Illustration by Andrea Nebhut

For those tired with their style but also roughing it on that college budget, here are a few simple tips and tricks on how to switch up your look — with just a pair of scissors.

Just block out the fear of scissors given to you by Jordan Peele’s hit horror film “Us“ and open your mind to a world of possibilities. I’m convinced that scissors were invented to pass creativity from people’s minds onto a canvas — you can easily take a pair of scissors to anything, and they create something new! Scissors, which you can find at any department store, are the gateway to fashion (particularly on that college student budget). Here, I present to you the wonders of scissors:

1. Crop tops. Thinking of throwing out that old shirt you got freshman year? Don’t! Simply give that shirt a new life by trimming off the bottom of the shirt inch-by-inch until you’re happy with the length.
2. Jeans to shorts. We’re in Texas — you’re not going to need that fifth pair of blue jeans, so do as mentioned above and spare yourself the unnecessary sweat.
3. One for the boys. I feel that many of my ideas on this list might feel inaccessible to some men, so this one is for y’all! Instead of cutting the sleeves off your Trinity workout T-shirts, direct your attention to the shorts. You heard me, male short-shorts are coming back in and will help tackle the dilemma of having no way to tan your thighs.
4. Bangs. That’s right! Scissors are for more than just transforming clothing — they’re also for hair! Changing your hair is the easiest way to spice up your style, and you can do it cheaply as well (all it takes is one YouTube how-to video).
5. Cut it all off. Give yourself that fresh-cut that you’ve been needing for the low price of $0.00 (or however much those scissors cost you). I personally only rely on myself and others to cut my hair, and I recommend it to everyone! It’s cheap, refreshing and will curb the occasional recklessness people get when they want to switch up their look.
6. Cutting ties. This is more figurative than literal, but scissors can be metaphorically used to cut people out of your life. Nothing freshens up a look like cutting out toxicity and negativity!

I hope those of you out there wanting a new look will take one of these tips and put it to use. Feel free to combine them and have fun experimenting with the new item you bought from the H&M sale rack.