Trending This Week: High school students use their mics for good, influencers promote Ozempic, and TikTok’s new ‘most-loved’ shopping tag
This week in the news, we’re seeing high school students using their mics for good by organizing a mental health fair to support their peers and students handling the pressure of social media trends like influencers promoting Ozempic and TikTok Shop’s new ‘Most-Loved’ tag.
As social media continues to shape the way students see themselves and the world around them—from beauty standards to the latest shopping trends, it’s easy to feel pressure to look a certain way or buy the newest must-have item. By encouraging students to support each other, think critically about who they follow on social media, and create open conversations about well-being, we can help students handle the pressure of social media.
Capital High School Students Strengthen School Culture and Student Well-Being by Organizing a Free Mental Health Fair
The Gist: With 70% of students citing anxiety and depression as major concerns, one high school in Idaho is taking action. Students there used their voices for good to organize a free mental health fair, creating a space to connect, learn, and strengthen school culture. Through open conversations and support from educators and peers, they’re proving that when students huddle together, everyone wins.
What to Know: Capital High School students Alex Loveless, Jillian Thompson, and Lauryn Reed are members of HOSA, a student organization that empowers students to become leaders in the health community through education, collaboration, and experience. For a HOSA project, they wanted to create a community awareness campaign on mental health. They worked with their community to inform students and families that free resources are available and that sometimes it’s okay not to be okay.
According to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a third of high school students experienced mental health challenges during the pandemic. Seeing this, the students acknowledged the importance of strengthening student well-being and organized a free mental health fair to provide resources for their community and ensure awareness of the available mental health resources.
TSI’s Take: In recent years, The Boise School District has stepped up its efforts to prioritize student well-being through prevention education and increased support. A recent district survey shows that 76% of students have a trusted adult at school—someone they feel comfortable talking to about their feelings.
When students have strong support systems, their well-being improves. But it doesn’t stop there—students can use their voices to create real change by speaking up, building safe spaces for open conversations, and reminding others that it’s okay to ask for help. No one should have to face mental health challenges alone.
Want to help students amplify their voices and drive positive change? Check out The Social Institute’s #WinAtSocial Lesson: Using social media to tackle some of our generation’s biggest challenges. Let’s huddle up and support one another!
Are Ozempic Influencers Spreading Unrealistic Expectations?
The Gist: Ever since the beginning of influencer culture, influencers have been sharing personalized discount codes and directing their followers to links for skincare and other trending products. However, one TikTok influencer is promoting something other than just another beauty product — she’s promoting Ozempic, a GLP-1 weight loss medication, and her followers are eagerly embracing her endorsement without fully understanding the potential risks. While social media platforms can help people connect with others and share their experiences, they can also promote unrealistic diet and body image expectations. As educators, when we hear about these possibly dangerous trends, we can step in and help students handle the pressure of unrealistic standards and encourage them not to compare themselves to others.
What to Know: Although Ozempic is often linked to weight loss, it was originally developed as a prescription medication for adults with type 2 diabetes. It helps regulate blood sugar, curb cravings, and slow digestion. But in today’s social media landscape, influencers are being offered tens of thousands of dollars to promote Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs, fueling trends that can put immense pressure on students.
With about 6 in 10 students using TikTok daily—and 16% scrolling “almost constantly”—social media is shaping how they see themselves. From AI-generated images to heavily edited posts, unrealistic beauty standards are everywhere. Add in the rise of influencers pushing weight-loss medications, and the pressure to look a certain way becomes even harder to ignore.
So how can educators and school communities help? By encouraging critical thinking and open conversations, we can empower students to handle pressure in healthy ways—helping them navigate comparisons, build confidence, and focus on well-being over unrealistic ideals. Let’s huddle up and support students in making choices that fuel their health and happiness!
TSI’s Take: Students compare themselves to the edited or filtered photos of influencers on social media and feel like they need to be attractive and fit to be popular or well-liked, which makes them feel self-conscious and insecure. To help students navigate these challenges, educators can teach them to consider the impact of social platforms, video games, and other media on body image and identify diverse social norms, including unjust ones. By empowering students to resist negative social pressure, educators and school communities can encourage them to adopt healthy habits and foster positive well-being while helping navigate comparisons.
Looking for more ways to empower students and promote self-worth beyond appearance? Request a demo of the #WinAtSocial Lesson, Exploring the link between social media, gaming, and body image.
TikTok Shop Adds ‘Most-Loved’ Tag for Popular Products
The Gist: TikTok Shop has introduced a new ‘Most-Loved’ tag for popular items, helping users make informed purchasing decisions. Similar to star ratings on other shopping platforms, this tag is specifically designed to showcase top-reviewed, viral products based on user feedback. With 62% of U.S. TikTok users relying on the platform for product recommendations, this new feature could further fuel viral shopping trends among students.
What to Know: TikTok’s ‘Most-Loved’ tag could make shopping on the platform even more influential for students, reinforcing impulse buying habits and adding financial pressures. With 62% of U.S. TikTok users turning to the platform for product reviews, many students now trust social media over traditional sources when making purchasing decisions. The rapid rise of TikTok Shop, which generated $363 million in just two months, illustrates how deeply social media is shaping Gen Z’s spending habits. Additionally, many influencers earn money through paid promotions, sometimes without clearly disclosing sponsorships. This makes it harder for students to distinguish between authentic recommendations and advertisements, leading to purchases driven by marketing rather than actual need or quality.
TSI’s Take: As TikTok Shop continues to shape students’ shopping habits, educators can help students think critically about the products and promotions they encounter online. Share these tips with your students to help them handle the pressure of online shopping:
- Follow influencers who promote thoughtful spending habits rather than impulsive trends
- Compare reviews across multiple platforms before making a purchase
- Stick to the 24-hour rule, which encourages students to wait a full day before deciding to buy something to curb impulse spending
By equipping students with critical-thinking skills, we empower them to navigate social media shopping confidently, ensuring they make high-character, intentional purchasing decisions. Interested in learning how The Social Institute’s positive and proactive approach to modern life skills does just that? Request a demo of our turnkey lessons today.
Helping students handle the pressure to support their well-being
When students learn to think critically about social media and online trends, they are better equipped to protect their well-being and make informed, high-character decisions. By empowering students to recognize how social media and technology influence them, educators and school leaders can help them prioritize their well-being, handle the pressure of online shopping trends, and foster a culture where they can support one another in making healthy, positive choices. Not sure where to start? Stay ahead of the latest trends impacting students by subscribing to The Huddle — our expert breakdown of social media, tech, and current events shaping students — online and offline.
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.