Back in 2020, when quarantine started, I was still a freshman in High school. During that time, the few sources of connection were through Social Media. A very popular one, something that I also frequently use is TikTok. People were sharing likes, dislikes, opinions, views, etc., and connecting to a broad audience that probably shared the same interests. Fandoms of different TV series/movies also gained more traction when the idea of “shifting” was introduced. Shifting is when a person can transfer their consciousness to alternate realities, such as fictional worlds. When I first heard of this, I was skeptical but kind of interested because who wouldn’t want to visit their favorite fictional universe?
Different influencers would share their “techniques” and make shallow promises that anyone could achieve this phenomenon. One tip I remember scrolling upon was someone saying that you should watch whatever TV show/movie you want to “shift” into, then when you’re ready to sleep, try to manifest that world into your imagination. Needless to say, “shifting” is not real. I never officially tried to do it as I was already an avid daydreamer, but I did develop a habit of maladaptive daydreaming. Was it a waste or an evening? Probably. My dreaming habit did help me become better at writing storylines, though, so a win is a win.
The Curator 