Trends usually more hype than not

Posted April 2021

By Jennifer Dinh

Staff Editor

Just because a trend becomes megapopular, and seemingly everyone around you is joining the hype, you always should too right? Wrong. Trends are generally not long-lasting, and participating in them solely because others are is not always wise.

While trends like the mannequin challenge, the floor is lava challenge and the floss were harmless, that is not always the case. The infamous tide pod challenge from 2018 which spread on YouTube was an extreme and prime example of how dangerous participating in trends can be. The Forbes article, “The Strange Story Of How Tide Pod Eating Went Viral,” states, “...YouTubers have audiences that are kids/teenagers who I think did not get the ironic nature of this trend and the fact that YouTubers were doing this for views - and decided to do the Tide Pod Challenge themselves at home.” Tide Pods are toxic, and can be deadly if consumed. However, with enough YouTubers and other content creators uploading videos of them ingesting the toxic pods, young and impressionable children and teens mindlessly hopped onto the bandwagon. As a result, many were hospitalized. This event shows the importance of considering consequences before partaking in viral trends.

In late 2019, hydro flasks became trendy amongst teenagers nationwide. The video-sharing app TikTok was a factor that sparked the widespread usage of these colorful vacuum-insulated water bottles. They could be spotted in nearly every classroom at our own school, and often personalized with unique stickers. Though the iconic water bottle itself did not wreak havoc or hospitalize individuals like Tide Pods did, it likely instilled the idea into teens that they were not cool enough or they could not fit in with their classmates unless they owned the hydro flask. In fact, I bought a hydro flask for those very reasons even though I owned other bottles that worked just as well. Looking back, it reveals how easily trends can lead to irresponsible and unnecessary purchases, resulting in the loss of money for temporary satisfaction.

Unfortunately, items like smartphones, shoes, bags/backpacks, clothing, and other nonessentials are subject to the same issue. The pressure to keep up with trends is seemingly due to the fact that social media and the internet are becoming increasingly easy to access. With enough advertisements, popular content creators, and your followers promoting certain actions or ownership of certain items, it may prompt you to follow in their footsteps.

The moral of the story is rather simple. Before partaking in a trend, think it through beforehand. It could save not only your wallet, but your life too.