If one was asked to define the word ‘cool,’ they may say that cool means social, open-minded, a person that has good style and is borderline popular, some kind of icon. Or sometimes it means antisocial, skater boy, sports-aholic or a high school legend. For example, Cher (played by Alicia Silverstone) from “Clueless” is ‘cool.’ She is friends with the whole school, knows how to get a guy and has a killer fashion sense.
‘90s and ‘00s movies play a vital role in what it is to be cool, as well as how it is visually represented. Movies such as “She’s All That,” “The Princess Diaries,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Mean Girls” and “High School Musical” all embody the epitome of said ‘coolness’ in some way. The popular girls, with their perfectly done makeup, unhealthy diets, expertly done hair and undeserved popularity (for some), symbolize the visual aspects of ‘cool.’ And when it comes to guys, it’s the slouchy jeans, reserved personality, shaggy hair and easy conversation that do it for me.
As seen in many of these movies, the characters learn what it is to be cool, changing their looks, or meeting their crush and so on. In “Mean Girls,” Cady Heron struggles to be cool, unaware of Regina’s plans for her. When Cady falls in with the “cool” girls, changes her style, hair, makeup and of course personality,she becomes something like a villain. In numerous movies, the cool characters encapsulate some sort of anger, resentment or irritability towards others. When it comes to the activities these cool people are into or associated with, it is usually sports, student council, conversing with their hundreds of friends, gossiping, motorcycles (i.e. “10 Things I Hate About You”) or in Cher’s instance, incessant shopping!
WikiHow says that to be cool (especially in college) you have to “make friends with many people,” though I’m not entirely sure if that’s accurate as when you’re ‘cool’, people tend to flock to you.
This nonchalant display of coolness is not foreign to people who are cool yet are not aware of it. One’s mental state seems to have to be composed, confident, unaware of others, at ease, unfazed and unapologetic in order to be some type of cool. The cool person has a so-called “natural swagger” that is unable to be replicated by others. No one else can be as cool as they are simply because of this essential and somewhat instinctive swagger.
Elements that help achieve your goal of the “cool” mindset include but are not limited to: following trends (one of the key trends being fashion), not coming off as eager to others, having just the right amount of humor and knowing how to have a conversation. Being “cool” is multifaceted. It could be your clothes that are cool, your personality or your attraction to others. Maybe you listen to the best music, or maybe you’re the smartest kid in school whom everyone asks for homework answers or maybe you happen to be the jock superstar. Or you are such an easy-going person, so effortless to talk to that you captivate others.
Coolness is subjective, as it depends on the person. Though at the end of the day we all know who the cool people are because they exude such coolness. Like Cher from “Clueless” or Zac Efron in “High School Musical” or even Regina in “Mean Girls” (though she’s cool in the worst way). Cool people check certain boxes and meet specific details of criteria, though these are only a few of hundreds of examples.
A cool person is nearly undefinable, as they all come in a plethora of shapes and sizes. Though one thing is for certain: swagger is essential. So, moral of the story, would you identify yourself as a cool person? Trick question, because cool people aren’t aware of their coolness.
