How one made up holiday has changed the mindset of many

Self care is taken to a new level with “Treat Yo Self Day”

Since its creation in 2011, Treat Yo Self Day has become a cultural phenomenon. This mentality of treating yourself has even resonated with people who have not watched the show. Treat Yo Self Day emphasizes the importance of occasional indulgence and self care. I think the caziest thing Ive ever treated myself to was my Seattle Sounders jersey, otherwise I usually just treat myself to coffee or something small like that, senior Carley Washburn said.

Gif courtesy of Creative Commons

Since it’s creation in 2011, Treat Yo Self Day has become a cultural phenomenon. This mentality of treating yourself has even resonated with people who have not watched the show. Treat Yo Self Day emphasizes the importance of occasional indulgence and self care. “I think the caziest thing I’ve ever treated myself to was my Seattle Sounders jersey, otherwise I usually just treat myself to coffee or something small like that,” senior Carley Washburn said.

The television show “Parks And Recreation” has spawned several faux holidays, such as “Galentine’s Day” a special day before Valentine’s Day that involves celebrating female friendship, “Monica and Rachel Day” when you and your bestie dress up as Monica Geller and Rachel Green from Friends, and “Haircut Day” which celebrates getting your haircut. But out of all the faux holidays the writers of Parks and Rec have concocted, there is no faux holiday that has become more beloved than “Treat Yo Self Day.”

Treat Yo Self Day is a day that celebrates, you guessed it, you. On this day, you can treat yourself to a expensive purchase you normally wouldn’t make, like a pair of shoes, a fancy dinner, or a purse. In the past couple of years I’ve watched the Treat Yo Self mentality deeply resonate with people of all ages, but particularly teenagers.

On any given day while scrolling through Twitter, I’ll see tweets from people saying something along the lines of, “I’ve had a really rough week, I DESERVE this new pair of sneakers… #treatyoself”. Normally, I’m all for this kind of self care. Yes, it is good to save money to take care of your expenses and save for a rainy day, but treating yourself to something special every once in awhile is just another way of reminding yourself that your happiness matters. Senior Carley Washburn agrees.

“I definitely think treating yourself to something special is important. I work hard for the money I earn through my job, so I feel like I deserve to treat myself. Plus, it reminds me the benefits of working hard,” Washburn said.

However, one of the most important aspects of Treat Yo Self is that you treat yourself responsibly. For every tweet I see that shows a person treating themselves responsibly, there’s another one that shows irresponsible treating yo self. For example, a couple of days ago I saw a tweet that said, “I don’t get paid for another week, I don’t have enough money for rent, but I bought makeup at Sephora anyway #treatyoself.” Treating yourself when you clearly shouldn’t not only creates irresponsible spending habits, but it can seriously hinder decision making skills. Treating yourself can be done through a variety of ways, and it doesn’t always have to include money.

“I don’t always buy things to treat myself. Sometimes treating myself means getting up and making a smoothie for breakfast, going for a run, or watching a movie I’ve really wanted to see,” Washburn said.

Treating yourself is a fun experience in which we should all partake. But treating yourself is only as fun as it is responsible. While spending money during a Treat Yo Self moment can be seriously enjoyable, some of the best treats don’t come with a price tag.