Stanleys, Nike shoes, and so much more. There have been so many trends floating around social media recently. So many that lots of people have even been finding it hard to keep up with them. Social media platforms like TikTok are the perfect place to start new trends, however there may be a few too many, and each one passes on way too fast.
On the first day of 6th grade, a student named Neena Atkins noticed all the girls at her school wearing scrunchies on their wrists. Neena now remembers thinking she was weird because she didn’t have these scrunchies. Because of this, she had ordered a 30-pack on Amazon, however by the time they arrived, everybody had moved on from this trend. Recently Neena said, “There were these two months where cheetah print was everywhere, and now when I go on TikTok, I see people saying, like, ‘Cheetah print is getting so old.’” This shows how things that were popular for a period of time quickly fade out and become disliked. For example: Stanleys. In previous years, these cups were incredibly popular, and they seemed to be everywhere. There were many posts on social media about them and how popular they were. Now, you still see them around school and whatnot, but they aren’t things that people obsess over or constantly talk about.
The algorithms of apps like TikTok are designed to show people more of the things that they spend more time watching. This means that if someone seems to watch a lot of videos about one trend, the app will bring up more of those clips. This is very enticing, especially with teenagers’ desire to fit in.
Before buying something to fit in with people who are doing a specific trend, think: “do I really need it?” Abner Gordon, a student in Manhattan, always asks himself whether he wants something because he genuinely appeals to it, or just because he saw it online.
Many Gen Z’ers feel as though they are stuck in a cycle of “chasing, buying, and discarding” just to keep up with what’s happening online. Others however, are trying to move past this pressure such as Abner Gordon. Some have deleted apps like TikTok, sworn off fast fashion, or limited their day to day clothing. Sometimes, the pressure of keeping up with trends is too great, and becomes difficult, and social media sometimes makes people feel left out or uncomfortable. Others simply can’t mentally-or financially-afford to keep up. If you ever feel this way, take a step back. Think about who you truly are, and who you want to be. Pave your own path and do what feels right to you, even if that means disobeying what the people around you prefer. You are amazing and unique in your own way, and what someone makes popular online doesn’t necessarily get to change that.
Cites – https://www.nytimes.com
