A “trend” is a general direction in which something is developing or changing. Throughout the years, trends, specifically ones that form online, help people potentially find their niche, create a new hobby or even get a chance to meet new people who have interest in the same things. 

TikTok is the biggest mainstream app currently that has the most trends. Some of the most recent trends that have been floating around online are “#Delulu,” which consists of being purposefully delusional over something that is not real/won’t happen. The “#Coquette,” trend is based around being a “romantic girly girl” and consistently using the color pink with pink bows.  These two trends are just some of the many trends that are happening as of current. Although not all trends are bad, it does have its downsides. 

My thoughts on some of these trends that have happened in the past and have been happening is that they fly by way too fast. They’re hard to keep up with. Unfortunately, the dangerous trends are the ones that stick around for entirely too long. It’s quite clear that people seem to enjoy feeding into drama and others enjoy being the attention seekers. 

“I feel like dangerous trends come from Tiktok and people getting pressured to do them,” Emmer Payne, junior, said. “I do feel like they stick around longer because some people can copycat off each other and constantly try to see who does it better than someone else.”

“I think dangerous trends stick around longer because people find it appealing and interesting and that one person seeing other people doing it and surviving,” Toni Nelson, sophomore, said. “So they think they may succeed as well, and the cycle continues. I personally find them dumb. There’s no point in doing anything to purposefully harm yourself mentally or physically just because it’s trending.”

These are just some of the comments on the negative side of trends and how they can form into a prolonging issue. I’ve come across a couple of trends myself that have stayed longer than needed and never had a good outcome. 

The downsides of these trends can be and have turned deadly. One trend for example would be the black out trend which consisted of intentionally cutting off yours or someone else’s airways, eventually leading to passing out. These actions could obviously lead to death.

Another trend would be the Benadryl challenge. This challenge called for taking a big dosage of the over-the-counter allergy pill, Benadryl, to give yourself “hallucinations.” Both of these trends unfortunately have led to people’s deaths. 

Nevertheless, trends can be all harmful, helpful or just a fun activity. Raising awareness for certain trends that may be dangerous for people would help immensely with unfortunate outcomes. Better monitoring on apps would also lower the rates of these outcomes. People should be allowed to have fun without it ending in tragedy. 

According to Dr. Dominic Lucia of Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center, “Teens are at a unique part in their brain growth, where that risk-taking part of their brain, their amygdala, that fight-or-flight part gets really excited and releases a lot of dopamine. Doing something that’s potentially dangerous, or that they see others in their peer group doing, is extremely enticing.”

With studies even showing that teens or just kids in general will see something they find interesting and follow suit because of their curiosity, it gives even a bigger reason as to why social media should be monitored better and why kids should be getting talked to frequently about what they’re encountering online.

Lastly, trend hopping is a very big deal due to everyone wanting to “fit in” and wanting to “keep up.” But when it comes to potentially losing your life or causing someone else’s to lose theirs. That’s where the line has to be drawn.