From Owalas and Stanleys to fidget spinners and trading cards, trends have been part of our generation since the elementary school days – and they likely won’t be leaving anytime soon. Ever, ever since COVID-19, trends have picked up momentum, largely due to the influence of social media.

During the pandemic, everyone was in quarantine, and many turned to social media to cope with the loneliness that quarantine caused for our society. As a result, trends blew up in popularity. Suddenly, trends went from elementary school fads such as fidget spinners, Pokemon cards and Beyblades to TikTok dances, stylized fashion and new-generation slang. Now especially, younger generations have become less interested in toys and collectibles. Alternatively, they are exposed to social media at a much younger age. Still, at the end of the day, the concept of trends is nothing new – they evolve over time.

Sometimes, people feel the need to follow these trends — especially when it comes to fashion – in order to fit in. In this context, fitting in means adhering to whatever fashion styles and standards are set up by trends, and failing to do so can sometimes result in people getting teased, which adds external pressure to conform.

Beyond peer pressure, fashion trends also gain popularity just from exposure. Seeing other people in school, outside or on your feed following a fashion trend can be enough to keep trends fresh in your mind. Exposure can be a powerful psychological effect. Seeing something repeatedly can over time influence people to like the thing they’re seeing – and this is no different for fashion trends as well.

This is known as the Mere-exposure Effect. The Mere-exposure effect leads to internal pressure to follow the trends. Both factors have been leading to more outfits impacted by fashion trends.

However, for some people, they don’t feel the pressure to follow fashion trends. Those people are content dressing the way they prefer and being themselves. This is also true for many other miscellaneous trends. Not everyone follows the same trends. At the end of the day, it all just depends on the individual and their preferences.

Trends can be fun and bring people together. On the flip side, trends can also be idiotic and dangerous. Many “bad” trends are defined by being either stupid, unsafe or a waste of money, or a mix of the listed.

For example, the popular TikTok trend of frying and consuming Tide Pods was a very notably dangerous trend. Some trends can also lead to overconsumption, such as the ever-changing trendy water bottles which switch in popularity every few months or so.

Furthermore, popularized products often increase in price, such as Vinyls. Vinyls had been dying out until they regained popularity when people started collecting them once again in the early 2000s; thus their prices were raised. However, this isn’t always the case, and there are still some trendy products that stay at a stable price, or remain timelessly in style, such as UGGs.

While trends can be the cause of many negative things, such as the destruction of public property and overconsumption, it can also be the cause of many good things, such as bringing awareness, helping find good quality products, introducing people to new communities and helping people find or learn more about things they are passionate about.

So what makes a trend a “good” trend? Although this can be subjective, our definition of a good trend is, in theory, something positive that will make enjoyable memories to look back on. One example of a well-received trend was the Grimace Shake which quickly gained popularity on social media. The Grimace Shake trend was harmless and funny, hence allowing us to categorize it as a “good” trend.

Trends shouldn’t be an excuse to harm people or property. Trends should be enjoyed but not at the expense of others. In other words, it’s important to be mindful. When you look back on a trend you’ve participated in, you probably don’t want to remember a disastrous time. Trends should lead to pleasant memories and bring nostalgia.