Not a single generation goes by without coming up with its own creative term that distinguishes it from other age groups. Short-lived slang like “slay,” “lit” and “period” gets thrown around for a while and is later forgotten, whereas other phrases stick around in conversation.
There’s no doubt “YOLO,” the acronym used primarily by millennials to say “you only live once,” had its time to shine, so much so that it spilled over into Gen Z’s vernacular. But as years passed, something new developed that borrowed a lot from the original YOLO mindset. The catchphrase “do it for the plot” showed up and took over neon signs, text messages and the results that show up after searching “inspirational quotes” on Pinterest.
The saying “do it for the plot” encourages people to do things for the sake of the storyline or plot. Having a good story to tell is the hottest commodity; it puts you in the spotlight of attention. Making life into a “plotline” turns boring, repetitive days into something of a TV drama. I’d say a good number of people auditioning for “Love Island” and Mr. Beast videos probably did so for similar reasons, even if it doesn’t always end the way they want it to.
Overall, the idea is: if it works out, great, and if it doesn’t, it’s for the plot.
What I’ve come to discover is that there are a lot more negative consequences that come with this simple catchphrase than you would think. The saying itself sounds like all fun and games, and everyone has a good time. However, there are lines that can get crossed, and just like anything else, it can get out of hand.
The center of this issue is that this motto has shifted from a silly slogan to the backbone of bad advice. Your friend who is yelling at you to “do it for the plot” is really just giving you bad advice and wrapping it up with a bow that looks cute and sounds good on paper.
In recent years, this mantra has infiltrated late-night talks and coffee date discussions. For college students trying to navigate social life, the “for the plot” slogan often leads them to make bad decisions under the false idea that it will take away all the pressure that develops by mulling it over.
Although I’d say we’re all pretty great at overanalyzing situations after the fact, the whole “considering the consequences beforehand” thing goes out the window with this mindset. Instead of thinking things through, risky decisions are now met with an enthusiastic “do it for the plot,” instead of solid, well-considered advice. If you continue with this mindset for long enough, soon you’ll be listening to Conan Gray, sad Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers, wondering how you ended up in this big, tangled mess.
I’ve personally had many talks with my friends about how “for the plot” has led to negative consequences in our own lives. We’ve spent much longer resolving the issues this mindset has caused than we did actually making the poor choices in the first place. In the end, it seems pretty high risk for not a lot of reward.
I’m not saying you should overanalyze every event that happens, person that enters your life or choice you make, but certain things do require more meaningful consideration than others. Deciding to go skydiving is the perfect scenario in which “for the plot” leads to a fun story and an adrenaline rush. But when deciding whether or not to go home with the guy you just met at the bar … maybe think about it a bit more.
This mindset makes you view others as people who make your story more interesting. Seeing people in this way takes away from their value and doesn’t lead to the development of meaningful relationships.
These slogans, I’d argue, are somewhat rooted in the fear of getting old. Every year, it seems like the cutoff age to have fun gets younger and younger.
Something I believe everyone in college needs to hear right now is that your life does not end once you’re in your 20s. Yes, everyone knows that college is referred to as “the best four years of your life,” but I feel like that sets a really negative precedent for everything else to come. So far, you’ve only lived, what, not even a quarter of your life? And that’s it?
Is the best part of life going to be drinking and going out every weekend? Or, can you make memorable experiences in other ways? Whether you want to settle down with the love of your life, travel the world or spontaneously open a business, your life is most definitely not over.
Life has so much more to come, so you really don’t need to be frontloading all of the nights out while you’re in college. Obviously, there’s less pressure from work and other economic factors in college, but it’s not completely over after you graduate. Any upperclassman will most likely tell you that balancing your academics with your social life is the most important thing you can do. Going too hard either way isn’t going to produce good results for you.
The “for the plot” mindset that people use to excuse excessive, reckless behavior is entirely unnecessary. Maybe we should revisit how we perceive this phrase, and how it will affect the rest of our college careers.
What if, instead, we shifted “for the plot” to encourage people to take that next scary step in their career, plan that trip they’ve always wanted to go on or reach out to a new friend? The future is full of opportunity, there’s no telling what could unfold.
Rose Skees is a freshman at UT this year studying communication studies. She can be reached at [email protected].
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