It is the fall semester, and college students from far and wide return to school or arrive at college for the first time. Packing for college is difficult work, and moving and unpacking is equally challenging.
After extension cords, detergent, minifridges and other essentials are all in their correct place, decorations come next, where students can choose – or not choose – to bring whatever decorative items from back home they want, things that will make their new home feel more comfortable, pleasant and human. Their space becomes their own. Some common items are posters, pictures and plants, but most common of all are stuffed animals.
Stuffed animals, or plushies, have existed for hundreds of years, expanding from ragdolls to teddy bears to JellyCats. They are specifically very popular amongst Gen Z, and it is very normal for Gen Z young adults to have at least one. Gen Z’s love of stuffed animals seems to be tied into a love for comfort, aesthetics and making aspects of life more soft, intentional and personal in small ways. According to a recent article published on LinkedIn by Mumuso, “Lifestyle stores filled with plush toys, soft lighting, pastel organizers, mini desk accessories, cartoon mugs, skincare shelves, quirky stationery, oddly satisfying storage boxes, tiny room décor pieces and products nobody technically needs— yet everybody suddenly wants. What looks “cute” on the surface is actually something much deeper underneath: comfort. Because for Gen Z, cute isn’t childish anymore. Cute is emotional regulation.”
College students are considered adults. With age and education comes the expectation to become more mature, professional and integrated into society, what some would call “the real world.” Thus, things like stuffed animals are deemed irrelevant, unnecessary and more childish than anything else.
Other people worry about the overconsumption of items like stuffed animals. In today’s market, many types of stuffed animals are trendy, scarce and expensive, purchased by people who already have an ample collection of them.
While these concerns are understandable, they miss the position the average college student is in and why they may benefit from having stuffed animals in their space. There are arguably two main reasons that having stuffed animals as a young adult in college is not just tolerable, but beneficial.
Firstly, stuffed animals offer comfort. Moving into a dorm hall with drab walls and furniture is rarely an enjoyable experience. Stuffed animals, and decorations in general, are not necessary, but they light up a space and make it your own. They show your personality, and they can also be mementos and items of comfort in an unfamiliar space. They can be gifts, things from childhood (and it’s okay if you bought them for yourself of course), they can help you remember your family and friends and be less homesick.
It may not seem like much, but if you are stuck living in one small room during one of the most hectic times of your life thus far, you want to make it a place where you can unwind and truly relax at the end of the day, and stuffed animals can significantly contribute to cultivating that environment.
Secondly, stuffed animals are cute, and liking things that are cute is not a bad thing. Some may view coming into college and entering adulthood as very serious times in their lives. They are not wrong. Many feel like college is the point where – pardon my French – crap gets real. But does an increase in responsibility necessarily require a decrease in cuteness, amusement or things that bring us joy? Young adulthood is a time where we become more responsible, busy and independent, and yes, we study hard, but we can also feel joy and get comfort from having familiar, treasured items in our personal spaces. To me, a truly well-adjusted adult can balance the to-do lists, and the work yet can also appreciate sweetness and levity.
So in that sense, does owning a few stuffed animals, or enjoying cute things in general, necessarily mean you are immature or not ready for “the real world”? By no means! Appreciating childlike things does not make you less of an adult, and it may in fact offer you a bit of extra comfort and happiness in a particularly tumultuous time in your life.
