Pretty Things

The past few years I've succumbed to the very Millennial obsession of making everything in my life as pretty as possible, from my experiences to my wardrobe to my apartment. Which is fine - I think most people desire to surround themselves with beauty, it's just part of the human soul. But for me, as I let this near-obsession slowly transform my entire life into a replica of the Urban Outfitters Instagram page, I'm starting to feel the superficial side to this. 

I think the reality that I was overdoing it first hit me when I was hunting for  a new backpack a few months ago. I bike to work most days, so I needed a practical, weather-proof one that could hold my laptop, office shoes and a bunch of other shit. But I found myself scouring the internet for pretty, Instagram-worthy selections instead of sturdy, quality ones that I knew would do the job. 

After a few hours in the digital rabbit hole making wish lists of options that were everything except what I needed them to be (i.e., small, floral canvas bags that wouldn't even fit my laptop), I stopped with an aggravated sigh. Who the fuck cares how my work bag looks? It's a backpack, not a ball gown. I deleted my lists and instead found a nice, black commuter's backpack from Lululemon.

Okay, even writing down that story makes me feel ashamed. First-world problems, much?  

Anyway, I digress. What I'm trying to say is that a lot of people my age prioritize prettiness. I think my generation is more focused on appearances than any other, and that's okay, but for me personally it's becoming a bit of a problem. Like, poor Jesse has to put up with me bringing home new trinkets on the regular - things that we really don't require to live our best lives, nor will fit in our tiny apartment. It's akin to a craving for sugar. Do I want it? Of course I do. But do I need it? Probably not. 

Obviously there's nothing wrong with working to construct a life that appeals to all five the senses. It's your life, your story, your art - make it yours! Make it beautiful, scrumptious, tantalizing to the touch. But from now on, I'm going to try not to always sacrifice quality for quantity, or authentic experiences for ones that are purely visual. I feel like the latter is something we'll all regret when we're 90. 

So, here's to emphasizing the SUPER in "superficial." 

(LOL, I thought of that line after I first posted this and couldn't not add it in.)