Trends are changing faster than ever – and young people are feeling the pressure. From what to wear and eat to what to stream and say, the constant churn of “what’s in” is becoming too much. Many are left wondering if it’s even possible – or healthy – to keep up.
Speak Your Mind! 🎯 “Drowning in Trends” by Dejan Trpkovic
19–APR–2025 | The New York Times recently published Too Many Trends!, a sharp and timely piece by Callie Holtermann that shines a light on what has become a daily struggle for many young people: trying to keep up with the breakneck speed of trends.
Although the article focuses mostly on Gen Z, this pressure affects nearly every teen and young adult navigating today’s culture. The fast fashion cycles, short-lived aesthetics, and algorithm-driven content are reshaping how young people dress, talk, shop, and even define themselves. Many say they barely have time to enjoy something before it’s already considered “over.”
At PRODIREKT and Verbalists Education & Language Network, this isn’t just something we read about – we hear it firsthand. While spending time with our teen and young adult students during their summer language programs abroad, this topic comes up often. Whether walking to class, chatting over lunch, or during evening activities, students share how exhausting it feels to constantly stay in the loop. Some find the pace amusing, while others are clearly worn down by it.
They are not unaware. Many are deeply conscious of how social media and influencers drive the constant cycle – and how their interests are being shaped (and monetized) at every turn. But knowing how the system works doesn’t make it easier to escape. Instead, they describe a low-grade anxiety about always needing to “catch up” – to be current, or risk being left out.
As one teen put it in the mentioned article: “You can’t even enjoy something before it’s old news.” That line sums up what we hear often: young people aren’t just tired of trends – they’re tired of being expected to constantly reinvent themselves.
In this short video, Mercedes Candelaria, 24, talks about how the nonstop wave of trends left her overwhelmed — feeling like she could never catch up:
Title: Too Many Trends! by Callie Holtermann
Published: March 7, 2025
*Used here for educational and non-commercial purposes. All rights belong to the original publisher. If you are the copyright owner and wish to request removal, please contact us.
When identity is shaped by trends, how can we help young people build something lasting? There is an emotional cost to keeping up with trends, and we are surely underestimating it.
Dejan Trpkovic
Managing Director, PRODIREKT
Founder of Verbalists Education & Language Network
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