Today I wanted to talk about something that's been on my mind for a while, but I never addressed. I actually thought that it would be kind of awkward to address this now because the term "basic" isn't new anymore, but let's be real; I'm super lame and I feel like I always try to keep phrases around that people are kind of over. I'm still not ready for "Yaasss" to be over because that one word pronounced that way is basically a way of life for me.
               But today I wanted to discuss being "basic" and what it really means... literally I'm asking you because I have no idea and I think the term is actually quite pointless. It's seen as negative, but I think the term altogether is just misleading. Let's break down what it means to be "basic". I mean, there's the obvious characteristics: Starbucks, leggings and Uggs in the fall and winter months, iPhones, mainstream music, etc. I've never seriously sat down and thought about whether or not I was "basic", but am I supposed to be? Because I actually love all those things (minus the Ugg boots; I can't afford Uggs, but I'll rock some Payless knock offs!). But seriously, does liking popular things mean that your only goal is to be like everybody else, that you have no personality, or that all of your purchases and likes/dislikes are put in place by the fact that everyone around you likes it too? Can you not just like Beyonce because you actually like Beyonce? Because I freaking LOVE Beyonce and I don't think that's just because she's popular right now (and has been for a while actually); I genuinely like her. But even if I did only listen to music on the Billboard Top 100 chart and I only shopped at certain stores and I spent way too much money on Starbucks every day, would that mean every other quality about me is forgotten because of where and how I choose to spend my money or my free time? Because I think that's bullsh*t.
               I chose to talk about this after a conversation that I had with a friend who told me not to look into buying an iPhone because everyone else has one. His argument was that Android phones (preferably Samsung's flagship phones) allow users to have a completely customized and unique experience and that I wouldn't be conforming (yes, he used the word "conforming") to other people's standards of what a good phone is supposed to be... yeah... However, that's an argument for an entirely different post.  Despite the fact that it's a freaking phone, he genuinely thought that I wanted an iPhone because I know a lot of people that have them and I wanted to feel like everybody else. But I'm not in 7th grade and those things don't matter to me. At the end of the day, it's just a phone. And that was just one of many conversations that we've had like this.
               I understand being different and I completely advocate that. But more importantly, I advocate just being yourself. And if that's different (depending on whatever your definition of different is) then that's great. If you're into alternative music, fashion, ways of living your life, then do you if that's just who you are. Similarly, if you like to stay up to date on the latest trends and you know the lyrics to every new song that comes on the radio right when it comes out, then that's great too. And if you're like me and you don't fit on one exact side of the spectrum, then that's great too. I just don't think it's worth it to go out of your way to like or dislike something because you want people to see you a certain way when it comes to trivial things like what you eat or what music you listen to or what clothes you wear. If you like it, you like it. And if you don't, you don't. Just do what makes you happy and don't worry about labels or putting yourself in a box. And as cliche as it sounds, normal is overrated anyway because even if you can't see it on the outside, everyone is unique, everyone has a story, and everyone is important and shouldn't just be dismissed because they choose to or choose not to drink Starbucks every day.
               Thinking about this, it's kind of weird that I'm writing this entire post because someone told me not to buy an iPhone, but I think that's kind of where this way of thinking stems from... trivial things. And believe it or not, some people take this stuff seriously (and get really freaking hard core defensive about their phones). And obviously, I'm not referring to everyone because I know that not everyone thinks this way. I just see the word "basic" used to degrade other people so often that it gets really irritating to witness. So what if I want an iPhone? And who cares if I love Starbucks?  Does that make me boring? (Yes, I am boring but not because of that). Am I unsophisticated, uncreative, lacking uniqueness, stuck up, or self absorbed? Hell no. We all like/dislike our own things and all of our feelings about things are rightfully valid to us. We're all people.
#NoJudgementZone (Can we tweet that?)  :-D

               That's all I have for today. As I mentioned in my previous post, I'll be posting some of my favorite links to blog posts on Friday. Don't forget to leave any comments/questions/concerns in the comments section below or hit me up on my social media links (found in the sidebar). You stay awesome.
With love from your girl,