The incredibly trendy and up to date publication that is The Ionian has decided to bring  its readers one more extremely relevant and popular column: an article each issue about trends.

This column will feature social trends, fashion trends and even technological trends to keep minds stimulated amidst sometimes shallow topics, which trending topics can often be. Nevertheless, trending topics are a fun and popular way to express thoughts on Twitter, stay in touch with groundbreaking  world news and feel united with others by participating in a widespread phenomenon.

No matter how it’s cleverly worded the idea of ‘trending topics’ is blazing with popularity all over the world. Knowing what is ‘trending now’ by looking at Yahoo!.com’s homepage or other countless vessels on the Internet gives one insight into what’s popular everyday.

What exactly is a trending topic? Simply put, it is a phrase that is being heavily discussed. Popular topics include celebrities, recent scandals, local or national calamities, or sometimes just funny phrases that evoke even funnier responses.

Twitter is arguably the biggest culprit in this new age way of categorizing thoughts. Tweets simply do not hold the same weight if they aren’t followed by a hash tag (#) and a newly comprised trending topic. While some topics fall into oblivion, others catch on and become wildly popular, so much so, that they are used in everyday speech. Who hasn’t heard the phrase #gaelfail muttered on Iona’s campus?

Trending topics are not limited to computer users only. The Today Show on NBC features sections for fashion trends and an appropriately named section entitled “What’s trending today?”

 Yahoo.com’s homepage features a ‘Trending Now’ box located in the upper right hand corner of their page. The location of the feature is important to note as it is critically placed in a location that will be readily seen, exemplifying the idea that trending topics are relevant and important right now.

Although the idea of trending topics is meant to be light and fun, they have proven to be useful in serious matters, keeping the world up to date on national disasters, political uprisings and other newsworthy topics of this nature. As this article is being written, #HurricaneIrene is trending on Twitter. After the hurricane pans out, there will be even more trending topics focused on the after effects of the event.

For many, trending topics are a quick way to summarize what is going on in the world. They are constantly changing and updating, making the entire process a fast paced and very accurate one.

The way in which the world receives information is adapting and changing each day. Trending topics have helped to alter the method in which current knowledge is accumulated.  For some, trending topics are the sole source of news.  While only using Twitter or social media sites to acquire information is not advisable, it is better than ignoring news altogether.

A trend is a movement, a progression or shift in direction. The world is constantly moving both literally and figuratively and as this world changes, human beings must adapt with it. This means embracing and participating in the trending experience. Internet addicts: before automatically typing www.facebook.com into the web browser ,  mosey on over to yahoo.com to peek at Trending Now. The next time you log onto Twitter, take a second to glance at the trending topics. If any of the phrases are appealing, hit your hash tag key, and join in the millions of people participating in the trending adventure. 

To contact The Ionian’s Ali Mudano about the latest trends, e-mail her at [email protected].