In life, no person is the same. Everyone is unique in their own way — looks, personality and what they like and dislike. Some people even have things they find so satisfying to them, but their friend may find it super weird. There’s just certain things in this world that are so satisfying to watch, smell, taste or play with, but we may get judged for liking them. I asked a few people about odd things they find very satisfying and why they love it so much.
Slime
The recent trend in people making and playing with slime has skyrocketed. It’s not just kids playing with slime anymore, but adults are hopping on the slime trend too. Nicolette* can’t stop making her own slime and playing with it because it’s so satisfying to her.
“I find the noises satisfying when I press on it, and I like the feel of it. I also like the crunch noises of the bubbles popping,” she said.
Nicolette tells me she’s basically obsessed with slime. She makes new slime every week by adding things like glitter glue, sequins and beads, which gives it a different feel when you move it around.
I’ve personally played with slime, and I can attest to the satisfying feeling it brings when you squish it. It’s just so soft and it does relieve my stress in the same way a stress ball does. The slime causes me to focus on how it feels instead of stress or whatever else is on my mind.
If you’re in the mood for a little fun science experiment, you can make your own slime at home and test it out for yourself!
Rubber
Nina* tells me she finds rubber very satisfying. Specifically, the smell of it or even playing with it. She’s not alone. There aremany people who post on online forums about their love for the smell of rubber, whether it’s rubber tires or the soles of shoes.
“I like the smell of walking into a car dealership and getting hit by the smell of rubber tires. I also like the smell of rubber toys. Basically anything made of rubber,” she said.
Smells can be triggering for some people’s senses. While some people might find the smell of rubber awful, it can bring joy to other people as well.
Pimple-popping
Just like the rise of the slime trend, there has also been an obsession with watching pimple popping videos on YouTube. Dermatologists like Dr. Sandra Lee, a.k.a Dr. Pimple Popper, have become super popular because of this rise in watching pimple popping videos. This is definitely an oddly satisfying trend, especially for Dr. Lee’s three million subscribers.
Abigail* is one of many people who finds pimple popping videos extremely satisfying to watch.
“I find watching pimple popping videos relieving because that sudden release in tension is something I am searching for in my academic life,” she said.
Relatable. I think it’s safe to assume that people are just really interested in watching the release that’s involved in popping pimples. Either that or people are just really interested in dermatology and want to be educated on what it entails. There’s nothing wrong with either of those reasons.
Cake decorating
Something that I can relate to is watching people baking or decorating cakes. It’s really satisfying to watch it all unfold into the finished product. Alejandra* finds the process of cake decorating very satisfying.
“I like watching videos of people decorate cakes. Specifically when they put chocolate syrup on the cake and they let it drip down the edges. I also like when they spread the frosting all over the cake. It’s very satisfying to watch,” she said.
Cooking videos in general are my weakness. I can watch Buzzfeed Tasty videos all day. I’ll never attempt them on my own but just thinking about eating Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars satisfies my craving. I can definitely relate to Alejandra on this.
Gasoline
Some people are also really into the smell of gasoline. It’s strong, and it triggers memories related to cars, driving and maybe other memories depending on your experience. Alyssa* has an odd fascination with the smell of gasoline.
“It has like a sweet smell to it, but chemically. It’s cool. It can also light up on fire which is cool too,” she said.
Gasoline is a strong scent and it’s definitely not recommended to sniff it, but some people who happen to do so enjoy the smell. The next time you’re pumping gas into your car, take a quick sniff and decide for yourself. Is it really weird that some people find the smell satisfying, or can you see where they’re coming from?
Peeling dried glue off of your hand
I’ve also met people who enjoy peeling dried glue off of their hands. I have friends who purposefully pour glue on their hands, let it dry and then peel it off. Serayah* is one of many people who enjoy this fad.
“It’s like peeling off a bandaid or opening a letter. Just the release of the glue from your skin, it’s so satisfying. I love how it feels when it rips off from my skin. It gives me this weird tingling feeling in my hands, almost like ASMR,” she said.
ASMR is short for autonomous sensory meridian response. Craig Richard, the founder of ASMR University and researcher of the ASMR phenomenon told Refinery29 that this usually occurs in the form of a tingling sensation from the back of the neck to the scalp and down the spine. Certain people have triggers from certain responses whether it’s a smell, touch, or sound that causes these feelings. There’s even ASMR videos made especially for people who like peeling dried glue off of their hands!
Some people find these things mentioned above super satisfying, while others find it really odd that someone can be entertained by these things. As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks. I’d say don’t knock it until you try it yourself. You may be surprised that you could be into playing with slime or watching a dermatologist pop someone’s pimples.
*The names in this article have been changed to respect the privacy of these individuals.