Within the last couple of weeks, the presence of fidgets has reemerged. Students can be spotted everywhere with their “Needoh” stress toys. Although these fidgets may seem harmless and fun, their rise highlights the constant pressure to purchase items seen on social media and the issue of overconsumption in our society. The real question is, is this just another trend that has come back several times, or do people require these fidgets to function?

Fidgets are the new phenomenon around Benilde-St. Margaret’s again, and they have become unavoidable. In every class, someone can be seen playing with one of these fidgets. The popularity of them evolved from the trend of the Five Below “dumpling squishies.” These mystery squishies went viral on various social media platforms about three months ago. From this craze, the brand Needoh regained its popularity and can now be seen everywhere. The brand has a wide variety of fidget squishies to choose from. The appeal of these toys comes from the variety of textures within the squishies. Some are filled with fluffy, soft clay, while others are filled with sticky, hard gel. “I love Needohs, I think they are super fun to play with. I don’t have any of my own, but I love to use my friends’ at school,” junior Zaria Rose said.

The reemergence of Needohs is similar to when other fidgets were trending, such as fidget spinners, pop-its, and slime, back in 2017. This contributes to the popularity of these toys because, at one point, many people already owned something similar. Popular trends come and go very quickly, yet they often come back in many different forms. “I was in third grade, my teacher, they were so popular, so she 3D-printed us all a fidget spinner,” sophomore Gretta Kocourek said.

There have also been safety precautions involving Needohs due to their presence on social media. They gained attention on TikTok, leading to more videos emerging about them. These squishies become firmer with use, so many creators on social media have shown that they can be microwaved to become soft again. A nine-year-old boy decided to do this and ended up with third-degree burns all over his face. These squishies are intended to reduce stress and increase concentration; however, they can become a safety hazard when misused due to unsafe “hacks” on social media evolving around them. “My Needoh…was hard as a rock. So I just put it in the microwave for ten seconds, and then it was fine. It wasn’t super hot or anything. I didn’t know any precautions, but I just didn’t microwave it for that long,” junior Adeline Loosbrock said.

Fidgets are not the only craze to take over BSM, as similar popularity can be seen through the craze of bows, cheetah print, low-rise, and more. With every rise and fall of these passing styles, consumerism takes over the Benilde-St. Margaret’s community. These materialistic crazes continue to evolve and take over, whether students attempt to avoid them or not. The popularity of these viral products does not last long, leading to environmental waste from these products. Similar to fast fashion clothing, these products typically end up in landfills, forgotten about before the next cycle arises. These mass-produced fidgets are a risk to the environment due to their toxic chemicals inside, and the plastics typically used are not biodegradable, meaning they often end up in landfills and cannot be recycled or broken down. Students’ desires for fidgets often become mistaken with needs, with the excuse that they are needed to fit in or even function. With this fidget movement seen throughout BSM, students reflect upon whether they need these stress toys to function or if they are just something to distract them. “They help me…because during a test I get overwhelmed and stressed, and they help calm me down. And I like to use them regularly,” sophomore Maggie Sorenson said.

Since many students have these stress toys, they can become a distraction in class if not used in the ways they are intended. A study showed that students who used a fidget, such as a fidget spinner or squishy, had a 44% drop in focus, and also impacted the students’ retention rate around them. “I hate the fidgets because people have popped them left and right in the last few weeks and [then] leave them behind,” teacher Jennifer Roushar said.

Fidgets are reemerging at BSM, and although these toys are visually appealing and entertaining, they have several downsides as well. This popularity shows the consistent pattern of consumerism throughout our society, as trends come and go quickly. Before purchasing, consumers should decide whether or not the item is necessary or beneficial, especially given the impact of these items on the environment.