Organizing a life inspired by fiction

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect those of Her Campus.

This article is written by a student from UCT’s Her Campus chapter.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that was too close to that of a fictional character? Or maybe, in addition to their fashion sense and personality, you found yourself sharing a similar story to theirs?

We’ve all seen the TikTok slideshows of different aesthetics that mimic the Pinterest mood boards we all keep to ourselves and strive to embody. The “Ask your friend what vibe you give off” or “Are you a gold or silver girl?” Could this online trend have started with our offline arguments with our siblings about who we should embody on-screen?

Alongside these slides are slides about personality types that “determine” your vibe—which would require you to figure out your personality type using one of those guilty-pleasure BuzzFeed quizzes. Yes, the one you took to figure out which Hogwarts house you “belonged” to when you were supposed to be finishing your assignment. While these slideshows are more realistic, there are other slides about personality types floating around in fictional movie and TV fandoms. But isn’t categorizing and identifying yourself based on your reality enough? Why is it easier to romanticize the life of your favorite fictional character that you resonate with than it is to romanticize your own life?

Trends like the “Rory Gilmore Study Method” from the popular early 2000s TV series got me thinking about how we embody certain characters to get the results we want. For those who crave academic validation and want accolades at the end of the semester, channeling “Chilton Rory” is practically second nature. And for those days when our motivation is off the charts, there are always YouTube mood rooms. These mood rooms effortlessly replicate every study setting featured in Gilmore Girls — giving you the option to study in either Luke’s diner or under Rory’s famous study tree. YouTube mood rooms, once used to soothe the sounds of the ocean for meditation or a good night’s sleep, have expanded into the realm of fiction — and it’s not stopping there.

Similarly, there are Spotify playlists inspired by certain fictional characters, places, or even different time periods. For example, to amp up your morning walk to class on a cold fall morning, you could listen to a playlist “inspired by Gilmore Girls.” And if you’re more specific, there are playlists inspired by your favorite Gilmore Girls characters. I’ve always wanted to know what Paris Geller’s playlist might contain. We could study further by imagining ourselves in her shoes or embodying any character we admire.

So why are we drawn to these trends? Is it to feel like we’re in control of our narrative by aligning it with these on-screen stories that resonate with us? Since these trends—mood pieces, playlists, and mood boards—are all ways to feel closer to our most desired selves, could it be that the fictional characters we resonate with the most help us navigate times of stress and uncertainty? The answer lies in our playlists, Pinterest boards, and favorited TikTok slideshows. So the next time you find yourself drawn to a particular playlist or mood piece, ask yourself: is it just a trend, or is it a reflection of who you aspire to be?