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Bowie State | Career > Her20s

The Soft Girl Era Isn’t Just a Trend, It’s a Healing Season

Updated Published
Kayla Turner Student Contributor, Bowie State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bowie State chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Let’s be real, the “soft girl” era has been everywhere. It’s on TikTok, it’s in the captions, and it’s definitely showing up in the way so many of us are choosing peace over chaos. But somewhere along the way, I realized this isn’t just a trend or an aesthetic. For a lot of us, especially Black women and college girls constantly in grind mode, it’s actually healing.

I used to think being “soft” meant being weak. I thought it meant letting people walk all over you or not speaking up for yourself. But now, I see softness as strength. It’s about choosing to slow down, setting boundaries, and honoring your emotions without apologizing for them. It’s realizing that peace is something you protect, not something you beg for.

Being in my soft girl era doesn’t mean I don’t hustle; it just means I don’t lose myself in the process. I can love pink, wear my perfume that smells like candy, cry when I need to, and still handle business. I can be ambitious and gentle with myself. There’s power in that balance.

The truth is, softness is rebellion in a world that keeps telling women to toughen up. Choosing calmness, grace, and emotional honesty is how I remind myself that I deserve a life that feels good, not just looks good.

So yeah, the soft girl era might be trending online, but for me, it’s personal. Its growth. It’s healing. It’s learning that the most beautiful version of me is the one that’s at peace.

Because at the end of the day, being soft isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being whole.

Kayla Turner

Bowie State '26

Kayla Turner is an alumna of Bowie State University and the former President and Campus Correspondent of Her Campus at Bowie State University. During her time as a student leader, she successfully led the relaunch of the chapter after a period of inactivity, rebuilding it into a thriving platform dedicated to amplifying student voices, fostering creativity, and empowering women on campus. Through her leadership, she oversaw editorial content, event programming, recruitment initiatives, and digital engagement strategies while cultivating a strong sense of community among members.

A graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Child & Adolescent Studies, Kayla is passionate about supporting children, families, and communities through education and leadership. Throughout her collegiate career, she held several leadership positions, including serving as an Office Assistant in the Department of Language, Literature & Cultural Studies, Communications Director for a campus organization, and "Miss." of another student organization. These experiences strengthened her skills in communication, program coordination, mentorship, and community engagement.

Kayla's professional aspirations include becoming a childcare director and eventually opening her own daycare center, where she hopes to create nurturing environments that support the growth and development of young children. She remains committed to lifelong learning, service, and empowering others through leadership and advocacy.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Kayla enjoys journaling in pink ink, collecting perfumes and plushies, reading fantasy and urban fiction novels, and indulging in her favorite Starbucks order—a Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino with no whipped cream and extra crunch. A lover of all things feminine, creative, and faith-centered, she believes that with purpose, perseverance, and a touch of sparkle, anything is possible.