Among young adults and teenagers, the rise of fleeting “microtrends” can spark dialogue and conversation, both on social media and in real life. But these short-lived crazes, whether in music, fashion or social media, can spark a sense of possessiveness as people rush to claim credit for discovering the latest trend first.
The rapid rise and fall of these trends often generate frustration, feeding into the growing resentment many feel toward their temporary nature. Is hating on the rise?
“Something I hate is when people gatekeep small artists such as Treaty Oak Revival and they are like, ‘I knew him first!’ No you didn’t,” said Skylar Jordan, a sophomore nursing major.
Music can be a huge component of what qualifies as a microtrend due to the rapidly changing content on TikTok, Instagram and so many more platforms. As trends gain momentum and become omnipresent, they can quickly shift from exciting to exhausting. There is a general range among peers that can be hated on a broader scale.
One example of a more recent trend that many find quickly went from awesome to annoying is the use of the word “demure.” Calling certain actions demure was a microtrend popularized by TikTok creator Jools LeBron, but its popularity was short-lived. The use of the word rose quickly and fell off just as fast.
“The trend was funny at first, but it quickly became extremely overused and I got tired of hearing it,” said Kate Moore, a senior biology major. “But by that point there was already a new thing everyone was saying.”
This quick burnout fuels a cycle of frustration, especially among those who feel inundated by the constantly overturning waves of viral content. As certain songs or artists dominate social media feeds, they become targets of widespread disdain, often labeled as “overhyped.” The pace at which these trends rise and fall creates a sense of cultural fatigue, driving some to openly express their disdain for the fleeting nature of these musical fads.
“I think when trends become more popular, I tend to start and get annoyed by them because you are seeing them or even doing them so often it gets tiring,” said Emily Mallett, a junior elementary education major.
But it’s not just the repetition that wears people down; the pressure to constantly keep up with or reject these trends can create a sense of frustration, especially among students. Whether it’s feeling overwhelmed by what’s popular or wanting to distance oneself from overdone crazes, the reasons behind this growing dislike for microtrends are as varied as the trends themselves.
Microtrends can include music and language, but they often extend into fashion as well. In the past year, “coquette” notably rose and fell, and this quick turnaround can lead to overconsumption and pressure to overhaul one’s closet every few months.
“I don’t like a ton of trends since they mainly just cost a lot of money,” said Halle Bergstrom, a junior management and rhetoric double major. “Trends only tend to annoy me when people think they look better since they’re participating.”
Monetarily, it can be hard to keep up with microtrends as they happen because people do not have unlimited funds to partake in everything, leading to fear of missing out, or FOMO.
One thing that does not lead to FOMO, though, is the most niche trends that only appeal to one certain audience.
“I am also not a fan of barrel jeans; they just don’t tend to look good on me so I am not a huge fan of them,” said Mallett.
“One microtrend I hate is the leggings that cinch around the butt,” said Bergstrom. “I guess the goal is to make your butt look bigger, but it looks like more of a wedgie to me.”
Pants were not the only fashion miss — bold clothing trends across the spectrum can spark campus disapproval.
“I really hate animal print,” said Kaity Newman, lecturer of philosophy. “Most fashion trends are cringey to me because all of them are things I wore in middle school, and it’s a constant reminder of my middle school early 2000’s aesthetic.”
From frustration over financial pressure to the annoyance of seeing the same trends repeated endlessly, students and faculty alike are growing tired of microtrends.
Either way, the voices at GCSU reflect a broader cultural tension. Microtrends may come and go, but the frustration they leave behind is something that lingers.
