From Hydroflasks to Stanleys: How hydration turned a way of life

Walk into any campus, workplace, or fitness center and also you’ll see them: vivid Owalas, smooth Stanleys, and each model in between. What was as soon as a easy software to quench thirst has turn out to be vital accent that indicators model, id, and a stunning obsession with hydration in on a regular basis life. For at present’s teenagers, water bottles aren’t nearly staying hydrated; they’re about staying on pattern. Whether it’s a pastel Stanley noticed in each hallway or a Hydroflask adorned with stickers, these bottles symbolize greater than operate. 

History of the bottle hype

The recognition of reusable water bottles has grown exponentially over time, all of the whereas being intensely marketed. The first model to explode was Nalgene, used primarily by hikers and campers due to its environmental friendliness. Next was CamelBak, common with mountain bikers and even used within the navy. Then, arguably the largest blow-up of all of them: Hydroflask. Hydroflasks went viral in 2019 through the Quarantine, and had been hottest with teen ladies. Some latest stylish manufacturers are Stanley, Owala, and Hydrojug which have ridden the wave of water bottle recognition. Even with so many choices to select from, youngsters nonetheless flock to the manufacturers they discover stylish. Out of 42 teenagers who responded to a Google Form that I placed on my story, 88% feminine and 12% male, a whopping 90.5% of them responded that they did carry a water bottle to highschool with them. Out of these 42, 7 folks stated they at the moment use a Hydroflask, 17 folks stated they use an Owala, and seven stated Stanley. Social media, notably TikTok, was the highest purpose that influenced their buy.

Why are reusable bottles so common?

Several factors have performed a job in driving the craze: social media, advertising, wellness tradition, vogue, and elevated consciousness in the direction of sustainable dwelling. “I think it has kind of turned into an accessory, in a way, because people are promoting health and hydration so much that water bottles got thrown in the mix,” Blair sophomore Helen Horowitz feedback. Social media performs an enormous position in fueling the obsession. Teens see influencers and friends displaying off their water bottles, making them standing symbols as a lot as sensible objects. Brands market them as a part of a “clean,” eco-conscious way of life, which appeals to teenagers who care about picture and sustainability. 

The well being enchantment behind the craze

Even Blair’s well being and yoga instructor, Chelsea Davis, has a favourite water bottle. “I think I fell for the marketing of the water bottle [Stanley], I like that it keeps my water cold pretty much all day,” Davis says. When requested about her opinions on the obsession with well being and wellness on this technology, Davis stated, “I think it’s really good that there are so many people out there that are showing their wellness routines and sparking this wellness craze…it’s really bringing to light what a healthy lifestyle can look like. I do think on the negative side, that it can show unrealistic lifestyles of people, and not everyone is certified to be saying all the things that they’re saying.”

Additionally, Erica Rupar, a pediatrician at Children First Pediatrics in Silver Spring, could be very educated in regards to the well being and hydration side of this ongoing water bottle pattern. “I’m sure a lot of kids feel like they want to have the latest thing and be like their friends, or maybe they have goals to drink more water and feel like the right water bottle will make them want to do it.” Rupar stated. “At the very root, the teen years are a time when most kids are working to discover who they are, what their values are, and who they want to be. It is an unsettling time and can be a time of low self-esteem, which leads to a desire to conform to what their peers and role models are doing,” Rupar commented.

Blazer opinion

So, do Blazers have that very same need to adapt? It’s protected to say that water bottles have hit faculties arduous, and Blazers have totally embraced this pattern. It’s not arduous to identify a reusable water bottle once you’re strolling down the halls. Blair junior Kiran Durvasula brings a Stanley to highschool, and never simply because she likes to remain hydrated. “I love my water bottle because it keeps my water cold the entire day,” Durvasula says. “However, I don’t think it’s the most practical, just because it’s so large, but I really like having it with me at all times, because the water here is really gross.” Blair’s consuming fountains are generally a contributing issue to college students bringing their very own water bottles to highschool, like Durvasula. “A lot of times, I have to look around the school for a water fountain whose filter is green to refill my water bottle. If it’s yellow or red, I won’t drink it because I just think that’s gross,” sophomore Avery Coor stated. 

The consumerism behind the pattern

Despite being launched as a sustainable different, aggressive advertising has turned them into stylish equipment which might be regularly being changed, subsequently including to the identical downside they had been meant to resolve—overconsumption. AP Environmental Science instructor, Courtney Mason, additionally follows the hydration pattern by bringing a water bottle to highschool every single day, consuming round 64 ounces a day. “Having your own reusable water bottle reduces plastic being in our trash stream, and it’s a more sustainable practice for having water,” Mason says. “However, I think it depends on these trends. Like if you’re buying a new water bottle just because you think it’s pretty even though you already have one, I’m not sure how much that’s helping the environment.”  

The teen water bottle craze is about extra than simply hydration; it’s a mirrored image of id, social belonging, and aware consumption. What started as a push for sustainability has become a type of self-expression—extending past the classroom, sport practices and social media feed. The reusable bottle obsession reveals how even small habits can outline a technology. 

Kiran Durvasula is a workers author for Silver Chips Print.