As a university girl in my 20s, I do my best to be my authentic self. What I wear, who I associate myself with, and what I enjoy doing all come together and create who I am and how I’m presented to others. While navigating through life, I’ve gone through a multitude of experiences, leaving each one with a niche anecdote, preference, or lesson about myself. Though each one is not equally as important, I’ve accumulated a list of my tailored tastes and biases. If you can relate, then TikTok’s “unfortunately I do love” trend is the one for you.
This trend has been rocking through everyone’s FYPs over the past week. Here’s the rundown: Creators pick a photo or video of themselves that reflects their personality and overlay a list of distinct activities, items, and traits that characterize who they are as a person. The videos are typically set to a snippet of Joe Walsh’s 1973 tune “Rocky Mountain Way.” The cherry on top is giving the list the title “unfortunately I do love,” as the trend encourages highlighting things that aren’t “perfect,” “on-trend,” or “aesthetic.”
Likes, dislikes, catchphrases, flaws, hobbies, habits — all are welcome! If it is a keystone of who you are as a person, add it to the list. The general punchline is that the items on the list should be relatable to the viewer, it creates conversations in the comments to know you aren’t the only one who can’t stand calling to book a dentist appointment or loves to girl math your way out of an overpriced coffee purchase.
The best thing about this trend is how versatile it can be. Don’t want to just share personal things about yourself? Customize it to be about your career, education, or even political beliefs too.
At the end of the day, the “unfortunately I do love” trend is the perfect balance of relating to shared traits and flaws while still being an individual. It encourages people to share their most defining aspects of oneself, no matter how silly or serious. So, if you’re looking for a way to open up a little — and not take yourself so seriously — take this as a sign to write out your own “unfortunately I do love” list, and consider sharing it with the world. Self-conscious about needing to always have a caffeinated beverage on hand? I guarantee you aren’t the only one.