Forget the Trends and Just Be You!

Trends are everywhere! Not just with fashion, but with music, movies, and TV shows too! For example, rock music is on top of the charts one day, and then the next, it’s rap music! Or Boy Meets World was a hit in the 90s, but now, Stranger Things is what’s in nowadays! I’ve always been that type of person to care about what other people think and keep up with pop culture.

While it’s good to know what’s the latest buzz, it was damaging for my mental health because I tried to be like everyone else! Especially now that I’m into 70s/80s rock music, I’ve never felt more like an outsider than I did before. However, I’ve come to realize that it’s ok to break away from the trends and be yourself! Being different is a good thing; reject the status quo!

In terms of fashion, I’ve struggled with trying to find my personal style because I wanted to fit in. From my freshman year of high school till about my freshman year of college, I wore a lot of black, band t-shirts, black bracelets, Disney shirts, and black converses. I loved my style back then, but when I got to college, I realized that it was all about the pastels, crop tops, and floral print. So, I attempted to be “girly” and redid my wardrobe. While it was cute, that just wasn’t me. I was unhappy with what I had become. I used to not care about what other people thought of me (this was before high school), and now I was adapting to society.

So this past semester of college, I went back to my old style of band t-shirts and Disney shirts because that’s what made me happy! I did keep some pastels and floral prints because I liked some of those pieces I had. But this isn’t just for girls; there are so many fashion trends for guys too. It’s so easy to compare ourselves to other people and blend in overall!

In terms of music and pop culture, not everyone is into the same thing because we have different tastes. Whether you like country music or rap music or techno music, everyone has their preference. Who says we have to like the same things anyway? While I do like some Post Malone, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, and One Direction, I wasn’t feeling it anymore. My interests changed, but it wasn’t a bad thing.

As mentioned before, I was losing interest in music at one point in my life, and it was Def Leppard that saved my love for music! Then it transitioned to Metallica, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Iron Maiden, and now Bon Jovi. I fell in love with everything about the 80s! Yeah, that music may be old and isn’t on top of the charts now, but I’m happy listening to that music. Heck, I still dig TV shows and movies that are from the 90s because that’s my preference! 

Throughout that experience of trying to find my personal style and interests, I’ve learned to embrace my personality; in fact, I like my style even more now than I did before! I feel bad knowing that my neighbors have to listen to Def Leppard music blasted every day, but it’s all good! I don’t care about keeping up with the trends anymore because that’s not who I am. In a way, I was taking over my identity again!

So, I encourage you all to not care about what other people think and just be you! No one is stopping you from wearing certain clothes, or listening to certain types of music, or watching certain shows/movies. Embrace who you are and be the best version of yourself you can be!

Take care and see ya real soon!

Lana