Every now and again I find myself dumbfounded by trends. Trends that have appeared on my questionable-trends list include Furbies, Tickle Me Elmos, Beanie Babies and most recently, Silly Bandz. All of those trends seem to cross the line when they go from being cute, child collectables to adult pandemics. Silly Bandz are only the latest fiasco in the endless quest for adults to perhaps reclaim their youth. I was ignorant of the Silly Bandz fad when I returned home for the summer. I spent the academic recess working at a university (nowhere near the caliber of the University) where I saw my co-workers ­— rising seniors of this institution ­— decorated in these squiggly bands. I ignored them thinking they were some tacky bracelets. It was not until my high school brother gave me this rubber outline of a dog over summer vacation, telling me to “wear it so I could be cool,” that it dawned on me that these tacky bracelets were a widespread trend. Much to my dismay, I returned to the University this year to find fellow students wearing these same bracelets.

The first problem with Silly Bandz are the fact they are simply immature. This is quite problematic for college-aged students who are constantly engaged in the epic struggle for independence from parents and older members of society. When one teeters the line between adulthood and childhood, things like Silly Bandz can push young adults over to the childhood side. For example, remember when back tattoos and belly button rings were at the height of their popularity? Now back tattoos are affectionately deemed ‘tramp stamps’ and bellybutton rings look like they came out of the dark ages of the early millennium. The same holds true for Silly Bandz. Time Magazine published an article titled “Silly Bandz: The Newest Thing Rappers Brag About,” about a rapper Young Siege, who wrote a rap song about his Silly Bandz. Time had to clarify for its older demographic what a Silly Band was. “In case you’re over the age of 16 and don’t have kids under 16,” said the article, “Silly Bandz are the latest inexplicable trend among youngsters.”

What truly does not make sense about Silly Bandz on adults is the fact that they seem like a conversation piece for antisocial people. When one puts on a Silly Band it really just looks like a squiggly rubber band, or a hair tie that has been stretched out too often. Then someone, probably another member of the Silly Bandz community, asks the fellow wearer what are the shapes of their Bandz. At that point the ritual is seemingly always the same: The wearer removes the bands from his or her wrist and lays them out on a flat surface for inspection. Then, any critique of the wearer is usually avoided because the pack of Silly Bandz on the wearer’s wrists are claimed as being a gift. Each band is a marker of the owner’s individuality and has some deep meaning behind it. Ironically, individuality is lost once a person chooses to put on a Silly Band. The item is only a rubber band; not until one asks about the band does one fully realize the impact. In this regard, the band is only successful when and if someone asks.

Truthfully, society would be much better if adults stopped adopting trends from children. The Frisky ran an online commentary about Silly Bandz entitled “Why Are Adults Wearing Silly Bandz?” The article goes on to state, with much merit, that “if you are over the age of 18, you probably shouldn’t be enjoying too many things that substitute a ‘z’ for an ‘s.’” It is true. First years get a free pass from the Silly Bandz trend because they are fresh out of high school, and understandably have high school fashion packed away in their college boxes. But why are fourth-years wearing them?

Ashley Ford is an opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at a.ford@cavalierdaily.com.