Every day, Americans witness the emergence of trends that have been sweeping over social media, influencing the everyday consumer. As the new academic year rolls around, a momentary craze makes its seasonal comeback: Back-to-school hauls. As social media users scroll on their phones, countless shopping “must-haves” arise. At first glance, back-to-school hauls appear as harmless entertainment, but these types of videos take a sinister turn by promoting improper research, impulsive spending habits and overconsumption.
Back-to-school season is one of the most prominent times for spending. Retail titans like Walmart, Target and Amazon provide consumers with a myriad of products to choose from. Through social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, people are able to display items they bought for their viewers, leading to a culture of influencing.
While back-to-school content is nothing new, the rate at which these videos are uploaded has skyrocketed over time. Through digital show-and-tells labeled under hashtags #BackToSchool, #DormHauls and #CollegePrep, back-to-school content reveals the excessive and repetitive nature of shopping. In this manner, back-to-school hauls bring a larger issue into light.
Back-to-school hauls are an example of this concept. Standout creators such as TikTok influencer Demetra Dias have become a well-known figure for marketing a variety of back-to-school content. At 4.5 million followers and 481.5 million likes on TikTok, Dias has gathered an audience curious about each article of clothing she advertises online. Steve Madden, White Fox, Princess Polly, PacSun and Hollister are just a couple of household clothing brands she markets for when the academic calendar is about to reset. Dias represents the positive side of back-to-school shopping sprees that center around motivation and excitement for the upcoming school year. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Dias expresses why she loves hauls.
“I really do love to shop,” Dias says, smiling. “There’s no doubt about that.”
However, not every young person shapes their purchase decisions around new styles a personality star puts out. While some turn to social media to influence their decisions, others methodically buy only what they need.
When reflecting on her back-to-school shopping experience, Emma Rodriguez, first-year biology major, said she primarily bought essentials that were in alignment with what she could afford, taking a DIY approach on items meant to decorate her dorm. Rodriguez commented on the effects social media has had on consumer culture, and she pointed out the never-ending FOMO that accompanies new trends.
“Social media is really promoting overconsumption these days just because there’s always some new trends that people want to follow,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve never really been one to partake in that just because I’m very conscious about saving my money and what I spend it towards, so I’ve never really been affected by that, but I think people having a voice online and social media really has been playing into that in this country recently.”
Gwen Nguyen, first-year accounting major, pointed out another harmful aspect of these content when calling out the underlying subtext behind back-to-school content. They note how influencers use their content to promote a product and further their own financial agenda.
“I’m thinking specifically about TikTok, which is where a lot of people see and post these hauls. The whole point is to make people spend money to profit,” Nguyen said.
For students like Nguyen who grew up in a household that emphasized shopping affordably and thinking consciously when out shopping, they said they don’t see the point in frivolously spending vast amounts of money for a “new look.”
Nguyen said that back-to-school haul videos attempt to advise people to buy large amounts of the same product that most likely won’t be used. This type of consumer behavior is just one of many symptoms that show Americans’ increasingly insatiable need to consume.
Over the last couple of decades, Americans have shifted their consumption habits from what’s necessary to placing more emphasis on what’s trendy, aesthetically pleasing and collectible. This mindset shift has resulted in a trade-off of sustainability and value for the relentless pursuit of more items. From mattress toppers to flat screen TVs, overconsumption and back-to-school hauls become closely intertwined.
While this trend sparks a rush of excitement and anticipation for classes to resume, these choices result in us forgetting what it means to appreciate what we already have. As we set out on our next shopping trip, it’s time to start rethinking what it means to be more conscious in the marketplace.
