The Cliché Struggle

Yesterday, an acquaintance told me that I was a cliché since I like Doctor Who and wear my hair like every other girl. I know what you are thinking right now: “He’s an idiot” or, if you are a hipster, “It’s too cliché to talk about clichés” or even “The word cliché is so mainstream.” I hope you are thinking the first option.

This shouldn’t be bothering me because the guy who told me this is really an idiot. Simple Jack idiot (Tropical Thunder, anyone?). But it's true. Not in a way that I want to change my (amazing) taste for TV shows or my hairstyle. No. It made me think about how we, teenagers, struggle to be different and unique without realizing that we are already that. It makes me furious to know that society is constantly playing with this idea and trying to manipulate our likes and dislikes because of it.

The fact is, I like Doctor Who. It is something that makes me feel happy. So, why should I like something else? If I and all the Doctor Who fans change because of what that guy said, we will be a cliché again. I know this is confusing but I wanted to say this to all readers:

You are unique. You don’t need to have a typing machine to be special or have no way of writing at all.

If we all try to change, then we will end up being the same person. Not yourselves.

Let’s talk about clichés in movies or TV shows. Everyone gets annoyed when they see the mainstream pregnant girl or the bad boy who likes the nerd but, in the end, some of these clichés make us happy. There is no need to be ashamed. “Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging” is full of clichés and guess what? I love it. It is silly and great at the same time.

There are clothes that everyone, literally everyone has, including me. I saw it and I liked it; therefore, I bought it. It wasn’t because of peer pressure but simply because I wanted that shirt or that jacket. 

Clichés is a very cliché word. You are right, hipsters. It is and has the wrong definition. There will always be clichés, hipster being one of them. Hipster is an overused expression so, it is indeed a cliché.

You are unique for many things: the way you look, the way you laugh, the way you smile and how you are as a person. If you like something, there is a high change that somebody else likes it as well. It doesn’t mean you aren’t special. Just be yourself.


-Barista Alexandra-

Image: Wimena Kane