Many of us are familiar with the key features of a hot girl walk: immersion in your own little world, whilst being mindful of your surroundings, accompanied by aggressive, antagonistic music blaring (think: Sex Pistols, My Chemical Romance or Tyler, The Creator pre Flower Boy) or the girliest pop imaginable (Barbie The Album is a great example). There is no in-between. Expectations are at an all-time low regarding appearance, with most opting to be fresh-faced and wearing trackies. However, pondering your own hotness is seen by many as a fundamental part of this exercise. It’s truly incredible how this cultural phenomenon has so successfully encompassed the physical aspects of our wellbeing, whilst still accounting for Gen Z’s seemingly innate desire for self-care and reflection.
The hot girl walk has undeniably had a lasting impact on how we exercise and also how we interact with fellow hot girls on our walks. There’s a mutual understanding in the looks we exchange, almost a secret code. You may not know each other, and may never make eye contact again, yet for a fleeting glance and a twitch of a smile, we are fostering a sense of community in the most isolated way imaginable. Nonetheless, this isn’t exclusive. A secret code is perhaps exchanged, but it is far from a secret society. With the hashtag on Tiktok amassing 1.1 billion views, the protection of both physical and mental wellbeing, in conjunction with self-love and appreciation, has never been so accessible.
It is no surprise that this excursion is widely beneficial to one’s physical health, with walking being linked to reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as increased muscle strength and stronger bones. But what singles out the ‘hot girl walk’, is that it turns our attention towards harnessing a more positive and powerful headspace. Mia Lind, who accidentally created the ‘hot girl walk’ trend as a college senior during the pandemic, has since spoken out about precisely what the trend entails. Speaking to CBS, she described it as a four-mile outdoor mindfulness walk, in which there are four main criteria to contemplate: what you’re grateful for, your goals, how you’re going to achieve them, and ‘how hot you are, of course’. In this way, Lind has successfully merged both physical and mental wellbeing in a manner that is both flexible and accessible to the masses. There does not have to be much emphasis placed upon the length of the walk, nor the thought processes behind it. Instead, what is arguably most important is simply going outside with a positive attitude.
But we all know that sometimes this simple behaviour is easier said than done, especially on a cold miserable winter’s day or on a day you’re feeling less than perky. So when going outside feels like an impossible task, here are some things you can try to help get you back into your hot girl walk era:
- Focus on ways to keep yourself warm – an extra sweater, a cosy scarf, or a warm drink (store-bought or in a flask!)
- Plan what you’ll listen to on the walk – a favourite album, a new podcast, or catching up on voice notes from the group chat. (My personal favourite podcast of the moment is The Psychology of Your 20s!)
- Don’t do it alone – bring a friend or family member with you, either physically or virtually. This ticks both the exercise and socialising boxes and is bound to make you feel better afterwards
- Look inwards, not outwards – remind yourself of how good it will make you feel and try not to focus on wearing the ‘right’ thing or getting the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ perfect because that’s not the important thing here. You don’t need Apple AirMax headphones or an Acne Studios scarf to thrive on your hot girl walk, just the right mindset!
The fundamental goal of a hot girl walk is to breathe in fresh air and stretch your legs instead of sitting at a screen all day. So don’t fall into the trap of talking yourself out of the walk because it’s too much effort when it’s actually the cheapest and easiest way to look after yourself when the going gets tough. On that note, I’m off on my hot girl walk of the day, and I’ll be looking out for all you loyal Her Campus readers out there :)