Before the term “brain rot” was popularized and named the 2024 Oxford word of the year, senior and studio art major Helen Ives translated a split-screen “brain rot” TikTok of a Subway Surfers game and an ASMR slime video overlaid with a “storytime” into a painting.

We need to replace our short-form content with entertainment that sparks excitement and creativity and, unlike short-form content, forces us to be aware of what we’re consuming. 

My proposal is fan fiction.

Last summer, I watched videos like these from my dorm room in Beijing in frustration. Somehow, other Americans without Chinese backgrounds had discovered what I had thought was my secret to gatekeep: China is awesome. 

Books have become the perfect accessories — similar to the way you dress, they tell other people something about you. Maybe even something flattering — that you’re smarter or cooler or more interesting than the person on their phone beside you. We know that reading is cool again. But based on their (mostly) predictable selections, I’d argue that reading as a trend is the cause of many of these book clubs rather than the effect.

When they started filming casual cheesecake reviews, first-years Jack Judge and Alex van der Voort didn’t expect to rack up thousands of views on TikTok. Now they can’t even go through a StudLife interview without being recognized. 

“I’m telling you, like, the ego’s at an all-time high,” van der Voort said. 

As the spring semester kicked off, WashU students found themselves juggling the usual stressors: starting new classes, joining clubs and organizations, and securing that elusive summer internship. However, this year brought an unexpected source of anxiety — the impending TikTok ban, which was set to take effect on Jan. 19, just one day before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

TikTok dancer Addison Rae? Former member of the short-lived Hype House Addison Rae? Failed actress Addison Rae?  Yes, yes, and yes — it’s that Addison Rae. She’s here for pop domination.

The tendency for popular comments to form an individual’s opinion in this manner is largely rooted in generational insecurity. They can be accredited to the social frameworks that permit unmitigated opinions and standards, ultimately leading to groupthink.

By choosing this lifestyle on their own terms, some ‘trad wives’ serve as valuable examples of young women freely selecting a profession that aligns with their chosen way of life.

The “trad wife” trend brings our society backward in time and dismisses today’s cultural strides. The way this power dynamic can resurface long after feminist legislation and protests worked to dismantle female inferiority showcases how male desires and patriarchal practices continue to oppress those with less power.