playoffs of the 1996 through 2000 seasons, at least one of the postseason teams was sporting new jerseys. In 1997, 1999 and 2000, one of the newly uniformed teams played in the Super Bowl.

Self-reinvention is not necessary. With midterms approaching, who has time for complete transformation? Thanks to Clairol’s Natural Instincts semi-permanent hair color, my roommate’s hair is a shade darker this week than it was last week. For less than ten dollars and a half-hour’s time, she’s a self-described new person. The next night she attended a party as her new self and returned with stories of great conversation and fun with attractive guys. Coincidence? Heck, no. Change.

Of course, certain things should remain unchanged. Dave ‘ Andy’s Birthday Cake flavored ice cream is perfection in dairy form. Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” and Ann Martin’s “Baby-Sitters Club” series are literary masterpieces, no change needed.

But even when something boasts flawlessness, it may still benefit from change. Take, for example, Oreos. The yummy black and white cookies have been eaten by the bag for decades. But they didn’t go from just really popular to insanely desirable by standing still. Much of the Oreo success can be attributed to the dozens of varieties and spin-offs: Double Stuf, reduced fat, holiday variety, Oreo Os cereal and so on.

Even Pitt is aware of the slight change phenomenon. This year alone, awnings along Forbes Avenue and grass patches near Posvar Hall have been added to improve our campus’ aesthetic appeal. Certainly, the alterations in appearance can be considered minor, but don’t be surprised if Pitt is soon referred to as the Ivy of Oakland.

So perhaps Sombrero Man hasn’t been asking for anything with his consistent “change-change” mantra. He was offering invaluable advice.

Maria believes change isn’t just for underwear anymore. She can be reached at mdw49@pitt.edu.