Hoofing it: One student's shoeless trek in his everyday life
Brian ManzulloWaterford sophomore Sean Proctor doesn't let frigid winter weather get in the way of his love of walking around barefoot.
Proctor braved single-digit weather at 8 a.m. Monday morning, walking to his first class of the semester from his Larzelere dorm.
"I've loved going barefoot my whole life, and just this year I decided to go barefoot on campus," Proctor said.
When he has the choice, Proctor prefers to walk around campus sans shoes -- sometimes even in the snow. Although Proctor said he forgoes footwear to reduce damage to his foot bones, his first barefoot experience came because he simply forgot shoes.
"I read an article about how shoes are damaging the way we walk and damaging your feet, and I like the feel of going barefoot better," Proctor said. "The way that shoes are designed just doesn't provide much comfort for me."
The Society for Barefoot Living Web site, Barefooters.org, is a site that Proctor sometimes visits for facts and articles related to the art of going barefoot. The site refers to "going barefoot" as "removing the barrier between us and nature."
Proctor goes barefoot for much of the spring and summer months, and still tries to go without shoes a day or two each week in the winter. Icy sidewalks recently salted are the only situation that causes Proctor to wish he had worn shoes.
When he absolutely has to wear shoes, Proctor wears TOMS Shoes, which he usually carries with him while going barefoot. TOMS donates one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased.
When Proctor encounters the inevitable stares and questions that arise from his peers, he doesn't let it bother him.
"I just laugh and welcome it," he said. "I think it's kind of cool."
Proctor said nobody has ever told him he could not be shoe-less inside buildings on campus, but he gets plenty of commentary on his lack of footwear.
"All my teachers have at least commented on it," he said. "My political science professor last semester thought I was completely crazy."
Proctor's less-than-popular choice also has evoked comments of concern from his parents and teachers who often advise him to wear shoes, especially in colder weather.
The act of going barefoot may lead some people to question whether Proctor's personal choice poses any serious health risks.
Mark Young, doctor of Podiatric Medicine in Mount Pleasant, said short-term shoelessness does not really pose any health problems.
"Shoes don't make that much of a difference (in foot health)," Young said. "Although shoes are specifically made to protect from glass, infections and foreign objects."
Young compares the conundrum to asking whether a horse or car is a better mode of transportation.
"A horse is efficient, but a car is far better," Young said, stressing that shoes are far superior to going barefoot.
Alex Meyers, a Bloomfield Hills freshman, lives near Proctor in Larzelere Hall. He said he has talked with Proctor about his lack of footwear before.
"I've asked him about it, and he just doesn't like wearing shoes," Meyers said. "While I think he's kind of insane, he hasn't gotten sick yet, so that's a good thing."
Meyers said he might try going barefoot once the weather warms up.
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