Wondering how to become That girl? You need a lot of patience and discipline, but let me teach you how to achieve a “that girl” routine as a former That Girl in a healthier and simpler way.
I can not go a day without finding the That Girl aesthetic on my TikTok’s FYP or in my Pinterest feed. I realized over this past summer that I was a That Girl for the last two years of college. When I began my self love journey, I had a tight schedule, then it eventually progressed to eating better and being my most productive self.
I honestly love it. It suited me best. I adjusted my schedule to fit this lifestyle and my goals. I didn’t fit the perfect That Girl trend either. I woke up late and I was late to class no matter how early I woke up. I’m writing this blog post to bring a more realistic yet relatable version of this TikTok trend.
But as a former That Girl, let me give you tips on you can mimic the That Girl morning routine trend, but more laid-back and less intense:
What Is That Girl on TikTok?
First up, if you are completely lost or still don’t have a full grasp on the “That Girl” trend, let me tell you about this enticing trend. That Girl is basically a girl who has her life together (or pretends she does). She wakes up earlier than everyone else, stretches, journals, meditates, eats healthy, drinks water and green smoothies, schedules her day out, and gets things done. But she’s also all about the aesthetic. Always posting her breakfast, workouts, etc. on Instagram or any social media platform or maybe she doesn’t use any social media. She also finds time to schedule in self care. She’s essentially a walking Pinterest account.
Here is a collage to give you an idea:
What Does Becoming ‘That Girl’ Mean?
From what I grasp about this trend is that everyone tries to embody a girl who sticks to a routine and a healthy diet and lifestyle. Becoming that girl entails planning, waking up early, and prioritizing your health. The That Girl trend also emphasizes focusing on your wellbeing and goals.
What Do I Need To Become That Girl?
I have all things you need to become that girl in my latest blog post! It’s best to read it after reading this blog post and downloading my freebie!
Things You Need To Become That Girl
19 Must Have Items To Have on Your That Girl Amazon List
How To Become That Girl in 2023
Step 1: Figure out if you can handle That Girl’s aesthetic & lifestyle.
One thing that I kinda dislike about this trend is 1.) everyone is romanticizing how easy it is and 2.) it’s purely aesthetics. Don’t get me wrong, I’m 100% a Pinterest girl and love having a schedule because of my Type A personality, but this trend really doesn’t mention how difficult it is to maintain a habit let alone a brand new schedule. I also was living this life before it was a trend, and it took weeks to fully get used to.
I recommend those who are interested to figure out if you really want to change your lifestyle for YOU. Not to gain followers but to improve yourself. However, I do like how this trend encourages people to improve themselves and be productive but it’s not as easy as it looks. It’s also not for everyone. I need to be organized and plan everything out and it works for me, but I also know when to give myself grace and be easier on myself.
If you are a beginner, take baby steps. Also, this trend also works better if you already have a daily schedule that is the same every day (e.g. working a 9 to 5 or having a class schedule that rarely changes.)
Step 2: Find abundance & figure out where you can start.
It may sound weird, but before you get started with you getting your aesthetic down, you need to see evaluate what you already have.
For example, if you want to do get better grades, you do not need to spend tons of money on a new laptop, notebooks, highlighters, etc. Look around and see what you already have. Be grateful you have it.
You might have healthy food in your fridge that you never thought about making into a healthy meal. For example, I never knew spinach can be used to make green smoothies.
Another example: Since I now have a full-time job, I can set up a daily self care morning routine that benefits me now and continue a few of the habits I had in my college That Girl routine, such as showering in the morning, doing beginner yoga, and eating breakfast.
Step 3: Brainstorm your schedule.
Luckily for you, I have created a freebie for you to plan out a That Girl Morning Routine Guide. Starting off your morning on the right foot is vital. The That Girl trend is all about routine, especially the morning routine.
Also in this freebie, I repeat that it’s okay that you don’t complete everything. It’s okay to wake up late and not do an activity. Most of the time, I woke up late and was late to class/work. Don’t be hard on yourself, especially at first. Ease yourself in a morning routine. If you hate waking up at 5:30 AM then don’t. I know I don’t anymore. I used to wake up at 9 AM for my internship after graduating college. I wake up at 7:00 AM for my day job. It all depends on your needs.
Related: 10 Simple Activities to Include in Your Daily Morning Self Care Routine
Step 4: Start small, realistic goals.
Before you start changing everything in your life, begin small. Plan one day of activities or try to study with a Podomoro Timer. Find your most productive time of the day. This is why I recommend just starting with a morning routine first because it’s kinda easier to maintain (in my opinion), than a whole day schedule. This works also best for someone who already has a daily schedule and can handle a tight schedule.
Step 5: Eat healthier, balanced meals.
Before we begin, I must break this That Girl trend stereotype, I hate avocados (yes, boo me) and green smoothies are okay. This is coming from a girl who loves spinach.
Anyway, one thing about the That Girl trend is that these girls eat healthy. But I recommend slowly learning how to replace an unhealthy meal with a healthier one. They eat avocados for sure and smoothies. I also have seen salads, sushi, and various proteins. Honestly, I recommend going to a dietitian or doctor to get a sense of what you can do to change your eating habits.
I have to admit that it’s not easy changing your diet. This was the hardest part for me because I was a broke college student and couldn’t afford just buying everything organic.
To give you all a realistic eating habit change:
I still have a ton of changes to still make to my diet.
One of the biggest things I need to change for my health is that I am always tired. I love cookies and anything sweet. I also need to actually eat more because of my fast metabolism and I’m underweight. So I started eating more fruit and always had pretzels or tortilla chips near me for snacks and ate more protein such as chicken and protein bars. I also tried to cut out pizza because it always made me sleepy.
2023 Update: Sugar. I had cavities and horrible breakouts due to my sugar intake. At the beginning of 2022, I started to reduce the amount of sugar I was eating. I no longer have those Little Debbie cakes as snacks or I barely eat anything with high sugar. If I do want to eat something super sweet, I’ll do it on the weekends. And if I do get cravings, I usually have a low sugar snack like Pocky (aka the only sweet snack I really have nowadays). My skin has improved after a year! I barely crave sugar anymore and can’t tolerate process snacks anymore.
My ‘healthy” eating will be totally different from yours. It’s the effort of trying to eat healthier that counts, imo.
Step 6: Move and take care of your body.
Almost every That Girl video, I’ve seen is a girl working out or doing yoga. I recommend starting small and slow. Do not work out for a whole hour of a super hard cardio workout. Build a habit. Look up beginner workouts on YouTube and work your way up.
Some of my favorite workout YouTube channels are:
Bailey Brown: She had TONS of 5-10 minute workouts which I did almost every weekday. Her workouts are quick and effective.
Shona Vertue: I’m upset that I found her channel so late. She’s honestly one of the BEST yoga instructors on YouTube. Her routines are a little bit more advanced but totally effective, especially her back one.
Yoga With Adrienne: Adrienne is the G.O.A.T of YouTube Yoga. Her routines are great for beginners and I recommend anyone to check her out because she has a routine for everything.
MadFit: I needed something more advanced for my glutes and abs over the past year. I always saw Maddy’s videos in my YouTube feed but was intimidated, but she’s right on my level of fitness. I love her vibe and workouts!
Related: Beginner Yoga Equipment You Need Before Your First Session
Step 7: Start journaling and meditating.
Journaling and meditating were part of my That Girl morning routine. After I worked out, I meditated to clear my mind for the day. Then I’d write a gratitude list. At the beginning of my self love journey, I used to write down a whole page of things I liked about myself. I also did affirmations.
I really recommend doing either because it really helps with clearing your mind and affirmations really helped my confidence.
Step 8: Get a planner.
I was really that girl with a planner all throughout college. One of the main things about being That Girl is having a plan and getting a planner will help remind you.
I love Ban.do planners because they have stickers but not just because of that. I’ve had them since I was a junior in high school and still use it as a post-grad. I recommend this one because this planner includes 16 months of planning and enough space to write everything. You can also get 10% off one of their planners by signing up for their newsletter on your first purchase on their website.
Related: The Best Planner For College Students & How To Organize It
Step 9: Dress the part & take care of your skin.
The way I learned that I was an accidental That Girl was realizing my style was similar to the trend. I wore fitness clothing a lot and also dress super comfortably. I mainly shop at Aerie because of their positive message about accepting yourself.
Makeup wise, I see most That Girl aesthetic photos and videos focused on light, natural makeup. But skincare is a huge part of this trend. Buy face masks and learn what works for your skin. Again, I recommend going to a professional if you can, such as a dermatologist, to help you out.
Personally, for me, I don’t have that clear skin you see everywhere on this trend. I have acne scars and hyperpigmentation. But I have a complete skincare routine and make sure to exfoliate and do a face mask once a week. My favorite face masks are by TonyMoly, especially their face sheet masks.
I also recommend getting this lemon exfoliator because it gets all the dead skin off your face. I love it. I use it every time I wipe my makeup off and wash my face.
Honestly, you can wear whatever you want as That Girl as long as you feel and look great in it. However, That Girl fashion includes athleisure and neutral colors.
Related: That Girl Fashion: What To Wear To Be That Girl
Step 10: Change your mindset and read a lot of uplifting, motivational quotes.
One thing you’ll realize with my That Girl Morning Routine Freebie is that I wake up listening to motivational speakers. I also listen to self-improvement podcasts while getting ready. This has honestly changed my mindset. I recommend finding someone who is around your age and is relatable with their advice. I also look up specific motivational speakers that some of my favorite YouTubers recommend.
My favorite motivational speakers/self-improvement YouTubers are:
Isabel Palacios: She’s really helped me a lot and I’ve been following her for a few years now.
Gary Vee: Since I work in social media, I listen to Gary Vee a lot. He honestly is known for his extreme hustle culture speeches BUT he has tons of advice for 20 years and teens that are more toned down. Also, he swears a lot that turns people away, btw. But he is great for practical optimism. He is not everyone’s cup of tea, but he has a few good videos.
BTS: Okay, I know they’re not Youtubers…but BTS’s songs and speeches helped me the most after graduating. Their 2020 speech was amazing because I was always rushing and felt like Jin’s & SUGA’s speech really helped me.
Related: 12 BTS Songs About Self Love That Remind Me To Love & Accept Myself
Step 11: Make self care a priority.
Making self-care a priority is one of the most important steps that you need in a That Girl routine. Self care is one of the biggest things I’m prioritizing right now in my life because college and job hunting wore me out. But lucky for you, this whole blog has a category dedicated to self care, lol.
Some That Girl ideas that you can try related to self care include:
- Face masks
- Taking a long bath or shower
- Reading
- Go to bed early or just resting
- Spend some time organizing your room
- Practicing yoga
- Listen to your favorite songs
Related: 75 5 Minute Self Care Ideas That You Can Do With a Busy Schedule
Step 12: Be your full self.
Finally, to become that girl you should be yourself. This tip is one of the most important that I want to mention because I feel like a lot of people think that the That Girl trend means that you have to change your whole self. I think that you should take elements of this trend and implement them into your life. I know I did. I did not like green smoothies at first, lemon water, or fit into the typical That Girl look.
Being yourself is the main thing you should do. Even if you aren’t sure who you are, then journal about it. Learn about your likes or dislikes. Eat your favorite foods. Work out once a week and stretch or go to the gym. Learn how to love yourself. Most importantly, do what you like and try to create healthy habits. Improve yourself for you.
Final FAQ’s:
Q: Is the That Girl trend toxic?
Honestly, it inherently can be. I honestly can see how anything can become toxic if we take it too far. The That Girl trend is cousins with the glo up trend (which I hate because of its superficiality) where people feel the need to change their entire selves. I believe that the That Girl trend works for certain people. I don’t recommend it to everyone. Half of my friends see my daily calendar and gasp. You have to be able to live a very structured, scheduled life. You have to plan everything and be okay with that. I would not recommend this trend to people who get easily overwhelmed with plans and do not like doing the same thing every day.
I know that some people say that it promotes diet culture and even Eurocentric beauty standards. It also can promote hustle culture and toxic productivity, which it can. Personally, I’ve never realized that until I saw a video a few weeks ago discussing it.
I really think that in my case, I didn’t force myself to eat anything; just try. If I didn’t want it, I didn’t do it. Most mornings I woke up late. I ate absolute garbage. I was late for almost every activity I planned. This is also a trend. It’ll fall out like others. Focus on you and your needs, goals, and improvement. It’s okay if you don’t want to do it.
Q: What does a That Girl eat?
From my research, a That Girl is always eating some kind of vegetable or fruit and proteins. They also are hitting all the food groups. I also see that they drink a LOT OF water and tea, especially matcha tea. Again, I hate avocados and those damn green smoothies. Half the time I was eating a salad then some chicken nuggets. I try to eat healthier and tell myself that my effort is enough.
Q: How to get the That Girl aesthetic?
The color green is common with this aesthetic. Wear athleisure wear and neutral colors. They also embrace wearing basics and pairing them with staple pieces. Read tons of self improvement books and other books. Also, have tons of mugs for tea and coffee.
This blog post gave you all the information you need on how to become That Girl!
Don’t forget to pin this post to your Pinterest board:
Before you go, check out these blog posts:
Wow
I really love this article
Great article
this article is really useful i enjoyed reading it and its pretty helpful and mind blowing it helped me to acutely know what is ”that girl” type of thing ty so much for this article.