Every week there’s a new TikTok trend. One week it’s the Titanic, the next the Roman Empire, but one of my favorite non-history related trends is definitely R.E.P.O.R.T. I’m easily influenced and love getting insight into people’s personal interests. The R.E.P.O.R.T trend provides a cute look into what people have been enjoying this week. The trend is an acronym for what people have been reading, eating, playing, obsessing, recommending, and treating themselves to.
reading
This week I’ve been reading the The New York Times Modern Love column. If you’re a hopeless romantic like me, then I highly recommend this column. Writing about love can be cliche and corny at times, but the Modern Love column so beautifully discusses stories of love in all of its forms, whether romantic, familial, or self-love. I’ll admit some of the essays are a bit more on the heart-wrenching side, but there’s also a lot of sweet heart-warming stories. The column is also offered in the form of a podcast and television series. I haven’t seen the show, but the podcast reads these essays and even follows up with the authors.
eating
My food hyperfixation this week is Trader Joes’ mochi, particularly the strawberry flavor. One thing about me is that I’m going to have a sweet at the end of the night. If you’re a part of the sweet tooth community as well, the mochi ice cream has been a rediscovered favorite of mine. The strawberry flavor makes for a refreshing dessert after dinner and is perfectly portioned with its chewy mochi exterior.
playing
All the music I’ve been listening to lately have been slow, sad ballads. My friend and I recently had a disagreement over this topic. She dislikes listening to slow music and finds it depressing. She’d rather opt for an upbeat or EDM song. For me, that sounds like a personal nightmare. While music can be very moving, I don’t always immediately become sad upon listening to sad songs. Rather, I find it calming and almost comforting in an odd, melancholic way. As a hopeless romantic, I’ve been enjoying the “yearning playlist” that Spotify generates. In particular, Mitski’s new album has been on repeat, along with “My Tears,” and “Margaret” by Lana Del Rey.
obsessed
I’ve been obsessed with reselling platforms recently like Depop, Poshmark, Mercari, and eBay. I go through phases where I browse and make purchases on these apps, and it’s a habit I’ve fallen back into whilst looking to curate my fall and winter wardrobe. It’s a great way to find clothing at a reasonable price. There’s also an added bonus of taking these items off the hands of someone who otherwise would’ve donated or just thrown it away. All of my vintage Levi denim has been purchased through Depop. They’re great quality jeans that I haven’t paid more than $50 for. Lately, I’ve been finding unique, quality knits for the approaching cold weather.
recommending
It may be the beginning of the fall season, but it’s also the beginning of midterm season. I’ve never really perfected my studying technique nor had good focus, so this semester has been a bit of a learning curve in terms of studying. I’ve been using the Pomodoro technique in combination with having my phone on “Do Not Disturb” which has been effective for me so far. It’s a time management method where you work in 25-minute intervals broken up by five minute breaks. It’s a popular and well-known method, but I’m on the bandwagon of recommending it.
treating
I’ve been treating myself to beauty and self-care practices at home. I’ve learned that there’s a lot that I can do myself that saves me money and also serves as a relaxing ritual. Personally, I feel more put together and confident when my brows and nails are done. After purchasing a gel nail kit and growing out my natural nails, I almost always have a set of french nails. As for my brows, I’ve seen people use beard dye as a brow tint and thought it was odd, but it’s actually quite effective. These are simple things I do to unwind and it makes maintenance over the next week simpler.