A never ending debate between students has been spurred by the question, “What color do you think the classes are?” By this we mean what color folders/notebooks should be used for what subjects, specifically Math, English, Science, and Social Studies. Of course, the answers vary- but most commonly, Math is associated with red or yellow, English with green or blue.

But really, what color are the classes? And why?

The answer lies in color association to your emotions.

Many people associate the color red with Math- some state that the color red is correlated with subjects that cause people frustration. Maybe it’s because of the old adage of the red mark meaning a bad score, and that most people are taught to dislike math.

The color blue or purple is usually associated with English- these colors are calming, but also have depth. This could be associated with the deeper meanings that are explored in English classes— Is the curtain just blue, or is it actually a metaphor for the author’s repressed childhood trauma?

The color green is often contested to be English or Science: some even correlate it with Math. Green can symbolize nature and the natural world: most likely, the association of the color green with Science is tied to the idea of Biology and Environmental Science where the natural world plays a big role in the taught subjects. 

The color yellow, which some have stated is associated with Math, Science, or even Social Studies, has several meanings. The color yellow is said to be tied with happiness and the sun: the sun could be tied once again to the nature aspect. However, it also means cowardice and caution, which might mean that whichever class is associated with the color yellow is one you either feel happy about or you feel unsure about.

Although there are many more colors in this debate, this is the basic explanation for some of the core colors. To summarize the meanings behind the colors:

• Red- violence, danger, anger, love, life.
• Blue- freedom, intuition, imagination, and intelligence.
• Purple- wisdom, extravagance, mystery, peace.
• Green- connection with the natural world, tranquility.
• Yellow- happiness, optimism, cowardice, caution, madness.

Ultimately, there is no correct color to each class. Your emotions or interest in whichever class you’re in is probably what draws you to the association of those colors. What colors do you associate with each class?