Amongst all the great things on TikTok, like self-care videos, romanticism, and thirst traps, there’s something on the internet for everyone. Many of you have likely seen that old, provocative, and affronting trend on TikTok, where someone randomly approaches a stranger on the street and asks if they would rather have, and I quote, a “gay son or a thot daughter.”
Now, I know, you’re probably thinking, ew, and honestly, same. But, in its ashes, another concept was born, where people turned the “thot” daughter into a “thought” daughter.Â
The thought daughter is now a running joke for videos online; however, the second I saw it, I related deeply. A thought daughter is multifaceted. She is the overthinking eldest daughter, the anxious homebody, the hopeless romantic, and the writer.
I am all of these things, and I feel it’s my duty to give all of you, my fellow thought daughters out there, a way to romanticize your life. So here is my thought daughter’s guide to the galaxy, with seven things you can do to fully embrace your inner thought daughter! (I may not be Douglas Adams, but I love Greta Gerwig, and Pride and Prejudice is my favourite movie. I’m even an English major.)
- go on an artist’s Date
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The Artist Date is something I’ve learned over the course of my English degree, that I think every thought daughter should try in her lifetime.
The Artist Date is from Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way, in which she aims to teach others how to source their creativity. The purpose may be for struggling writers, but I’ve grown to love it as someone who turns every aspect of my life into something out of a rom-com.
All you have to do is plan a date for yourself where you go and do something you’ve never done. The key to this is to do it alone.
For example, you could go to a park you’ve never been to and bring snacks you’ve never tried, go to a movie you would never usually watch, or walk through an art gallery — the options are endless.
Then, at the end, write down how you felt doing it. Make it a story, bullet points, scribble, whatever works. Think of it like you’re pretending to be a struggling artist, but your overthinking in a beautiful setting somehow makes it romantic. You’re welcome! Â
- Watch a sad and intellectual movie
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Now this one is a hard hitter!
There will always be some catharsis in watching a tragic movie. Sometimes you want to just let yourself feel sad for a while, and watching a film is one of my favourite ways to do that.
There are many options for what you can watch, but some of my favourites are Dead Poets Society, Call Me By Your Name, and Frances Ha, to name a few.Â
Once in a while, you need a good cry. Or maybe you just want to contemplate existence and the meaning of life.Â
- indulge in Baking and other hobbies
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I think that baking is the perfect hobby for a thought daughter.
I love baking, and I like to think that it’s because of my mom, my grandma, and my great-grandma, Bea. My great-grandmother loved to bake, and I don’t think we ever left her house without a container full of treats.
Baking can feel intimidating, but honestly, if you have a recipe in front of you, it can be super therapeutic. I love to bake pies, listen to Norah Jones, and pretend like that’s the only thing I need to be doing.
To be a thought daughter, your hobby doesn’t necessarily need to be baking; you can try painting, poetry, or an instrument. I think the arts are food for anyone’s soul, but thought daughters especially can appreciate the romantic nature of such hobbies.
Sometimes, when I’m baking, I like to imagine I’m living on a horse ranch with a cowboy who is hopelessly in love with me. But, to each their own.Â
- Watch those Sunrises and Sunsets
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If you can find the time, watching a sunrise or a sunset is the ultimate thought daughter contemplation exercise. If you can find somewhere close to you, set some time aside, get your cozy clothes on, take your headphones, and watch the sun go down.
I like to walk down to the lake and sit on a bench or watch the sunrise outside my bedroom window at my cottage. Wherever you can find one of the wonders of our world.
If you need some music I would recommend Ethel Cain or The Lumineers.Â
- go on YouTube Binges
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Watching YouTube vlogs always makes me want to romanticize. My favourite YouTubers who make videos about the romance of life are Meg Hughes and Steph Bohrer. I love both of them for the content they make because it speaks to how I want to forge the rest of my life. They both make me look at life as something to enjoy and bask in and to make the most out of.
Finding that for yourself doesn’t have to come from YouTubers or influencers. This doesn’t mean to to watch someone you’re jealous of or watch someone who makes you feel like your life isn’t good enough. I think following someone relatable can be nice as it’s comforting to see yourself reflected online or be some inspiration for potential ways to start looking at your life.Â
- go for a Walk
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Hot girl walks are not a new concept, but thought girl walks, on the other hand, are a whole new department!
Take yourself on a long walk — you don’t even need to have a destination in mind. You can just wander and see where your feet take you.
Walking is my favourite form of exercise. It may be low-impact, but it still gets your blood flowing! Listen to a podcast, some music, maybe even an album in its entirety. My go-to listen is The Broski Report.
Above all, it should be something that engages your brain. I will occasionally listen to true crime podcasts but often avoid the ones where women who are walking alone in the woods are kidnapped and murdered. Just protecting my peace.Â
- Engage with The Journal
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There are many reasons why journaling can be exceptionally beneficial, but it’s also a great way to have memories to look back on. Also, don’t feel like it needs to be a beautiful spiral bound notebook with flawless handwriting and perfect prose. I find that approach makes me struggle to actually write anything, almost like I’m messing up something that’s too perfect to touch.
Buy a cheap notebook, fill it with pictures, receipts, tickets, any collection of random thoughts. Think of your journal as a scrapbook for your life. I like to look on Pinterest for inspiration, but sometimes I just use scotch tape and a movie stub and call it a day.
Try to set aside 10 minutes every day, whether that’s when you get up or before you go to sleep, to journal. Instead of doom-scrolling, grab your journal — it’s way more romantic. Then, a year from now, you’ll get to look back on your life in a way that may be way more fun than Snapchat memories.Â
The best part of being a thought daughter is allowing yourself to bask in the catharsis of your own reality, both in joy and in sadness. It’s in every thought daughter’s nature to overthink and to slip into a more negative viewpoint.
But, with these little practices, you may find yourself feeling like the main character, and hopefully a bit more idyllic towards life than you already are. You are the protagonist of your own story, and don’t you forget it!Â