Personal (and Blog) Update


Hello, and happy new year! Sorry, I am pretty sure this is the third post now where I have wished everyone a happy new year, but new year does only occur once a year, so we may as well make the most of it while we can. 

So, I will begin with how I am getting on personally. It was nice to have a little break over Christmas, and Christmas, while uneventful, was good. Well, I mean nothing bad happened. Over the break, I have allowed myself to, well, have a break. Although this said I have spent a considerable amount of time drafting new posts. Meanwhile, I have done a (bit) of revision, whether it is enough is another question, but at least we are allowed to use notes when doing exams. Also, I am getting over that time of year where I feel groggy (it always happens toward the end of a year, possibly because of it getting darker etc.), so now I am in a decent place to return to university, and to go into 2022. I have not really been up to anything that exciting really, apart from meeting up with friends, while I will be going to London for a couple of days, as of writing this, tomorrow and Sunday. 

In the next few weeks, I am likely to be far busier because not only do I have exams, but there will be other commitments which I will have at Swansea. Plus it is likely I will be working more hours because apparently I am so good at losing things to the point where I must pay substantial amounts for replacements of items which most people would not lose (I am referring to my driving license, as it is the second time I lost it, meaning also that I did not get to do my driving test, so that is something else that will have to be paid for). I know that in the scheme of things, this is not that much money, but when you add retail therapy (much cheaper than professional therapy for sure), and the fact that my family have not told me about any fat money tree growing (plus I DO NOT want to be dependent on them), it would help if I was able to earn some more money. Meanwhile, part of me wants to save for a car, and while I know that this fucks up the environment, if I were able to drive myself to places, I would feel like a bad bitch. And again, this rests on whether I am ever able to get my license! 

Now, the actual reason for me writing this post is because I wanted to make you aware of the recent blog changes, which will be going forward into the new year. Firstly, you will have noticed that I have changed the name of this blog to Personally Political, just because it is more relevant to the general theme this blog has. Also, I have changed my cover photo, which I personally much prefer to the one I had before. Furthermore, I have made the decision to monetise the blog, meaning that it is possible that I may get a little bit of money because of adverts. Although I am not sure how that works yet, or whether I would be getting enough views to get any money at all. 

As well, I have (finally) decided on a posting schedule, in that I will post every Wednesday, and Saturday at 5:30 PM. By mentioning this here, I am now accountable. Again, I will keep up with the monthly updates, which I think I will post on the first day of each month. 

Finally, I am looking for other writers and graphic designers, because I am going to try and utilise social media a bit more, yet this is a lot of work to do alone. Also, I think that with this blog relating to social issues, it would be beneficial if the posts were written from a range of perspectives. It would be so nice to meet and mix with people around my age, with something in common. This position would be open to anyone, regardless of age, gender, where you live etc., therefore if this is something that you, or anyone who you know may be interested in, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.  

What 2021 Has Taught me, and my New Years Resolutions


No, I do not have too much faith in New Year’s resolutions either, because often we think we are going to keep them, then we find it becomes too much, or even circumstances change making it practically impossible (2020 anyone). Therefore, at least from my experience, it is better to make resolutions which are not quite as specific, so that they can evolve according to the circumstances that we are in. Nonetheless, I know that for many, more specific goals are a lot easier to follow, so if that works for you then stick to it (not that you would want to listen to someone who has just turned 19 and has no clue what they are doing from one day to the next, let alone with their lives). 

But anyway. Overall, for me 2021 has been a pretty decent year. Of course, there have been rather a few ups and downs as with life, and I have not exactly managed to make a million pounds, travel the world, or meet the love of my life! But I do feel that I have grown as a person and found out quite a bit about myself and have had some interesting experiences. From having to take “mini exams” because of covid, working at that terrible kitchen job with an even worse head chef (yuck), then of course beginning university. And while I am a little sad that 2021 is over, I am looking forward to what 2022 might bring! So here are my New Year’s resolutions for 2022. 

  1. Be more healthy 

This is something which I reckon that everyone tires of hearing about. Because every fucking January, gyms will put out their membership discounts, exploiting poor plebs like us to sign up, only for us to go about three times before we find that we do not have the time or the energy to persist. Gym wear companies, also, are good at making us all feel groggy, as everyone who models them appears to have a perfectly toned body, making people think that they also would have that ideal if they worked for it. Then you hear people who go to the gym, who say they do it purely out of health, rather than appearance. Many think that these people are lying, many are lying.  

Personally, I have more than one reason for choosing to go to the gym frequently and cutting down on “junk food.” One being, that I do genuinely want to be healthier, mentally, and physically. Because believe it or not exercise does help me a lot with focusing on work, meanwhile it relieves so much mental stress. Furthermore, I have also found that I sometimes struggle with emotional eating, and I do not want this to become a problem. However, I do admit that part of the reason, is because I do want to appear slimmer, and while it is important to try to not let beauty standards consume us, at least it is a healthy habit and it sometimes we do need to do things which make us feel better about ourselves, even if these are a bit shallow. 

2. Work on confidence 

I think this is something which I have tried to do for a few years now, and although I have come a long way, it is definitely something which I still need to work on! I would also say this goes to anyone who struggles with this, because having confidence not only works wonders for yourself, but it is good for those around you! Concerning myself, I have found that in the past year I have become far better at appearing more confident, although I know that I still struggle internally. 

3. Get my Sh*t Together at university 

Whilst I am not one of those students with whom my lectures would not recognise because I never show up, at the same time, I feel that I have not worked as hard as I could have. This is perfectly ok, considering it is only the first term, and I reckon most feel the same way, however I do not want this to become a habit. 

4. Join a couple of societies at university 

During the first term I joined the surfing society with a friend, which was fun, but going back in January it is going to be freezing cold and I would therefore like to do something else. Because I found that in the first term, I did not have the confidence to join anything alone, but at the end of the day, this is such a good way to meet like-minded people and get the most out of Swansea.  

5. Work on the shitty side to myself 

We all do have our flaws, and regardless of how much anyone works on themselves, this will always be the case. Nonetheless, I believe that the more we can families ourselves with our flaws, the more likely it is that we will be able to work on these, and as a result, become a better person. And if we are in a fortunate position where we can make positive changes, then it is important to do so! 

6. Be More Consistent on this Blog! 

This year, I sadly kind of stopped this blog for much longer than I had hoped. Yet I do really enjoy blogging, and while I know this is not too important, I found that after I came back, my numbers had gone down. Now while I am not going to have as much time for this blog compared to what I had last year, I would like to dedicate at least some time each week to blogging. Plus, the Christmas holidays were a significant help. This way, I will aim to make the most of my other holidays to write prewrite posts etc (although there currently is not a reading week in my course).  

7. Read More 

This is something which I reckon again I state I want to do each year, then I find myself not having the time etc. But often the real reason is because I am often put off by the thought of picking up a book, as opposed to aimlessly scrolling through social media. Also, I have found that this year I have been watching more Netflix, which is fine and is not a complete waste of time like some may contest, but I have found that I do genuinely prefer reading overall, plus, let’s face it, it is more productive. Therefore, even if it is half an hour every other day, before going to sleep, the time does add up. 

8. Travel (hopefully) 

Much of this is going to be very dependent on the situation with covid, but the last time I went abroad, I was literally 13. During the summer, I do hope to travel abroad a little, probably working rather than volunteering which I know sounds a little bad, but A) I will probably be broke and B) it is rather off-putting when I hear about projects where a group of volunteers construct some building, only for it to be knocked down immediately afterwards, enabling some middle aged white man in a suit to profit. 

So finally, we are at the end of the list. I do hope that all of you have a great New Year’s Eve, and that 2022 will include some new, exciting experiences, and hopefully covid will not dominate it. Don’t get too drunk, and hopefully see you (most of you not in person lol) in the new year! 

New Money


If you have read the previous post, old money, then while you may adore the aesthetic and all, hopefully you will not have too much regard for those in possession of old money. Because apart from everything else, however hard we work, we will never even become close to obtaining their kind of lifestyle. And while we may all dream of spending the days away prancing around large fields in long fancy dresses, wandering around private libraries, not to mention drinking some of the poshest cocktails, we know that the wealth accumulated to allow those people to live in that way, was done so in a hideous manner, thoroughly based off exploitation. But there is a part of us all that would like to attain a lifestyle that may be slightly more affluent than the average. That we of course would have to work rather hard for, so then we can all have a good bit of fun by looking down on all those lazy plebs who are nowhere near as successful. Nonetheless, I would also hope that you are with me on this one. In that it is hilarious that anyone can make fun of older children who still believe in Father Christmas, when there are grown men who believe in trickle-down economics. Ok, if that sounds familiar, then it is. I stumbled across the post on “left wing bible” on Facebook. Appreciate my originality! But if some of the implications of new money are equally as gross, then what is the appeal? 

What is new Money? 

In opposition to old money, which relates to wealth accumulated a long time ago, passed down through generations, new money “usually denotes a person who has recently gained an immense amount of wealth.”  Meanwhile, new money is earned through “salary, business profits, and/or investments.” Consequently, often those with new money can end up having more than those born into old money. This term is also called “nouveau rich”, and while it can be used to separate those who have accumulated new money from those coming from “old money”, it can also be used “as a derogatory term.”   

New Money as an Aesthetic 

The style of new money is hard to define, because it involves following trends which keep changing, unlike old money which has a pretty distinctive style. However, there are certain aspects of style in which we do associate with new money, being modern, expensive looking and distinctive. That is due to new money being fueled by consumerism and people striving to look wealthy. However, there is a range of assorted styles which do have parallels to new money, including gold (relating to gold), Jetset (fancy jet engines and the like), and minimalism. However, there is another interesting aesthetic, in which many of us may find a little appealing, known as Boujee. But it is important to be aware of the meaning of the term before we wish to get too far in embracing this style.  

Boujee 

Ok, ok. If you are reading this as a socialist or a communist, then I see you and I hear you, stop tearing out your hair, ok, as it is not going to fix anything! Everyone else may be wondering about what on earth it is that I am rambling about now. But listen up! It is said that Boujee is a style or aesthetic for middle class people to appear rich. This may appear a bit strange, but if you spend 5 minutes searching for Boujee items of clothing (someone please buy me this beautiful blue top, I promise it is not expensive), then you will understand what I mean. Meanwhile, the less affordable side of Boujee, is associated with expensive brands like Chanel and Gucci. And while Boujee is used to describe the middle classes who want to appear richer, this only really extends to fashion and style rather than actual lifestyle when concerning the lower middle classes. Yet, concerning “boujee” people in the upper middle classes, it is more likely they are more concerned with “wealth, status and all things luxury.” And while these people can be “charitable”, this can “easily turn to narcissism and entitlement.” This makes sense considering that the term “bourgeoisie” relates to the “middle and upper classes that own capital (money, machinery, and other resources used to create more wealth)”, in contrast to the working class, exploited by this, referred to as the “proletariat”. As well as the fact that, at least in my opinion, if one does prioritise money and wealth over other things, it can lead to unhealthy behaviors, and a more negative outlook on the world.  

The Appeal of New Money 

If you are anything like me, smart enough to understand the social, political, and economic consequences of consumerism, capitalism and people accumulating extensive amounts of wealth, yet nowhere near strong enough to resist the persistent urge to want to work extremely hard to lead an affluent lifestyle in the future, then it is likely that you may find the aesthetic of new money (or “Boujee”) appealing. Yes, you admit it, part of you just longs to live in a glamourous, modern apartment in the middle of the city, being able to afford the nicest food and clothing on the market with no male figure in the background there to help you out! And considering the extent to which materialism and consumerism, as well as productivity culture, is on display to us and most certainly presented under an incredibly positive light, it is no wonder why so many of us would be drawn in. 

What is not so Appealing About New Money 

While there is a part of us all, who wish we could finally jump on a 1-million-pound yacht and scream that we have made it, we know that accumulating vast amounts of money is impossible for most of us. Regardless of how hard we work. Therefore, while consumerism and I would also like to argue, productivity culture, may try to trick us into believing that it is an appealing but also very acceptable lifestyle, when we consider the disparities in wealth globally, then allowing oneself to be sucked into a system designed to work against us, to the point that we are deceived enough to believe that we can hugely benefit, surely does not add up. Because again, we all look forward to pay day so that we can continue to afford all the essentials and will hopefully be able to treat ourselves, at the same time an excess of money should not be used to fill an empty void within ourselves. Not to mention that there simply are not enough resources available for everyone to live the life of a billionaire, and at least to me, it cannot be right if 1% of people who do work hard become entitled to this life, while the other 99% must work twice as hard, and still be scarcely able to put food down on the table. 

The Conflict Between New and Old Money 

As already mentioned, nouveau rich can be used in a derogatory way. But when I say this, I am not referring to those who are disapproving of new money, due to their opposition to capitalism and consumerism, but those in possession of old money. Some with old money believe that those who have not been brought up into the world of money cannot be truly part of the aristocratic class. What is more, is that those with new money do not know how to spend it wisely due to their heavy focus on materialism, while those with old money have enough experience to invest their funds wisely. This distinction stems back from Ancient Greek times, where “many Ancient Greek texts refer to those with newly acquired money as being placed on the lower rungs of society, while those with old money were well-respected.” New money is also faced with suspicion because it is thought that not all new money is accumulated legally.  

To summarise, new money is interesting to consider both as an economic/political concept and as a style. But before we enjoy putting on yet another flashy dress, or before we enjoy sporting a golden necklace, remember the background concerning new money may not be as appealing. 

https://exploringyourmind.com/why-people-obsessed-accumulating-money-possessions/

https://www.theroot.com/the-difference-between-bougie-boujee-and-bourgie-bour-1822522172

https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Boujee

https://www.wise-geek.com/what-is-new-money.htm

https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/New_Money

Survival Guide for Disorganised Bloggers!


Hello! So, in case this is the first time you have stumbled across this blog, my name is Victoria and I am 19 (it was literally my Birthday yesterday haha). While I have been blogging for about two years. However recently I have taken a longer than anticipated break from it. Mainly because revising for A levels turned in to working too many hours over the summer, which turned into “university work” (or rather just “uni” if you get what I mean). But here I am now, and before I begin, I just want to thank everyone who has supported this page, whether that has been by following me, liking, and commenting on my posts, or encouraging me to keep on with this blog.  

What Inspired me to Write this Post

I remember when I first started out, there were a lot of blog posts coming from bloggers who were more experienced, giving advice as to how to successfully run a blog. And while I acknowledge that there were a lot of bloggers clearly doing this as a way of making money (advertising many plug ins and the like which most of us cannot afford), there were many bloggers who did give very helpful advice, and I could tell that it was coming from their heart. However, each of these bloggers would give slightly different advice, according to what works best for them. Therefore, as someone who struggles a lot with organisation and sometimes with sustaining motivation, I thought I would do a post especially tailored to likeminded people, yet I would hope that this can be helpful for any new bloggers! So here we go… 

 

Write about a Topic that Interests you

If you want to be able to stick to blogging, then there is no point in starting a blog about a topic that you do not know much about, or have much interest in. That is because, depending on the type of blog you have, often posts do need to be well researched, not to mention the time it takes to write and proofread, therefore you would soon tire of writing a blog about a topic that you have no interest in. 

Be Relatable

Yes, you could produce brilliant pieces of writing, which are authoritative, very persuading, and fascinating to read. Yet, what I have found by blogging, is that readers will often want to know your thoughts and experiences. Therefore, if you were to write a post, say for example about cake decorating (which I know is not my niche, and I cannot decorate a cake to save a life, but I love looking at pretty cakes and I love eating them even more), then of course provide a comprehensive guide so that readers can establish trust in your post. But I would say also, it is good to include some of your own personal experiences. Even something as random as “I once used baking sodar rather than sugar.” Because while you may not deem this relevant, readers would be interested, and they would therefore want to find out more about you as a person, and thus be more willing to subscribe. I mean, I certainly would be! And do not worry, this story is made up, but there are many far more humiliating stories about me which are true. In an equivalent way, if you were writing a blog post that is like the ones I usually do, then as an example, you could include your own experiences of growing up as a young woman if you were writing about feminism. 

Engage With Other Bloggers

When you first start out, how is anyone meant to find your blog if you do not start engaging with other bloggers? Instead, by liking and commenting on other people’s posts, bloggers may take an interest in your blog, which is where you will begin to grow from. Aside from how it benefits you as a blogger, I found that during lockdown, engaging with other bloggers helped me when I was not able to meet with other people. And even now, it is always nice to engage with, and occasionally get to know new bloggers, even if the only interaction is on WordPress. Furthermore, reading content posted by other bloggers enables you to learn more about topics you may have had little knowledge of before, and it all helps in enabling your own writing skills to improve! 

Be Curious About where the Blog May Take you

I know that a lot of content creators do have extremely specific goals to achieve under a limited period. Now if you are the sort of person to have a to do list at the start of each day, a morning routine, and you usually manage to get each of these items ticked off at the end of each day, then having specific blogging goals may well work for you. But be it for the better or the worse, I am certainly not this type of person, and I know that not everyone is. This way, more so if we have a lot going on in our lives, having specific goals may not be the best way to motivate us. Because over time, we may find that we are not able to commit to working on the blog for a certain number of hours. As an example, if you have exams coming up, then you may find that you cannot allocate as much time to your blog as previously speculated, and in this case, exams may need to take priority.  

Do Not Hyper-Focus on Money

If you have been blogging for a little bit, then you will be aware that there are several ways in which you can make money through blogging. It is understandable as to why anyone would not mind earning some extra cash through blogging, nonetheless, to earn substantial amounts from blogging, a lot of time and effort would need to go into the blog first, while it would need significant numbers of viewers and subscribers. It was only the other day when I finally monitized my blog, and again I doubt that I will get anything, at least in the coming few months. And even if I get something, then it is likely to be peanuts (plus it costs to have an upgrade allowing you to do this). This is not me suggesting that it is impossible to make good money from blogging, but it would take a lot of hard work and commitment, in the long run. 

Do not Over Work Yourself

There is nothing worse than gazing at a computer screen, having completely run out of ideas. You feel terrible about the fact that you are not really achieving anything, yet you would feel extremely guilty for taking a break! If you have found yourself in these kinds of situations, then chances are, you do need a break! And whilst blogging is not easy, it is to the benefit of yourself and for the blog to allow yourself to rest when needed. This does not only apply to blogging, but anything and everything else. For instance, I remember back in 2020, I think partly due to the covid situation, I did not allow myself enough time for myself, therefore I spent too long working on this blog, on sixth form work and some paid work. Ironically, when I did allow myself more time to rest, my grades went up! Moral of the story! 

Check your Spellings!

This is a word of advice to my younger self, apart from anyone else. Because to be brutally honest, I could not give a shit. All throughout primary school, secondary and sixth form and even on this blog. But if you are here thinking, like I did, that spellings do not matter, considering you are only writing for a very amateur blog, then think again. Because if you were searching for information about a certain topic, then you clicked on a post which was full of spelling mistakes, chances are, you would not have much regard for the post and you certainly would not consider putting in your email address to subscribe to them. Even if apart from that, the content was excellent. But of course, in time, you yourself may get readers who are interested in reading about your topic, outside of the blogging community. Oh, and a word of advice if you are in education, PROOFREAD your work! Unbelievably, it could make the difference of a grade. 

Switch Between Tasks When Blogging

Doing anything for a prolonged period can become tiresome. This way, if you are dedicating a morning or so to your blog, then unless you are on a roll with a particular task, switch between tasks. Otherwise, at least with me, it is easy to lose focus and motivation trying to stick to doing the same thing for a prolonged period. 

Numbers do not Matter

You will hear most people who have been blogging for a while say the same thing, in that the number of views that you get, and the number of followers, does not really matter. However, it is so easy to get bogged down by all of this, which can be exhausting and quite upsetting, considering that inevitably there will be days where your blog will receive less attention compared to other days.  

If you Think of Something Good, then Make a Note of It!

If you are anything like me, disorganised, disordered and sometimes a bit dim, then most of the time you are hating yourself for the fact that you cannot seem to ever be able to focus on one thing at a time. If you are trying to do work, you are thinking about what is for tea, if you are eating tea you are thinking about what you will wear on friday night; and if you are out on a Friday night, then you will be frantically panicking about what work you need to get done, and wondering what to eat when you finally get to leave the club and go to the kebab shop! In other words, you can never focus on one thing at a time. Usually, this is a pain in the ass, but occasionally a load of bright ideas will all of a sudden spring to your mind. Which is wonderful, but only if you manage to make a note of them, and do something about it when you get home!

On a side note, you may have already managed to read this post. But for some strange reason, WordPress decided to delete this post, so here I am posting it again.

Old Money


Can you think of anything much more annoying than this? A new girl showing up dressed head to toe in the most extravert clothing that you can imagine. Bright pink designer sunglasses, some flamboyant printed flairs with a matching top, and to top it all off the most ridiculous, eye-catching, but dirt-cheap looking jewellery. She is exceptionally outgoing, drives this hideous Lamborghini (pink again), and according to rumors, her family owns some enormous swimming pool which looks like it has come straight out of Butlins! To be fair to her, she is rather sweet, but you convince yourself that it is only in a superficial way. Plus, the reason she is so rich is only thanks to her parents, so now she is choosing to work her bum off to ensure she can continue their newly established, prosperous lifestyle. Nonetheless, you are mature enough now to realise that you do not really want to be cracking out 60+ hours of work a week, to have exclusive access to that kind of life. Yet, it would be nice to be able to have something a little more secure than what you have, which does not involve showing off, which seems to go with possessing a lot of money today and does not involve having to work too hard. That way, rather than being far below these people who love to flex their wealth, you will be above them, and you will not even have the need to show off! No harm in turning to nostalgia toward a life that you know that you will never experience… 

What is Old Money?

Old Money refers to money that is accumulated over a prolonged period, which is passed on through generations, in contrast to money, which is accumulated by one individual throughout their lives, often referred to as new money. Those in possession of old money tend to be more discreet about their wealth compared to those with “new money.” There is often a heavy focus on image, top quality education (such as boarding schools, ivy league colleges and if you are in the UK, then Oxbridge) and a strong focus on tradition. Also, those born into families with substantial amounts of “old money” are more likely to have access to the connections required for them to enter careers of their choice. It is “most prominent” in countries where there was not an aristocracy but an “elite social class”, such as the USA. Most recently however, “old money inspiration” has been shared on sites like TikTok, a platform popular with Gen Z and younger millennials.  

The Revival of Old Money

We only need to consider fashion trend cycles to think about why the revival of “old money”, at this moment in time, should not come to us as much of a surprise. This is because when Y2K was in fashion (back in the 00s, not now), “2000s prep” came in, as a “backlash”. These two styles were vastly different, with Y2K, as you guess resembling bright colours and outfits which are out there, and “2000s prep”, offering what I would say would be a more sophisticated style. And whilst “2000s prep” and “old money” are two distinctive styles, there are certainly parallels. Therefore, it should not come as too much of a surprise with old money becoming popular, during the time that Y2K makes a major comeback! Something can also be said about the implications of these contrasting styles, with Y2K resembling more of the new money style, while in contrast old money resembles, well, the style of old money! 

The Appeal of Old Money

Another reason old money became popular when it did, is due to its appeal during covid times. For instance, during covid many people had their usual social activities disrupted, meanwhile some have been forced to take time off work. Naturally, this will lead people to seek out other activities to take part in, and what could be much nicer than a game of golf in the sunshine? That is of course providing one has the money, lives in an area green and grassy enough to have a golf course, and of course is not working so much throughout lockdown that they do not have the energy available. Furthermore, the whole style of old money, whether you were able to play golf or not, may have been appealing to those during lockdown, considering that it is a lifestyle miles away from the lives which most of us lead. Therefore, as an escape from the resent and anxiety most will have felt during this period, it is not surprising that they may have looked toward the lifestyle associated with “old money” as an escape, whether conscious of this or not.  

Dark and Light Academia

I have also noticed that a few sources have linked “old money” to “dark” and “light academia”. While the aesthetic of academia focuses on the aesthetic appeal of high-quality education, I would say the reason for the association would be because for most of us, pursuing a good education can feel rather strenuous. And for me personally, while I am enjoying the course I am taking at university, a large motive for working hard and for choosing to take the course in the first place is that it is more likely I will have some stable, decent paying job at the end of it. Yet, would it not be nice if we really were able to just read, and learn, primarily as a pleasure, rather than doing so in the hope of being more likely to end up with a semi stable career. This way, as with dark/light academic, I would say old money can be linked to a desire to be in a privileged enough position, to learn for the joys of it, rather than merely learning for the sake of hopefully establishing financial stability in the future. 

The Economic Appeal

So now we can understand how we, poor, anxious, and most likely living in some polluted town or city, would find the whole essence of old money appealing. Nonetheless, there is no one who is going to find more delight in old money than the lovely people who possess it themselves! As already mentioned, those in possession of old money do not tend to hold the urge to make a show of themselves. Therefore, with less interest in pursuing material items, including flashy cars, posh penthouses and hanging out in the glitziest of hotels, they are more likely to choose to spend their money smartly. This is known as non-conspicuous consumption. Understandably, the average Tesco goer may be wondering how this may be relevant? Nonetheless, spending on education, which has increased 3.5 times for the top 1% while it has remained flat for middle income spenders, enables those at the very top to maintain their social standing. This is by ensuring that their children are equipped with the appropriate skills for the top paying firms; meaning that as a result, their middle-class university educated counterparts would just not make the cut for. And what could be a better option than education, when the cost of it has gone up significantly in recent decades? Moreover, those with “old money” are also spending more than ever on “security and privacy”, which includes purchasing homes which are hidden from google street view! Henceforth, they really are choosing to be a world away, and a cut above the rest of us!  

Why this has Happened?

In the past, only those at the very top were able to afford the most expensive goods. Yet in recent years, mass consumption has allowed those from the middle classes to access similar material goods. This way, the super wealthy need to find new ways to distinguish themselves. And what is better than spending more on education to ensure that the top jobs can continue to be exclusive to those within their social circle! Furthermore, I guess the thought of no one being able to look up your house (or mansion) on google maps does sound cool! Another element included under inconspicuous consumption is cultural capital, where people in the relevant social socials are aware of exclusive behaviors enabling them to win over someone outside these circles. Which can be as simple as knowing the appropriate small talk. 

Everything Else Wrong with Old Money

It should not come as much of a surprise that the style of old money has been described as having the “absence of flesh, the absence of blackness and the absence of extravagance.” Most of us recognise that this is a problem continuously in the fashion industry, but moreover the initial accumulation of old money was very exploitative for people of colour, and highly dependent on the slave trade. For instance, Beckford’s experts estimated Britain’s debt to Africans in the continent and diaspora to be in the trillions, which had fueled British and European industries to initially thrive in those early days. And while I am not here to change anyone’s political standpoint, I will leave you to sit with the fact that the richest 400 Americans have enjoyed a 40% rise in wealth since the pandemic. 

Summary

To sum this up, I hope that this post has made you aware of some of the problematic implications concerning old money. Nonetheless, while it is important to understand the numerous issues associated with this: from a historic, political, and economic perspective; there is no harm in dipping our noses into it, when concerning fashion and lifestyle, as a form of enjoyment and escapism. Which is something that we all need. 

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22638568/old-money-aesthetic-dark-academia-prep-tiktok-pinterest-instagram

https://aeon.co/ideas/conspicuous-consumption-is-over-its-all-about-intangibles-now

https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Old_Money

https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-millennials-reviving-old-money-aesthetic-fashion-decor-sports-2021-10?r=US&IR=T

Trauma Core


Hello, so before I begin, I am just going to warn you all that this post is going to mention topics which may be triggering to some readers. These includes topics relating to childhood trauma and mental illness. Now while I am not going to go into depth, if you are likely to find content relating to either of these themes triggering, then I would advise against reading. Also, this post does explore subjects which I have not been directly affected by, whilst “Trauma Core” is something which I have never participated in, therefore I apologise if it seems as if I have undercut anything, while I acknowledge that as a result, this post may lack some authority. 

Right then, life can suck at times. So how can we cope? Smoking and drinking, perhaps? Meh, not too good for you. Engage in other unhealthy coping mechanisms? Look, do not even go there! Alternatively, there is always the option of opening up about it. Yet sadly there are so many people who have not really been able to open up about things, or receive help, and yet have been through some horrific stuff, at such an early age. And really, what can they do other than sadly choosing to cope in an unhealthy way? Of course, there is always the classic of having a cup of tea, but that is taking the p*ss? Oh, I remember. It involves the great wide web: where one is most likely anonymous, they can connect with others who have similar experiences, and they can express themselves in a way which can release a mixed array of emotions. And yes, you are aware that this kind of thing has gone on for a while now. Remember the sad 2014 quotes on Tumblr, fan accounts featuring sad song lyrics and even gritty photos, often depicting difficult themes? Nonetheless, Trauma Core has probably taken this to another level, but what are the implications? 

What is Trauma Core?

If you remember a time before you downloaded TikTok (2020!!!), or if you happen to be extremely clever and you have somehow managed to completely avoid it, then when you stumble across Trauma Core for the first time, then unsurprisingly you would be a little confused. Even if you do have TikTok, and you are aware of the extensive range of unique aesthetics like cottage core, the thought of trauma Core may well seem a little odd to you. But trauma Core “is a type of imagery that delves into the themes of abuse and trauma.” This particularly involves sexual abuse, but can also include emotional abuse, neglect, or themes of mental illness including depression and eating disorders.  

What is Included?

The art “often draws heavily on childlike and angelic themes, done so as a means to try and reclaim their innocence.” These can include images featuring Hello Kitty, care bears and children’s playgrounds. To me, this is understandable, considering that those who go through childhood trauma do not get the childhood which they deserve. Instead, they must grow up quickly. Therefore, I think that looking at childhood imagery as a theme partly depicts a sense of nostalgia for a time of their lives which they did not experience (due to adversity) but should have. Furthermore, I would say it is a way of expressing resentment, at the fact that they lost what should have been innocent young years, to trauma. Especially as teenagers, which is often the age when people begin to come to terms with the fact that their childhood was not how it should have been.  

Furthermore, I have noticed that some of the “childhood themed” photos which are included in some “trauma core” pieces, are most certainly not photos of places which one would expect to endure in a perfectly happy childhood. Instead, they may include abandoned childhood bedrooms, of course all covered in pink, or old toys, just piled up, no good for anyone… Again, this makes perfect sense, since people who are involved in creating this art of “aesthetic”, would have experienced difficult childhoods, therefore it is not surprising that many images would appear disturbing, albeit childish. 

What is Childhood Trauma?

When childhood trauma is mentioned, the first thing that springs to people’s minds would be physical or sexual abuse. However, childhood trauma occurs in many different forms. The main survey which measures childhood trauma would be the ACE test, which is a test which anyone can take to see how many “ACEs” they have. These are divided under three headings: abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction (including, but not limited to substance abuse, mental illness or mother treated violently). Now, while it is common for people to end up with at least one ACE, having three, or four can lead to significant problems for the young person, both while they are still young, and later in life. However, while childhood trauma is not something that cannot really be measured, I would argue that the ACE is not the most accurate representation of how much trauma someone undergoes. Firstly, because an answer of “yes” to any question can range in severity (living with a problem drinker is likely to be nowhere near as difficult as living with a drug addict), and there are other traumatic experiences not listed on the ACE survey which could really impact a young person: such as bullying, racism and poverty. In recent years, PCEs have also been developed, which consider positive childhood experiences. These include, “able to talk to your family about feelings”, “enjoy participating in community traditions” and having “at least two non-parent adults who took genuine interest in you”. Having these alongside ACEs is likely to give a greater representation of the quality of childhood one has had, nonetheless I would argue that PCEs are even more subjective than ACEs. Because what does a “genuine interest” mean, as one could say teachers could take a genuine interest in every child they teach, while does being able to talk to family about feelings mean that the child can physically walk into the room and talk about their feelings having their family roll their eyes showing negligible  interest or understanding, or would it mean their family genuinely cares, understands, and radiates this most of the time?  

But, whatever it is that you have been through is valid, and you deserve to be heard, listened to, and loved (I love you, even if we do not personally know each other)! 

The Impact of Childhood Trauma

One who has experienced childhood trauma is at a greater risk of developing mental illness, developing addictions, and struggling with relationships later in life. This is because, when experiencing this trauma as children or adolescents, it leads them to being in “fight, fright or freeze mode”, which prevents them from being able to develop into young adults in the way that their peers do. Instead, it is likely that they resort to coping mechanisms, including alcohol, drug use or overworking. This can stunt development in ways including emotionally and can prevent children performing as well at school. Of course, this topic goes far deeper, and there are many ways in which trauma can impact the individual. 

A Form of Art, or an Aesthetic?

It is understandable as to why many who have experienced trauma would resort to Trauma-core as a coping mechanism. Whether they are involved in producing art or not, they are going to find a lot of which they can relate to and find comfort in. Meanwhile, especially for those who do produce the art, I would imagine it would feel like a stress relief. This is especially likely to be the case, considering access to mental health services is extremely limited. Therefore, I would say that as an alternative, it is much better for young people to resort to a nondestructive coping mechanism like expressing their experiences through art, than engage in more self-destructive behaviors.  

The main problem I see with Trauma Core is not with the art itself, but with the fact that it has become far reaching. This is partly due to the issue of “cross tagging,” where creators caption their posts with hashtags not relating directly to the topic. Subsequently, someone looking for something completely different to Trauma-core posts online, without a Scooby as to what it is, could still end up stumbling across posts relating to it. This could be very triggering for some, meanwhile people who have no clue about what these posts really mean, could end up stumbling across them then unintentionally glorifying it. Resulting in the aesthetic, and potentially trauma being fetishied and glorified online, which lead to the feelings expressed by those choosing to share experiences about actual trauma, being undermined or unbelieved. Understandably, partly for these reasons, many people involved in producing this art would prefer Trauma-core not to be labelled as an aesthetic, because this leads to it being made too mainstream, undermining the true and very touching meaning behind the art produced. Nonetheless, considering that the internet is full of young and old teens: many with substantial problems, many who do not have much to do, and many who are very ignorant and naive (this is not an attack, I was the same as a young teenager), it is not surprising that images relating to Trauma Core have circulated around the internet very quickly. And whether some would rather it be an aesthetic or not, it has gained enough recognition for it to be one of the themes described by Aesthetics Wiki! 

Summery

To sum this up, I have to say that anyone who participates in Trauma Core is not doing anything wrong. Plus, we have all seen similar things before, which I would say have the potential to be just as, if not more triggering. Nonetheless, this does not mean that there are problems relating to this, including the fetichism of it, and the fact that it can be triggering. Now while this is coming from someone who has never participated in Trauma Core, my only personal word of advice for people who do participate in it would be to aim to keep it a little more tucked away, as an example by only using relevant hash tags. Again, I would maintain that it is a form of art rather than an aesthetic, since it represents a specific experience and serious issues which only some can relate to, rather than a fun kind of style which anyone can participate in. 

https://weheartit.com/articles/354688566-what-is-traumacore

What Is ‘Traumacore’: A New Aesthetic Followed By Millennials

https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Traumacore

https://www.pacesconnection.com/blog/got-your-ace-resilience-scores

I’m Back!!!


Hello, so after a longer than anticipated break, I have decided to finally return to this blog. Long story short, I have been pretty busy over the past few months, and while this has been the case in the past, I found that keeping up with this blog was getting a bit much for me while I was firstly working full time during the summer, and then when I was settling into university. Another problem I faced was lack of motivation, but I do feel a lot more motivated now than I did a few months ago 🙂 

So, the last few months have been, well, interesting but overall, they have been good. Back in September I moved into Swansea University, and so far, I would say that overall, the experience has been a positive one. I am pleased that I have made some good friends, although I would say I have not really established any close friendships yet, but then that is expected after having only been there for a term. I am enjoying the course, although I was disappointed at the fact that there was only three hours of learning a week in person. This was subject to increase come the next semester, although I am not sure what is going to happen now considering the covid situation. Also, there is so much reading, but at the same time the more I do the easier it gets, and the more interesting it becomes. Oh, and I did not particularly enjoy writing the essay about whether if someone takes out half a brain then puts it into some machine then puts it into a different body, if the dude with half a brain will be the same person as the poor guy who was about to have his brain removed. Oh, did I not explain it very well? Goes to show I still find some of this confusing. Being back at home for a bit, while feeling a little strange, does seem nice because I do feel I need a break from it all. 

So why have I not come back sooner? Well, I would say the main reason is because settling into uni has taken a fair bit of energy, as it would for anyone. Because I have been doing (some) uni work, I have had a part time job and then of course there is the social side, which I am pleased to say I think I have made the most of. But now that I have the Christmas holiday ahead of me, where I am not going to be working over, and that I am more settled into university, I should be able to spend more time on this blog once again. 

Also, if I am honest I have not been that motivated in the last few months, generally and concerning this blog. And I was thinking (well subconsciously) “oh, what is there actually to blog about, which I haven’t either repeated, or which I would be pretty shit at writing about). Yet suddenly, I have become pretty motivated, and I have thought of at least 10 different (proper) post ideas. And I want to start exercising again, start making jewellery again, and do loads of reading for uni. Even though that did not really happen much during “uni” itself! Undiagnosed ADHD or what? Finally, I am thinking of getting a TikTok account relating to this blog, because I often feel old school only producing posts combined of writing rather than producing something like a video or a podcast. As I know these are going to overtake articles and the like. For a bit, I did have an Instagram account for this, but I found it did get a little unhealthy and people were far more concerned for pictures of the sunset or pictures of myself which I had posted, compared to threads about these posts. But there you go… Talking of which, I am pretty sad Swansea do not seem to have a student newspaper anymore (is this something I should be sad about? I actually sound so nerdy now haha). But anyway, I might try the radio or something next term, like even if I am shit, there will be some nice people there, hopefully! 

One more thing, in the next week or so I do aim to update a few things on here, starting with the blog cover photo. Because really, what does a blog relating to social commentary I guess, have in common with a tree? It may be a nice tree, but still. Moreover, the profile picture is over a year old now, and one thing that is worse than current pictures of myself, is old pictures of myself! 

Anyways, enough of my rambling, I do not really feel comfortable being too personal on here. Also, sorry if I have not made total sense, I have rushed this post as it is just an update, but you guys hopefully get the gist. So, with that, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and what have you, mine is going to be amazing (ok, I know I said I was not going to get personal).  

But anyway, I do hope you have a good Christmas! And if it isn’t going to be that great, then just eat extra amounts of junk food, drink loads of alcohol, then you will be ok! 

Bye for now 🙂 

My Problem with Grammar Schools


 

Whilst I have done research for this post, a lot of the commentary from this consists of my own views and experiences. Therefore, I decided to provide a bit of background information. So, I attended two grammar schools. One being throughout secondary school, and the other being during sixth form. Now before I allow myself to slag off both these places, it is true that most people there were lovely, while there were many competent, caring and supportive teachers. Nonetheless, I would not be writing this post now if it had not been for the many negative attributes which were rather apparent to myself and others during the time spent in that environment. 

What is a Grammar School?

A grammar school is a selective school, which selects people based on their ability to complete an exam, known as the 11+. Currently, there are about 1663 grammar schools in England, compared to around 3000 secondary state schools.  

Why go to a Grammar School?

It is easy to understand why many parents would want to send their children to grammar schools, and even why some young people may prefer to be at one compared to the local comprehensive. For a start, the pupils are mixed with people with similar abilities to their own, fostering a more academic and hardworking culture. This should also prevent young people from being bullied for their decision to hopefully work hard. Furthermore, one of the more common arguments put forward in favour of grammar schools is that it enables young and able people from working class backgrounds to access a high standard of education. So, it all sounds fine and dandy then, doesn’t it? Nonetheless, if we delve further into this, we can see how Grammar schools do not necessarily live up to their expectations. 

Divisive

Contrary to the assumption that Grammar schools enable working class children to access better education, leading to a certain leveling out in society, statistics as well as my personal experience will tell you otherwise. For instance, while 15% of children from across the UK are on free school meals, only 2.6% whom go to Grammar schools would be on them. And while you may rightfully contend that this is relating to the underfunding of those comprehensive primary schools which contain a high proportion of children from low-income families, it is also true that often parents who send their children to grammar schools have sufficient money to improve their child’s chances of passing the exam. This shows us that grammar schools alone certainly will not be able to solve the issue relating to lack of resources which prevent young people from reaching their potential. 

Putting my personal experience into the equation, I have two things to say really. One, that I do admit to having received private tuition, I which in a way I am grateful for. Yet it obviously raises the question as to whether I would have passed if it had not been for this. It was also very apparent that those who went to my secondary school and sixth form were on average financially better off compared to those who went to my primary school.  

A Toxic Environment?

Throughout my time spent at both the schools I attended, I felt as if there was a lot of pressure whilst it was an extremely competitive environment. Consequently, it led to many people feeling bad about themselves, leading to a more unhealthy, toxic and dare I say bitchy environment. I would also say that this amount of pressure certainly had an impact on many people’s mental health, as the feeling was often apparent that if one was not achieving certain grades, then they were not good enough. 

Do They Even Work?

Prior to taking any exams, I had always assumed that in the end my grades would be better due to having been to a grammar school. And now having experienced two lots of exam periods (one being odd maybe) and having received two lots of results, I still assumed that this would be the case. Nonetheless, there are studies which have told us otherwise. For example, Kent retains a fully selective education system, nevertheless pupils do no better on average compared to the rest of the UK. While the results attained by those from “backgrounds of social disadvantage” are “markedly worse” than the national average for similar pupils. Inevitably, this would make anyone question not only the fairness, but really the effectiveness of having grammar schools. 

So, thank you for reading, and feel free to express any views either for or against grammar schools. 

Take care and see you soon 

Full article: Grammar schools in England: a new analysis of social segregation and academic outcomes (tandfonline.com)

Grammar school pupils ‘gain no social or emotional advantages’ by age 14 | Grammar schools | The Guardian

4 Reasons Grammar Schools are a Bad Idea | Blog | CLASS (classonline.org.uk)

What are the pros and cons of grammar school? – Flying Start Tuition

The Problem With Y2K Fashion


I have noticed that when I talk about Y2k fashion, often people do not know what I am on about. Even though it is currently all over the internet! However, this said, most people who know about it are going to have to have at least some remote interest in fashion. Plus, I reckon that most of the people now sporting Y2K outfits as a trend are going to be younger than those around at the time of era which the style resembles (early 2000s) who would have been old enough to embrace Y2K as a fashion trend. But that is not really the point.  

Rather, that the models look young, and I mean incredibly young. Also thin, also white, tall; you get the drill. But would it be reasonable to argue the Y2k trend is more so this way than past fashion fads? 

What is Y2K?

Initially, Y2k was used to describe a computer bug (known as the millennium bug), that was expected to happen as the year changed from 1999 to 2000. Now, Y2k relates to an era between the late 90s and early 00s; and is mostly associated with bubbly pop music, fashion, nostalgia (obviously) and technology. Here is a little mood board anyway… 

So, What is Wrong with Y2K?

From a personal point of view, I love at least most of the aesthetics and fashion (although I am not too big on low-rise jeans).  

Nonetheless, what most would associate with Y2K now, would be vastly different from how the culture really emerged. Because while we think of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, low rise jeans and or even cute Cami tops which you would find on Shein, a substantial number of people who had initially contributed to the culture have not been recognised as much as they deserve. For a start, many of the popular items that are now heavily associated with Y2K, were once associated with impoverished Black American areas of the USA. Meanwhile the glittery accessories, bright hair and fur coats which are usually featured on white women, can be attributed to Lil Kim. 

Is it a Good Outfit, or is she just Skinny?

If I were to go on Pinterest and spend about 10 minutes looking at “outfit inspo”, then I could promise you that if I were to gain a pound (in money) every time I saw a small girl sporting an outfit that would look either bland or ridiculous on myself (no in-betweens), then I would be more than able to take a few days off work! Nonetheless, it is said the reason models are so skinny, is so that attention is drawn to the outfit they are wearing, rather than their body. Yet as we scroll through looking for outfit inspiration, many of us are going to see the thin girls as the desirable body type. But surely, body image has always been an issue within the fashion industry, so what is so wrong with Y2K? Well, during this era, anybody slightly larger than this ideal would often be seen as “too big” (even if most would still describe it as thin). This ideal would often be referred to as the “heroic chic”, which involved “angular bone structures, pale skin and an extremely thin frame.” What’s more, is that many of the items of clothing were especially revealing, and because they were heavily featured on tiny bodies, many who remembered the fashion from that time have raised concerns about how it will impact people’s body image!  

Can we Reclaim it?

It is reasonable to argue that since 2000, the “body positivity movement” has come a long way. This has sent messages to girls and women to accept and embrace their flaws, and to dress how they would prefer as opposed to hiding their bodies. As a result, some women have begun to feel slightly more confident in their own bodies, meanwhile there is more representation of a range of bodies now compared to in the past. Nevertheless, most would agree that there is still a considerable way to go, before women of all sizes can all really feel confident in their own bodies. And whilst there have been some plus and mid-sized women choosing to wear more revealing Y2K clothing, it is also true that many women are concerned about embracing the trend. Furthermore, it would be important for the Y2K trend to be more inclusive toward people of colour and to acknowledge the origins of the era. Nonetheless, as it stands while there are people of colour embracing the trend at this moment, the style still strongly favors white people instead. Therefore, while all of us can choose to enjoy fashion while embracing our own bodies, it is likely there will be a considerable period before all of us can really enjoy general trends at ease. 

Y2K Fashion Returning Doesn’t Mean the Departure of Body Positivity (studybreaks.com)

SINCERELY AMINEE (tumblr.com)

TikTok Didn’t Want You To See Ugly or Poor People On Its App (nymag.com)

This is what ‘body positivity’ looked like in the 2000s | Revelist

Why The Return Of Low-Rise Jeans Is Concerning To Millennials | YourTango

Why you don’t have to be “That Girl”


Imagine this. You are in your late teens/early twenties, and for the first time in forever, you have a little bit of time for yourself. You may not know it, but you really do value this time. However, you do not have the energy or motivation to go for a walk, pick up a book or paint. Instead, yes you guessed right, the easiest thing to do is to pick up your phone. You are bored of Snapchat, these days Instagram just makes you feel like shit, and you only use Facebook to keep in contact with your grandparents. Instead, you choose to scroll through the glitzy, glamorous, and still new TikTok. Meanwhile, you wish to improve your life, you long to become more productive, and really you feel it is about time to take steps to improve your mental health. Perhaps as well, you have been through quite a bit of crap in the past, giving you a greater desire to reach a happier and healthier mindset. Lucky for you then, there are plenty of these short “self-improvement” videos in TikTok. In fact, these have become so desired that they have come to be known as “that girl.” You understand that there must be a reason for this because you are aware that you and some of your friends do not really have the healthiest lifestyle or have the healthiest of mindsets, yet all of you want to change this. 

What Being “That Girl” Means? 

This was also what I was wondering when I first came across this term. But the term refers to a young woman who at least seems to life a highly desirable and healthy lifestyle. While, as you can guess, “that girl” is used to motivate people to improve their lifestyles. Usually, it involves someone waking up early, sometimes at a ridiculous time, which in my view is any time before 7 (edit, now being before 9, but that is probably because I am now at university)! Following this, she always works out usually sporting some overly fancy (and expensive) gym wear, either in “a complex home step up or at a fancy gym.” Then before making herself breakfast, usually featuring about 5 different fruits and nothing much else she will often pose in front of the mirror showing off her perfected ab line. 

What it is Supposed to Achieve 

Ever heard the expression “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”. Unfortunately, I have, far too many times, as a younger teenager! But we know that for some reason, most would consider it better to wake up early, then go to bed early, rather than the other way round. Is this healthier? How can any of us be sure? However, waking up early is certainly associated with a more productive lifestyle. Because all these videos clearly promote productivity as well as just health, therefore the earlier one can wake up, the more productive they can be right? Consequently, these videos should be able to motivate others to manage to wake up, shower (presumably), work out, eat, and turn on their bloody laptop for work or whatever before 7am. Yet it is true that some people are naturally night owls, meaning they work better later on in the day/night, rather than first thing in the morning.  Nonetheless, these videos or anything relating to productivity culture, fails to acknowledge this, instead implying that the one and only way to live a productive life, is by waking up at these peculiar times, to suggest that people need to get as much shit done as soon as possible. The wider implication of this may be that people ought to rush to get as much done as soon as possible in their lives, rather than allowing themselves some time to take things more easily. Anyway, back to the quote. So why can a woman not be wealthy and wise like their male counterparts? Because the way I see this, “that girl” can be seen to empower females to aspire to the same high end jobs which men dominate, while hopefully become as accomplished. Even if it means having to use about 7 different skin care products each morning and consuming fewer than 1000 calories a day. We just do not have it easy! 

Toxic Productivity 

The number of hours “that girl” works each day remains a mystery, nonetheless the videos heavily stress the importance of productivity. And whilst we usually get to only see their morning routine, the more influenced viewers are likely to assume that she will continue to be productive throughout the day. Be it working long shifts, spending hours studying hard in the library at university, engaging in extra curriculars; or even more likely, all three! Whilst many of us wish that we could be this productive ourselves, this does reflect the extent to which toxic productivity prevails in our society today. 

Unhealthy? 

Despite the health focused stance which most of the videos take, if we dig a bit deeper, we can see how these videos do not necessarily promote the healthiest choices. One way is by which many of the videos tend to promote under eating, whereby one source estimated that the average “that girl” would consume fewer than 1200 calories a day. Being less than what is recommended for a toddler! Meanwhile, can anyone really regard one leading a life that is so busy that there is no time for them to really focus on themselves, or spend time with others, the healthiest of choices? 

Whitewashing 

I could promise you that if you were to head on to TikTok and type in “that girl”, the vast majority of videos would feature thin white girls. This is likely to be because of several factors, including TikTok’s algorithm and that possibly fewer girls of color are joining in on the trend. This suggests that TikTok still sees thin white girls as the ideal, meanwhile girls of colour often do not feel confident enough to join in on the trend. This way, it also sends a specific message to young women, that you can only join in with this trend and lead a successful life if you are white, thin and are from a wealthy family. This is parallel to the “Girlboss” fad, which encouraged young women to work their bums off to be able to accomplish as much work-related success as their male counterparts. Yet delving deeper, we could see how the option that being a “Girl-Boss” promoted, was only really open to women of an extremely specific, privileged background. 

So, I imagine that there are many females who sometimes wish they were “that girl”, whether they had heard about it or whether they have better things to be doing in their free time than aimlessly scrolling through TikTok! However, while on the surface this kind of lifestyle may seem like the ideal, from underneath we can see how this can usually be unrealistic, very exclusive, and even damaging. Therefore, next time you regret not having your life together, remember that health looks different on everyone, and while you may wish to lead a productive lifestyle, it is also essential to be able to take time for yourself. 

Imagine this. You are in your late teens/early twenties, and for the first time in forever, you have a little bit of time for yourself. You may not know it, but you really do value this time. However, you do not have the energy or motivation to go for a walk, pick up a book or paint. Instead, yes you guessed right, the easiest thing to do is to pick up your phone. You are bored of Snapchat, these days Instagram just makes you feel like shit, and you only use Facebook to keep in contact with your grandparents. Instead, you choose to scroll through the glitzy, glamorous, and still new TikTok. Meanwhile, you wish to improve your life, you long to become more productive, and really you feel it is about time to take steps to improve your mental health. Perhaps as well, you have been through quite a bit of crap in the past, giving you a greater desire to reach a happier and healthier mindset. Lucky for you then, there are plenty of these short “self-improvement” videos in TikTok. In fact, these have become so desired that they have come to be known as “that girl.” You understand that there must be a reason for this because you are aware that you and some of your friends do not really have the healthiest lifestyle or have the healthiest of mindsets, yet all of you want to change this. 

What Being “That Girl” Means? 

This was also what I was wondering when I first came across this term. But the term refers to a young woman who at least seems to life a highly desirable and healthy lifestyle. While, as you can guess, “that girl” is used to motivate people to improve their lifestyles. Usually, it involves someone waking up early, sometimes at a ridiculous time, which in my view is any time before 7 (edit, now being before 9, but that is probably because I am now at university)! Following this, she always works out usually sporting some overly fancy (and expensive) gym wear, either in “a complex home step up or at a fancy gym.” Then before making herself breakfast, usually featuring about 5 different fruits and nothing much else she will often pose in front of the mirror showing off her perfected ab line. 

What it is Supposed to Achieve 

Ever heard the expression “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”. Unfortunately, I have, far too many times, as a younger teenager! But we know that for some reason, most would consider it better to wake up early, then go to bed early, rather than the other way round. Is this healthier? How can any of us be sure? However, waking up early is certainly associated with a more productive lifestyle. Because all these videos clearly promote productivity as well as just health, therefore the earlier one can wake up, the more productive they can be right? Consequently, these videos should be able to motivate others to manage to wake up, shower (presumably), work out, eat, and turn on their bloody laptop for work or whatever before 7am. Yet it is true that some people are naturally night owls, meaning they work better later on in the day/night, rather than first thing in the morning.  Nonetheless, these videos or anything relating to productivity culture, fails to acknowledge this, instead implying that the one and only way to live a productive life, is by waking up at these peculiar times, to suggest that people need to get as much shit done as soon as possible. The wider implication of this may be that people ought to rush to get as much done as soon as possible in their lives, rather than allowing themselves some time to take things more easily. Anyway, back to the quote. So why can a woman not be wealthy and wise like their male counterparts? Because the way I see this, “that girl” can be seen to empower females to aspire to the same high end jobs which men dominate, while hopefully become as accomplished. Even if it means having to use about 7 different skin care products each morning and consuming fewer than 1000 calories a day. We just do not have it easy! 

Toxic Productivity 

The number of hours “that girl” works each day remains a mystery, nonetheless the videos heavily stress the importance of productivity. And whilst we usually get to only see their morning routine, the more influenced viewers are likely to assume that she will continue to be productive throughout the day. Be it working long shifts, spending hours studying hard in the library at university, engaging in extra curriculars; or even more likely, all three! Whilst many of us wish that we could be this productive ourselves, this does reflect the extent to which toxic productivity prevails in our society today. 

Unhealthy? 

Despite the health focused stance which most of the videos take, if we dig a bit deeper, we can see how these videos do not necessarily promote the healthiest choices. One way is by which many of the videos tend to promote under eating, whereby one source estimated that the average “that girl” would consume fewer than 1200 calories a day. Being less than what is recommended for a toddler! Meanwhile, can anyone really regard one leading a life that is so busy that there is no time for them to really focus on themselves, or spend time with others, the healthiest of choices? 

Whitewashing 

I could promise you that if you were to head on to TikTok and type in “that girl”, the vast majority of videos would feature thin white girls. This is likely to be because of several factors, including TikTok’s algorithm and that possibly fewer girls of color are joining in on the trend. This suggests that TikTok still sees thin white girls as the ideal, meanwhile girls of colour often do not feel confident enough to join in on the trend. This way, it also sends a specific message to young women, that you can only join in with this trend and lead a successful life if you are white, thin and are from a wealthy family. This is parallel to the “Girlboss” fad, which encouraged young women to work their bums off to be able to accomplish as much work-related success as their male counterparts. Yet delving deeper, we could see how the option that being a “Girl-Boss” promoted, was only really open to women of an extremely specific, privileged background. 

So, I imagine that there are many females who sometimes wish they were “that girl”, whether they had heard about it or whether they have better things to be doing in their free time than aimlessly scrolling through TikTok! However, while on the surface this kind of lifestyle may seem like the ideal, from underneath we can see how this can usually be unrealistic, very exclusive, and even damaging. Therefore, next time you regret not having your life together, remember that health looks different on everyone, and while you may wish to lead a productive lifestyle, it is also essential to be able to take time for yourself. 

f 80% of users between the ages of 16-34. 

Why the ‘That Girl’ TikTok trend is more sinister than it seems  – Fashion Journal

Who Is “That Girl” on TikTok? – Popdust

Who Is ‘That Girl’ And Why Is TikTok Obsessed With Her? (refinery29.com)

let’s chat: Becoming “that girl” TikTok Trend (imerikamarie.com)

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