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Keeping up with the latest trends can be a challenge in this fast-paced age. Luckily, Gen Z (i.e., young people between the ages of 12 and 27) has the video-sharing site TikTok to keep them informed of all the new things they should try to remain part of the “popular group.”
The latest trend, although it may seem a little strange, is to post the lyrics of the hit song Linger by The Cranberries. The phrase “let it linger” has appeared in thousands of TikToks. Which is strange, actually, because I was singing this song when it was released in 1993.
I wondered: how new are all these TikTok crazes? Are Gen Zers really discovering new things that their parents and grandparents never dreamed of? Could they learn something by studying their online world?
So this 57-year-old Gen Xer decided to try TikTok for the first time. And besides getting a splitting headache and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of weird videos, I was also left with a weird sense of déjà vu…
The Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordan, whose song Linger is the subject of a new TikTok craze
TikTok trend: walking in silence
Old version: Going for a walk
Do you sometimes like to take a quiet walk, without distractions, to clear your mind? If so, that will make you a trending topic in the world of TikTok.
A California influencer named Mady Maio believes she has invented a new “movement” that has caused social media to collapse.
She offers a warning that her new way of life may be very stressful and “triggering” at first, but if she persists, she will reap the benefits to her mental health.
TikTok user advocates ‘silent walking’ by turning off electronic devices
‘Walking in silence’ is Mady’s invention, where you go for a walk but without being connected to any electronic device: no music, no podcasts, no phone calls.
“The first two minutes are chaos,” he says. “Your mind is racing, you’re going to have anxiety.”
“But after two minutes something happens, and your brain goes into a flow state and suddenly you can hear yourself,” says the excited inventor, blissfully oblivious to the fact that before smartphones and the invention of the Walkman, people could “hear themselves” ALL the time.
TikTok trend: hair theory
Old version: Changing your hairstyle
Have you ever worn your hair up in a sleek bun to attend a fancy cocktail party and look chic? Have you ever pulled it back and gotten comfortable so you can be taken seriously at a job interview? What you didn’t know is that you were practicing TikTok’s newest science, “hair theory.”
With over 50 million video views under the hashtag “hairtheory,” Gen Z was stunned to discover that changing their hairstyle can do wonders to boost their confidence. Not only that, the way they style their hair can influence how others (especially men) view them. If only previous generations had realized this.
Another user shows the difference a hairstyle can make to a woman’s appearance.
TikTok trend: solo dating
Old version: time for me
Yesterday I spent the morning immersed in the TikTok-approved practice of “solo dating,” but I didn’t know it at the time. What I actually did was get my roots done at the hairdressers and then pick up some food at Tesco on the way home, something I’ve been doing for several decades now.
But as far as young people were concerned, I was going out on my own. I was empowering myself by doing things without a man present.
There are thousands of videos of young women having innovative “solo dates” and offering suggestions that include cooking dinner themselves or visiting a museum or gallery.
The only thing that sets me apart from the cool kids on TikTok is that I didn’t livestream my trip to Tesco or pose for selfies with my broccoli and noodles. But now I know for next time.
Many women on TikTok talk about the benefits of ‘solo dating’ or spending time with themselves.
TikTok trend: cozy cardio
Old version: reluctant exercise
We all know we should hit the gym or get outside and exercise (a silent walk perhaps?), but sometimes after a long day at work we just can’t do it.
How many times have you half-heartedly done a few chin-ups during Coronation Street ad breaks? Or committed to doing a squat on the floor during Strictly every time Craig Revel Horwood says “Fabulous”? That, my lazy friends, is what is now known as “cozy cardio”.
TikTok is full of videos of women lethargically performing exercises in front of the box because they don’t feel like doing anything more strenuous at the gym.
Just wait until they discover that you have to stand on one leg while brushing your teeth.
Another trend is to exercise at home while doing everyday activities.
TikTok Trend: Weekly Reset
Old version: Housework
Stripping the bedding, taking out the trash, emptying the dishwasher and cleaning the bathroom are chores that no one likes and that need to be done. However, some rare people (405 million of them and counting) love nothing more than watching videos of other people tidying their homes.
But while we old folks call it “housework,” they call it “weekly reset.” Unlike us, they also put on full makeup and film themselves doing their chores, usually on a Sunday.
There are even independent videos of something called “sink therapy,” where influencers clean their sinks and show off the shiny, sparkling result. Who would have thought?
Some TikTok users even romanticize household chores with the concept of a “weekly reset.”
TikTok trend: girls dinner
Old version: Picky pieces
TikTok users were caught up in a phenomenon this summer under the hashtag ‘girldinner’. 114 million people watched videos on the topic. In them, young women were seen preparing a plate with a variety of cheeses, chips, sausages and other snacks. The name apparently derives from the fact that they enjoy such a feast on nights without their #boyfriend.
Any older woman who has come across this trend may have been left with a slack jaw, as we have been enjoying these types of meals for decades. Curling up on the sofa in front of Netflix with a plate of random cold deli food (often bought in a splurge from M&S) is one of life’s great pleasures. Only we used to call it “choice mincemeat” or “choice tea”.
TikTok trend: Math for girls
Old version: excessive spending
Who hasn’t told themselves that buying their Christmas party dress on sale means that, technically, the shoes they bought off sale to match it were practically free?
Humans have always been experts at justifying our frivolous spending, but TikTok users think they invented the skill and gave it the annoying name “girl math.”
This time, an influencer named Samantha Jane is claiming the invention. Her original video has 3.6 million views, which is no surprise, since she imparted wisdom like this: “Even when I buy tickets months in advance, I go to the concert and think, ‘This was like a free concert, right?'”
Let’s just say this “new” trend makes no sense.
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