Here’s the thing: TikTok has this innate ability to sway you. Take it from me, who’s bought into all the microtrends. I’ve collected perfume, bought a sewing machine, and so much more. Largely, these things are harmless; a little money spent on things I enjoy.
However, the “that girl” trend is a different story.
Who is “that girl”?
“That girl” is a wellness trend on TikTok romanticizing a lifestyle of waking up early, going to the gym or Pilates every day, eating clean, and generally doing everything “clean” (like skincare, makeup, clean-smelling perfumes etc). On its own, it’s just another trend of romanticizing life.
So? What’s wrong with it?
While there’s nothing wrong with casually aspiring to have a healthier lifestyle, “that girl” takes it too far IMO. To be “that girl,” you always need to be on. Everything is pretty, including self-care. But self-care is messy. For a lot of us, self-care is making your bed, cleaning up the dirty dishes piling in the sink, and forcing yourself to wash your hair. “
That girl” doesn’t fall into the struggles of mental health. “That girl” lives in luxury. She can afford clean skincare and the time to do a face mask and a hair mask every week. She can go to bed early and make it to the gym every day (she can afford a membership!) While some of these things are attainable, “that girl” isn’t realistic in real life.
Why can’t I be that girl?
If you want to be her, go for it! But I feel like striving so hard to be perfect all the time is a lot of pressure. Implementing some “that girl” things into your life isn’t bad at all. Wanting clean skincare, eating whole foods, and making it to the gym every day isn’t a bad thing.
But we are students and we are young. “That girl” doesn’t pull all-nighters with her roommates and hit up McDonald’s at 3 a.m. That girl doesn’t wait in line forever in Byward Market and she also doesn’t walk across the bridge from Gatineau when she can’t get a cab. That girl doesn’t get stranded when the 111 bus doesn’t show.
There are so many parts of university that I love and cherish that are just not compatible with the “that girl” aesthetic. It feels stiff and restrictive — like there’s only one right way. That’s not what life is. If “that girl” doesn’t have a space to be messy, to go out until 4 a.m. and eat unhealthy food sometimes… I don’t wanna be that girl.