I don’t consider myself the type of person that easily falls for consumerism… or so we like to think, right? Though, nowadays, it’s kind of hard not to get influenced into buying the latest Coach bag or the newest Starbucks drink while it’s all over your TikTok algorithm. Especially when it starts to get popular. Now it’s in your face 24/7, over and over again until it starts to seem like it’s something you wouldn’t mind trying out. It’s a cycle every time a product comes out, and now I question if I actually like what I like or if it’s just all over my social media platform.
To paint the picture a little clearer, take a look at the Stanley craze. Particularly for me, it kind of opened my eyes to the power that social media can hold over us. For context, my mom had a Stanley years before it became viral, back when it was a brand that designed thermos for campers, so I knew that it existed. So it shocked me that a brand can go unnoticed for years and all of a sudden, thanks to social media platforms, everyone has more than one. The Stanley hype is just one example, but we have seen it throughout the years with Labubus, Dubai chocolate, matcha, etc. This also tends to happen with aesthetics as well. I remember coquette was a thing going around on TikTok, and everyone started putting bows on everything. This year, the “2016 aesthetic” has made a comeback and apparently with it, the “unicorn frappe” from Starbucks.
I have fallen for some of these trends myself because how can you not sometimes? Matcha was something that my friends had been talking about nonstop, and my TikTok was filled with the best matcha spots in the city. So inevitably, the FOMO got to me and I tried it. I liked it, but not as much as I do every time because it’s popular. It’s normal to want to try new things that you see on the Internet because everyone else is doing it. However, it is not best to try and force yourself to like things just because everyone else seems to like them (or buy them in bulk lol).
There are ways to avoid falling into buying into whatever you see on social media. One of the ways that I’ve been using is to ask myself: “Do I really need it?” I like to question if whatever I want is something I’m actually going to use and need, or if it is just something that will just sit at my desk or hide in a drawer. Truly be honest with yourself before purchasing anything you see on social media. Ask yourself, is this something I like and will use, or is it just the hype? This time to pause and question can help you save money and spend it on things you may actually need in the future.
Just because everyone is buying something, doesn’t mean you should too. Reconnect with the things that you know bring you joy, independently from someone else telling you should want it. Seek the things that seem fun to try out instead of simply trying to fit into a standard. Social media is a highly fun place to explore new interests, but it can be promotional at times, so be conscious of where your money goes!