10 "Uncool" Things I Find Extremely Cool

I often leave the internet feeling incredibly uncool.

It takes about 15 seconds on TikTok for me to feel like I have terrible skin, not enough clothes, and should probably drink more dirty martinis and smile less.

Just my algorithm?

I’m not sure when the world got so obsessed with being cool. When did being an It Girl start mattering more than being a Nice Person?

Maybe (definitely) we’re all just chronically too online, but I’ve been thinking about a few things that don’t always register as “cool” online, but are definitively cool in real life.

In case you needed a different definition of “cool” in 2026, here they are.

Maybe it’s a grandparent. Maybe it’s an aunt.

They’ve loved us since we were little, but it’s awkward to call them. They can’t hear us, they say weird things, it’s uncomfortable.

Call them anyway. Making time for the people who have loved us along the way is important. And incredibly cool.

I love when people wear the same shit over and over again. They know who they are, what they like, and they don’t need the latest or greatest to prove anything to anyone. Cool.

Maybe this is just getting older, but I no longer equate effortless with coolness. Putting in the time and effort, and being unapologetically intentional, is outrageously cool. And sexy, if we’re going there.

To me, nonchalance isn’t cool. It’s kind of cold?

It’s a sad day when handwriting feels like a lost art. I love getting letters in the mail and I find it incredibly cool when people take the time to write things down.

A note. A list. A letter in the mail. If it’s in cursive, it counts triple.

Handwriting is cool and in the age of AI, I might venture to say, imperative.

I’m an exclamation point girl. I had a moment where I was going heavy on periods – as if to say, I’m serious, take me seriously.

But here’s the thing: I am serious, and I’m excited about a lot. I love letting people know how excited I am!!!

There’s nothing cooler than being genuinely thrilled about your life.

I say this as someone who is constantly cracking a joke or deflecting with humor. I think earnestness is a lost trait, but it’s a really good one.

It’s not ironic, it’s not sarcastic, it’s not mysterious or detached. It is exactly what it is and it’s meaningful. It is very cool when people mean what they say.

Obvious, but worth saying. Anyone free of Instagram, TikTok, and heck, LinkedIn, probably has a very regulated nervous system and is therefore very cool.

It costs nothing to pay a compliment.

Telling your coworker they sent a great email, complimenting a stranger’s outfit, supporting the work, even if it’s not perfect. Especially if it’s not perfect.

There’s nothing cooler than someone confident enough to be generous.

There’s no wrong way to age. But there is something very cool about not pretending you’re not.

I’m sure there is a “content” joke to made here, but I’ll be earnest instead...

Not everything has to be a ladder. There’s something very cool about people who aren’t constantly trying to climb – who are just focused on doing a good job where they are. Whether that’s their title, their industry, or not working at all.

Being comfortable where you are, or kind enough to yourself to accept it for now, is the ultimate cool.

Social media doesn’t always reward being warm, kind, content, or generous. But that doesn’t make those things any less cool.

Take care of yourself <3

Allison

If you liked this, may I interest you a few from the archives?