The term “basic” has haunted my thoughts since the beginning of its reign as one of the most popular phrases used by our generation. According to Urban Dictionary, a basic person displays “obscenely obvious behavior, dress, action”, like a monogram-wearing, latte-sipping, iPhone-instagramming white girl. Apparently, anyone who participates in anything that is considered normal is immediately pegged as a “basic” human. In my opinion, being “basic” just means indulging in anything that is mainstream; whether it be the music you listen to, the clothes you wear, or the coffee you order. I love a good pumpkin spice latte every once in a while… does that make me a basic b*tch?
It’s all over the Internet: articles dipping into the wide pool of “basic” behavior, wishing to discover the origins and alternate meanings of this 21st century insult. There’s even a Buzzfeed quiz dedicated to measuring your spot on the scale between basic and hipster. Pop culture, besides thriving on illicit stories of the famous and filthy rich, is obsessed with trendy slang phrases. Last year it was “swerve” or “turn up”, so naturally a word describing a girl who enjoys listening to Top 40 radio and wearing Uggs was up next. Honestly, what’s wrong with liking something popular? Riddle me that, society.
If you’re not a black coffee drinking, thick-rimmed glasses wearing hipster than you are immediately categorized as beyond basic. Is there no happy medium between the two extremes? Apparently not. However, I think it’s totally okay to be a little “basic.” People, especially women, should not fear being called some stupid slang term when they act a certain way. Just because a girl wants to wear Victoria’s Secret sweatpants and Uggs, as tacky as we might think the ensemble is, doesn’t make her any different than the rest of us. Donning your favorite leggings with a Frappuccino in your hand is perfectly fine. Doing what you want, even if it signals being “basic,” should never be frowned upon. Being a little “basic” is cool.
To do a little extra research, I took the “Are you more hipster or basic” Buzzfeed quiz to see what separates the cool from the uncool. To my surprise, the first question asks about my preference to cats or dogs… what exactly does that have to do with being “basic”, you ask? I pondered the same thing. The other questions ask about normal things like favorite television shows, decorations, and how you take your morning cup of Joe. After answering everything honestly, my results were calculated and…drum roll please… I’m “basic.” Apparently listing my favorite things that may or may not be trendy determines my level of “basic-ness.” So, I’ve decided that being a “basic white girl” is leaps and bounds better than trying to be something I’m not. Embrace being “basic,” collegiettes.