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Tag: TikTok

  • Man leaves specific instructions for Amazon driver. Now she’s demanding answers after her dog destroyed package: ‘Why bother giving us the option?’

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    Receiving an Amazon package should be exciting. After days (or hours) of waiting, the rush of dopamine rushes through the brain as soon as it arrives. However, those feelings can instantly transform into frustration if the package is damaged. It’s even worse when it’s because your dog ruined it since the driver failed to follow the instructions.

    Amazon Delivery Gone Awry

    The video starts with TikTok creator Kingsley (@kingsleyt24) unveiling his screen recording of the Amazon delivery screen. At the bottom, he circles the instructions box. “Please leave on trash or recycle bin, my dog will chew the package. Thank you,” he writes. Below the box is a disclaimer that reads in italics, “Your instructions help us deliver your package to your expectations and will be used when possible.”

    Next, the clip cuts to a recording of a man appearing to be an Amazon Flex driver due to his vest and walking from his parked car in the stormy night toward the front gates. Instead of placing the item on the garbage bins beside the entrance, he nonchalantly chucks it over the gate, which catches the attention of the Australian Kelpie the content creator warned about.

    The gnawed white sneakers and plastic packaging on the ground are evidence that Kingsley’s package didn’t arrive as expected. “Thanks Amazon,” he remarks in the text overlay, accompanied by a heart texting symbol.

    He continues his sarcasm in the caption, “Thank you for taking my delivery instructions into consideration Amazon.”

    Why Are Viewers Divided?

    Kingsley’s video amassed 2.9 million views, igniting debate in the comments section about who was at fault. Many blamed the driver for ignoring the written directions.

    “Amazon gives you the option to leave delivery instructions for a reason. If the drivers aren’t going to follow them, why bother giving us the option??” one viewer stated.

    “I’d be calling Amazon and reporting it. The delivery driver did not follow instructions,” another echoed.

    Even an alleged Amazon worker entered the chat, “I work as an [Amazon] delivery driver and I always follow the delivery instructions. The only thing that sucks is when the customer doesn’t update their delivery instructions. But this driver just genuinely didn’t care and that’s unacceptable.”

    Nevertheless, some still assigned the blame to the owner.

    “Why leave your dog outside if it eats packages? cant blame the driver,” one commenter said.

    “Why is your dog alone outside in bad weather?” a second noted.

    Has This Been A Problem Before?

    In response to the negative responses, Kingsley posted a follow-up clip of a separate incident. This time, a German Shepard stood outside the front gate as the sun started setting. Then, a regular Amazon driver approaches the gate where the trash cans are located, carrying two packages. When he arrives in front of the bins, the Australian Kelpie appears as the driver places the packages on top and snaps a photo as proof. Once he captured the photo, he walked away and the dogs started barking. The content creator posted it to prove this driver listened to his directions whereas the other one either didn’t see them or care to follow them.

    Amazon Flex Package Drop Off Process

    Flex drivers are independent contractors who drive their own vehicles to pick up and deliver Amazon packages. From there, the driver can notify the customer, who, in the option, asks to secure pets and turn on the lights if it’s dark, according to the company’s website. Upon arrival, they can access specific delivery information through the notes located at the bottom of the app and drop off the package. Like the disclaimer in the screen recording in Kingsley’s original video notes, customer directions may not be completely carried out as desired.

    @kingsleyt24 Thank you for taking my delivery instructions into consideration Amazon #amazon #hooray ♬ original sound kingsleyt24

    The Mary Sue reached out to Kingsley via TikTok comment and direct message as well as Amazon Flex via email.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Melody Heald

    Melody Heald is a culture writer. Her work can be found in Glitter Magazine, BUST Magazine, The Daily Dot, and more. You can email her at: [email protected]

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  • Husband gifts wife’s BFF roses ‘till the right man comes along.’ People are convinced it’s the start of an affair: ‘A golden retriever is still a dog’

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    Some bouquets are sweet. Others feel like the opening scene of a true-crime doc. In this case, a husband decided to play Hallmark hero by gifting his wife’s best friend a bouquet of roses “until the right man comes along.” If that wasn’t enough, he sealed the moment with a long, emotional hug that had TikTok collectively cringing.

    Between the tears, the lingering embrace, and the internet’s instant side-eye, viewers are already writing a messier love story than anyone ordered.

    Husband gives BFF roses

    Valentine’s Day may be over, but this (love) story is still reeling in views and comments. In just four days, Abigail’s @abichiyal clip garnered 10.2 million views and almost 40,000 comments. The TikTok itself is short, just 16 seconds long. However, viewers have crafted an entire drama with plot twists and foreshadowing in just those few seconds.

    The clip begins by showing a man and a woman hugging each other tightly. The text overlay reads: “POV: my husband giving flowers to my best friend until the right man comes along to make her happy.” 

    He’s embracing her by the shoulders while he looks at the camera and laughs. The hug lasts eight seconds, so half of the video. When they separate, the best friend wipes tears from her eyes and goes to a vase full of flowers on the counter. She clutches it to her chest, and before the clip ends, the camera pans to the husband to show he is still grinning. The audio playing is “Piano Man” by Billy Joel.

    But is that really it?

    Naturally, the clip baffled some while it enraged others. Many of Abigail’s viewers comment on the weird interaction, citing that the hug looked “too long” and “intense.” As anyone would do, the creator gave a bit more context surrounding their relationship.

    Most of the comments are in Spanish since the creator is Peruvian. They have been translated for clarity. In a TikTok following the viral post, a viewer flat-out orders Abigail to tell them that the “best friend” is actually her sister-in-law.

    All she replies with is “she’s my sister.” Viewers are disappointed in the thread. She also shares that her friend was friends with her husband first before she introduced them together. In other clips where she references the viral TikTok, she also shares that she could never be “insecure” over a hug. 

    In a different TikTok, she replies to a comment that says, “Nah that hug was too long. A simple side hug would have done the job.” In the clip, a male friend hugs Abigail and kisses her on the cheek. She also shows another male friend hugging her at her wedding. Her caption is, “Oh, so I guess all the hugs I give my friends must be ‘too much.’” The comments ignore this and insist, saying, “No because I think this proves our point, not yours.” 

    Now It’s About Hair Dye Too?

    Interestingly enough, the plot gets even deeper. In one of her TikToks, Abigail posts her husband, her best friend, and her jumping up and down while hugging, à la Ross, Phoebe, and Rachel. She is replying to a comment that says, “flowers is fine but that hug was about 7 seconds too long.”

    Her caption? “Is even this hug too long for you too?” Forgoing mentioning the hug, viewers now find a new thing to focus on: hair color. Both women in the video seem to have the same shade of red hair. A comment with over 1,500 likes calls this out and says, “ummm I want to know who colored their hair that color first…” The criticism keeps up in her other videos, too. 

    Aside from the hair color, the comments are flooded with screenshots of the husband’s hand placement on the best friend. To many in the comments, his hand shouldn’t have been placed anywhere near her waist. They compare his hand on the friend to his hand on his wife, and the conclusion is that since his hand is lower on the best friend’s waist, then something must be up. There are many other videos on her page referencing the relationship and viral post.

    @abichiyal We love you @Nicole Valdiviezo ❤️ #valentinesday #valentines #valentinesdaygift ♬ original sound – ???? ?☀️

    Viewers Think the Roses are a Red Flag

    Few are the moments when most of the viewers agree on something. In this case, everyone is trying to warn a woman about her husband. In the original clip, one viewer says, “This is a very dangerous game you’re playing love.” While another said, “That hug told me everything I need to know…”

    A third viewer shares, “It’s him, he’s the right man. Hope you find yours.” 

    “Ran to the comments just to make sure I’m not toxic,” says a viewer with 222,000 likes. 

    One viewer proposes a different idea, “As a Best friend I WILL BUY HER FLOWERS not my man.” However, the creator responds, “I give to her my credit card, better then flowers.”

    Some viewers bring in their own experiences. One viewer says, “My husband did this too and now he’s the ‘right man that makes her happy.’” Another says, “I showed this to my husband and his response was ‘I know better than that’. He lives to see another day.” 

    The Mary Sue reached out to Abigail for comment via Instagram direct message.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Gisselle Hernandez

    Gisselle Hernandez-Gomez is a contributing reporter to the Mary Sue. Her work has appeared in the Daily Dot, Business Insider, Fodor’s Travel and more.

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  • ‘LIKE WHAT THEY TRYNA SAYYY’: Woman sits down at nail salon—then promptly gets handed the ‘towel of shame’

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    Getting mani/pedis at the nail salon should be a pampering and relaxing form of self-care. As you sit in an armchair, the warm jets soak your feet while the technicians work to bring your vision to life. For this woman, it quickly turned into an unpleasant experience.

    What Happened At The Nail Salon?

    In a seven-second clip, Australia-based TikToker Christinah (@6hristinah) looks around the room, sitting in the pedicure spa chair at ProfessioNAIL. “When you wear shorts to the nail salon and they hand you this towel of shame,” she shares in the text overlay. Then, she turns the camera to unveil the long white towel in question draped on her lap to cover her legs. Afterward, she tilts the camera up to pan over the nail salon she is in. 

    Moreover, the content creator believed her outfit didn’t warrant a towel. “The way the pants were actually baggy and KNEE length too lmaooo,” she writes in the caption.

    A Deeper Dive Into The Nail Salon Incident

    During an interview with The Mary Sue, Christinah revealed that she was given a towel as soon as she sat down.

    “I came in wearing baggy shorts, and shortly after sitting down, I was handed a towel to place over my legs. I noticed that no one else in the salon was given a towel,” she shared via Instagram direct message.

    Subsequently, it stirred feelings of discomfort.

    “It felt uncomfortable and confusing, especially because I was the only customer asked to use one. It made me feel singled out,” she said.

    However, the content creator had to wear it throughout the entire appointment.

    “I was getting both a manicure and pedicure. They began both services while I was seated with the towel over my legs, and I remained covered until I was moved to another seat for the finishing touches,” she stated.

    Furthermore, Christinah experienced this before due to a different outfit.

    “Yes, this has happened previously when I attended wearing gym shorts. However, this time my shorts were longer and looser, so I was unsure why it was considered necessary,” she revealed.

    Overall, she wished the salon addressed this beforehand to everyone wearing incorrect clothing.

    “I understand that salons may have dress or hygiene considerations, but clear and consistent communication is important. If a towel is required for certain clothing, that policy should be applied equally to all customers. Being the only person singled out made the experience feel uncomfortable and unnecessary. I believe businesses should ensure that all clients feel respected and treated fairly,” she said.

    Viewers Enter The Chat

    Christinah’s video racked up over 872,000 views, where some proposed why the nail salon would do this.

    “[They just] making sure u feel comfortable,” one viewer suggested.

    “Big respect to them. cold, modesty because you are putting your leg up or opening your legs. comfy as well,” a second elaborated.

    Meanwhile, others shared that their nail techs have done the same thing to them during an appointment.

    “LOL i wore a skirt sooo short once and i didn’t even realise but i was happy they’d put that on my lap for modesty and so they wouldn’t get indecent views whilst doing my toes,” one commenter recalled.

    “Oh that’s what [it’s] for,” another stated.

    “Happened to me once,” a third remarked.

    As a result, this prompted Christinah to joke, “LIKE WHAT THEY TRYNA SAYYY.”

    So, Are There Secret Dress Codes?

    There is an unspoken rule about attire etiquette, especially for a pedicure. Tami’s Salon advises against dresses and skirts to prevent anyone from seeing up there. Instead, shorts or pants that easily and comfortably slide up the knees are the best. This allows the technician to easily access the entire foot.

    In addition to clothing, the type of shoes worn is essential. Slip-on sandals or flip flops are the best for pedicures. However, if this isn’t possible, PediCouture suggests opting for loose-fitting socks and a gel nail polish to prevent it from smudging or splitting. 

    @6hristinah the way the pants were actually baggy and KNEE length too lmaooo #foryou #fypシ゚viral #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ original sound – piper jean and bea

    Because there isn’t a customer clothing policy on ProfessioNAIL’s website, The Mary Sue reached out to them via email.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Melody Heald

    Melody Heald is a culture writer. Her work can be found in Glitter Magazine, BUST Magazine, The Daily Dot, and more. You can email her at: [email protected]

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  • Dylan Mulvaney Is Finally a Broadway Leading Lady, Haters Be Damned

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    “Once I stepped into my womanhood, I felt like the main character of my life,” Dylan Mulvaney tells me, while sipping her lemon drop. “So now that means that I can be the main character on stage.” The social media star and I are dining at Arno, a traditional Italian restaurant, on a frigid evening in January in lower Midtown, a stone’s throw from Penn Station. There’s a good reason we’re dining in a less-than-ideal location—Arno is blocks away from Ripley-Grier Studios, where Mulvaney has just spent the day rehearsing for her Broadway debut as the second, and most infamous, of Henry VIII’s wives, Anne Boleyn, in the Tony-winning musical Six.

    Mulvaney’s penchant for girlish giggles and squeals between bites of her spaghetti pomodoro stand out in Arno, especially when juxtaposed against the sea of older gentlemen in an assortment of ill-fitting grey blazers sitting behind her at the bar. She’s wearing a black ballet dress with her long brown hair half up, half down, instantly reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn—something that was by design. “I noticed if I look good for rehearsal, if I fuck up, I’m like, Oh, well, at least I look good,” she says. After years of living in Los Angeles, she’s adjusting to life in NYC. “I feel like if I walk outside for five seconds, I run into somebody that I’ve slept with or somebody that I want to sleep with. You kind of have to look good all the time.”

    Mulvaney’s about a week into a four-week rehearsal process to fulfill a lifelong dream of hers—starring in a Broadway musical. It’s not an understatement to say that the world has watched her reach this moment. Her legion of social media followers—1.5 million on Instagram and 9 million on TikTok, as of publishing—have been hooked on Mulvaney’s confessional online content since she began her series “365 Days of Girlhood” on March 13, 2022, which served as a daily chronicle of her gender-affirming transition from male to female. Mulvaney left nothing off the table—the highs, the lows, and the messy in-betweens of becoming the woman she always knew that she was.

    But even pre–social media fame and pre-transition, the San Diego native had grease paint roaring through her veins, but didn’t necessarily know where to put that energy as she struggled with her gender identity. Her theatrical dreams “were so small because I hadn’t found my true self. In order to confine myself to a gender that I knew that I wasn’t,” Mulvaney shares. “I had to be like, ‘Oh, I want to be in the ensemble. I want to be in the back. I want to be tree number three.’” Looking back, she could count on one hand the roles that she felt even partially represented in as a child struggling with their gender identity—Kurt from Glee, Ernst from Spring Awakening. “There were so few roles that I could even find femininity in,” she says

    Despite her misgivings, she persisted, studying musical theater at the University of Cincinnati College of Music, a prestigious musical theater program, and even playing Elder White in the national tour of Book of Mormon. There, again, her ambition and dreams were stifled by her present-day reality, trapped in a body that was anathema to her. “When I was doing Book of Mormon, I was like, ‘Well, hopefully I’ll just do this for the rest of my life, and I get a lot of Botox,’” she says, wryly.

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  • Get Your AI Off Our ‘Stranger Things’ & ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ Netflix Tells ByteDance In Latest Hollywood Cease & Desist Letter

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    Netflix “will not stand by and watch ByteDance treat our valued IP as free, public domain clip art,” the streamer told the TikTok owner tonight. In a short and stern cease and desist letter over Seedance 2.0, Netflix want generated AI videos of Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters, Squid Game and Bridgerton shut down now.

    With their two-page correspondence and potential legal action to follow, Netflix have linked arms and attorney arsenals with Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount (their rivals to buy WBD), and the still Bob Iger-run Disney to stop the user created content that has been bastardizing their top shows, films and other moneymakers. While Amazon, Apple, Sony and Comcast-owned Universal have yet to join the party, it is clear now with the Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters-led Netflix in the C&D house, this is serious stuff.

    How serious?

    Well, Netflix litigation chief Mindy LeMoine isn’t making as personal as WBD’s Wayne M. Smith did earlier Tuesday with his predecessor and now ByteDance Global General Counsel John Rogovin. Then again, LeMoine does cut to the chase with very specific citations:

    “Current forensic evidence indicates that Seedance is being used to generate unauthorized derivative works including, but not limited to:

    ● Bridgerton: Unauthorized depictions of Season 4 content, specifically featuring characters in a masquerade ball setting. These outputs mirror specific, narratively important costumes like Sophie Baek’s “Lady in Silver” gown. ByteDance has even promoted this content using #Bridgerton tags via its own official social media channels, such as @BytePlusGlobal.

    ● Stranger Things: High-fidelity reboots of the series finale, which feature detailed reproductions of the iconic cast as well as the monsters from the series, including Demogorgons and the Mindflayer.

    ● Squid Game: Seedance has generated recreations of the “Red Light, Green Light” sets and the iconic Young-hee doll. These include unauthorized crossovers, such as inserting real-world figures like Elon Musk into the Squid Game environment.

    ● KPop Demon Hunters: Seedance has reproduced the specific visual style and character designs from our animated musical feature, including the lead character Rumi.”

    ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

    Netflix

    The C&D letter goes on to state: “Netflix has never authorized ByteDance to use our content to generate these images or videos. ByteDance’s activities are willful, and constitute direct and secondary copyright infringement. The use of copyrighted works to create a competing commercial product, especially one that regurgitates the original, is not protected by fair use.”

    Unlike Disney, Paramount and WBD, Netflix are in full FAFO-mode here and give the Chinese tech company three days to set things straight. This comes one day after ByteDance swore they are “taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likeness by users.” 

    Netflix isn’t buying it.

    “To avoid immediate litigation, Netflix demands that ByteDance:

    1. Cease Generative Output: Immediately implement technological guardrails to prevent Seedance from generating any content that resembles Netflix’s protected characters, titles, or settings.

    2. Remove Infringing Content: Remove all unlawfully obtained Netflix-owned content from training datasets, and also scrub all existing Seedance-generated videos featuring Netflix IP from all ByteDance-controlled platforms.

    3. Identify All Infringements: Provide an accounting of all instances where Seedance has generated content based on prompts related to Netflix’s IP.

    4. Revoke Third-Party Access: Revoke access for any commercial partners or API users currently utilizing Seedance to generate unauthorized Netflix derivative works.”

    So, as Netflix awaits ByteDance’s response later this week, will it be Amazon, Apple, Sony or Universal sending the next letter? Stay tuned.

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  • North Carolina woman buys ‘one of a kind’ Coach bag that’s ‘the last one in the world,’ Then a worker gives it to the wrong customer: ‘I would’ve cried’

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    It’s all fun and retail therapy until the “last one in the world” gets handed to a complete stranger. One North Carolina shopper was living her best luxury moment after snagging a supposedly one-of-a-kind Coach bag. Except, she didn’t actually snag it because an employee accidentally passed her prized purchase straight into someone else’s hands.

    What followed was an awkward, laugh-through-the-pain scramble from the employee and a video filled with laughter. Though the creator kept it lighthearted, some viewers are questioning the professionalism.

    What Happened to Her Coach Bag?

    Everyone knows Coach bags cost a pretty penny. Especially if it’s a rare design. Having said this, Donielle (@travelgurl18) was definitely ecstatic to receive her bag, especially after being told it was “one-of-a-kind.”

    Her clip is only a couple of minutes filled with laughter and explanation, but 3.9 million viewers and 2,000 comments later, people have opinions. The story kicks off right off the bat, with Donielle saying she came to the Coach store, bought a bag, and that the employee gave it away.

    As she refers to the employee as “this young lady,” she pans the camera to show her standing at the back. The employee looks at the camera, grins, and turns away. Donielle says, “So, what is this?”

    Donielle then says that she had bought “this one-of-a-kind” bag that was “last in the world.” She again makes the camera find the employee, and says, “Go ahead. Tell them.” The employee looks at the camera for a second, takes a breath as if about to talk, then ducks and runs from the camera. Donielle laughs and follows her, repeating that she gave away her bag to a different client. The employee then says while smiling, “I’m sorry, y’all.”

    What Does the Employee Do?

    Donielle continues her retelling of the story and says, luckily, the lady who got her bag is still in the mall and will return to the store. She says this thankfully, because if that weren’t the case, she would be having a “breakdown and be crying.”

    As she says this, another employee chimes in and says that the bag is sold out everywhere. A third employee joins the conversation, and he says, “We weren’t gonna let you get out here without your bag, baby. That’s one thing. We were gonna take care of our girl.” He continues by calling her fabulous and saying he loves the attitude. Donielle agrees and then reiterates that the bag was still given away. The employee grins and gives her a bashful hug. 

    Does She Get Her Bag?

     The video then cuts and shows two women walking into the store and one of them is holding a black Coach store bag. Donielle says, “Look at my bag. There it is. It’s back.”

    It gets handed to the employee and the male employee then hands the other woman another box. He says it is the “black and gold.” He says he wrapped it for her and she says, “Are we sure?”

    The women then ask Donielle which purse she bought. She says it’s a tabby. The other woman says at first, she was confused to see Coach calling her phone. The other employees start laughing and Donielle says, “I was literally about to cry.”

    The video cuts again and Donielle is videoing the unwrapping of the bag while she is still in the store. She gushes over the design. The last clip is her and the other woman looking at the camera and Donielle says she’s glad she didn’t like her bag. The other woman says, “I’m glad you got to get yours back.” 

    @travelgurl18 @Coach haul almost gone wrong! Walking by the coach store in @southparkmall and stopped to look… of course I got sucked in to by a purse ??! my wonderful sales associate Jerri had someone pack it in a gift bag and another wonderful sales associate made a mistake and gave it to another customer!! ?? I can laugh now but the panic that went through their faces was evident that this could have went real wrong! I’m so glad the beautiful birthday Lady from Charleston hadn’t left the mall and came back to the store!! Crisis diverted!!! #coach #denimtabby #coachgirlie ♬ original sound – Donielle

    The Viewers Aren’t Laughing Along

    The atmosphere of the video was palpably light-hearted. However, some of the comments are anything but. One viewer says, “I’m sorry but it’s too much laughing going on after spending some coins & having your bag given away.” 

    “I need her to pay attention to what she’s doing. This is a teachable moment,” says another viewer, most likely referencing how the employee keeps avoiding the camera and giggling. 

    Another viewer says, “They laughing like ish funny.” Donielle replies, “It was funny.” 

    “They better be glad that they got you and not me lol,” says one viewer. 

    In a complete 180, other viewers are praising the customer service. One viewer says, “This is a cute story…no argument….just giggles and Cooperation.” Similarly, another viewer shares, “This is customer service. Made a mistake a pleasant experience. I love this whole thing.” 

    A third viewer says, “Seems like a family get together? Everyone is so personable and nice. And the bag is TEA!”

    Others, of course, comment on the bag design. A viewer with over 800 likes says, “That bag Ugg Lee.” Donielle replies, “I love it still!!” 

    Another viewer says, “I would’ve brought it back too. Maybe I gotta see it styled.” Donielle responds, “It’s ok… we all have different styles. I love it. Jean and gaudy… just my style.” 

    The Mary Sue reached out to the creator via email.

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    Gisselle Hernandez

    Gisselle Hernandez-Gomez is a contributing reporter to the Mary Sue. Her work has appeared in the Daily Dot, Business Insider, Fodor’s Travel and more.

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  • ‘I have been cursed’: Woman’s Facebook roommate plays a creepy lullaby in the morning. Then she finds out the house was set to burn | The Mary Sue

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    We have all lived through the “roommate from hell” phase. But one woman’s college nightmare is officially taking the crown for the most dangerous roommate in history. TikTok creator @secretesse shared a “roommate horror story” that has racked up over 549,000 views. And the stars of the story are a brand-new oven and a tray of “charred to filth” nuggets.

    The story is from when the creator was attending Flagler College. She recounted how her roommate, whom she called “Delaney,” returned from a popular college “Flip Night” and decided to do some late-night cooking. But the creator did not just find a messy kitchen next morning; it was a life-threatening situation. She details how her roommate’s simple craving for chicken nuggets nearly resulted in a burnt-down house.

    The ‘Diddly-Do’ sound saved the creator and her roommate

    The story reached its climax at 7:30 AM when the woman woke up to a persistent, “sing-songy” lullaby sound. She initially thought it was part of a dream, but it soon followed her to consciousness. After she followed the noise like “Hansel and Gretel,” she discovered it was the preheat alarm on their updated oven. Apparently, her roommate had left it on all night.

    When she opened the oven door, smoke billowed out, triggering fire alarms across the house. Inside, there was a tray of over a dozen chicken nuggets that had been incinerated beyond recognition. When she went to confront Delaney, she found her roommate passed out face-down. She was still fully dressed in her heels from the night before, and completely unresponsive to the chaos.

    What would have happened if she hadn’t intervened?

    If the woman hadn’t woken up to that “diddly-do” alarm, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Kitchen fires are the leading cause of home fires and injuries. And leaving an oven unattended, especially while intoxicated, is a recipe for disaster.

    The smoke itself posed a major risk. Inhaling smoke from burnt food for several more hours could have led to carbon monoxide poisoning, or smoke inhalation for both roommates while they slept. Eventually, the intense heat could have caused the grease in the nuggets to ignite. Or, the high temperatures could have compromised the oven’s electrical components, leading to a structural fire.

    Did the nuggets being frozen really save the house?

    The narrator expressed a belief that the “ounce of moisture” trapped inside the frozen chicken nuggets was the only thing that prevented a fire. While it’s true that moisture can briefly slow down the carbonization process, it isn’t exactly a fire-suppression system. The real “hero” was likely the “all-new” updated appliance.

    Modern ovens are designed with better insulation and safety features than older models. It allows them to sustain high temperatures for longer periods without the exterior igniting nearby cabinetry. However, even the best oven isn’t designed to “cook” a tray of frozen snacks for six hours straight. So, the moisture eventually evaporated, leaving the nuggets “charred to filth” and ready to ignite if left much longer.

    Is it safe to put chicken nuggets in the oven and for how long?

    Cooking chicken nuggets in the oven is generally the safest and most recommended method. But, you shouldn’t be passed out in your heels while doing it. Most frozen chicken nuggets require a preheated oven (usually around 400°F) and only 10 to 15 minutes of bake time.

    The Safety Rule is, you should never leave an oven unattended while it is in use. If you are tired or under the influence, the logical thing to do is stick to snacks that don’t require high-heat appliances. Leaving nuggets in for hours, as Delaney did, causes the food to undergo a chemical breakdown where it becomes pure carbon, which is highly flammable.

    Living with a roommate requires a basic survival instinct

    It’s good luck that the woman caught the charred nuggets just in time. But her story proves that “low-stakes” roommate issues like messy dishes are not the worst thing that can happen. Regardless, the experience of co-living should not involve a “comatose” roommate nearly burning the building down for a snack. So, if you’re headed to “Flip Night,” maybe just buy a bag of chips for when you get home. Your roommate (and your oven) will thank you.

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    Kopal

    Staff Writer

    Kopal primarily covers politics for The Mary Sue. Off the clock, she switches to DND mode and escapes to the mountains.

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  • Woman buys $116 Glossier perfume. Then she finds a $16 dupe at Marshalls: ‘I’m about to return that one’ 

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    A woman has reportedly found a dupe for one of Glossier’s $116 perfumes. The best part? The dupe is only $16 at Marshalls. 

    TikToker Hannah Green (@hannahggreenn) said in a video with over 704,000 views that the find might make her return her bottle of Glossier’s You Eau De Parfum and purchase “five more” bottles of the new dupe. However, she didn’t mention what the dupe actually was in her original video. 

    So, what available dupes are there on the market for Glossier’s You Eau De Parfum, which costs $116 for a 3.4-ounce bottle?

    What is the dupe?

    Commenters expressed frustration with Green because she did not show the bottle or discuss the dupe in her original TikTok video. Still, other viewers were able to identify it, leaving a few comments to direct anyone who wanted to buy a bottle. 

    “Sheer skin,” one commenter said. Later, Green commented on her original video, stating she had an update. “I wasn’t gonna show it unless I’m positive if it’s an actual dupe,” Green said. “I posted a video showing it literally right after yall PLEASE use your context clues respectfully. It’s not that hard to swipe and click on the next video I posted.”

    Then, she showed her audience the bottle she bought at Marshalls, confirming that it was “Sheer Skin.” The perfume bottle isn’t readily available on Marshalls’ or T.J. Maxx’s online websites, so keen shoppers have to go in person to find a bottle. 

    Green added that the only distinct difference between Glossier’s “You” and Sheer Skin was that “Sheer Skin has a slight vanilla base to it.” 

    “ It smells the same to me. It really does,” Green said. I’m not even trying to play, not to mention this is a hundred milliliters.” 

    What other dupes of Glossier’s perfumes are out there?

    Some viewers identified another incredibly similar scent to Glossier’s You—Athena Club’s love letter, a popular lotion that can be purchased at Target.  “Get the lotion from Athena at Target called love letter and you’ll be SET!” Athena’s love letter also smells incredibly similar to Glossier’s You Eau de Parfum, something that many dupe chasers quickly noticed.

    That’s partially because Love Letter has nearly identical notes to Glossier’s You. Pink pepper and “velvety” iris are both base notes found in the perfume. The only notable difference is that Love Letter has a slightly different base note, “creamy woods.”

    Ambrox, one of the other notes in the original perfume, has a more unique scent than a general, woodsy smell. The scent is typically synthesized from clary sage, giving it a distinct, grounded aroma. 

    For that reason, Love Letter is an excellent addition to purchase when grabbing a bottle of Sheer Skin.

    But, some viewers pointed out that while Sheer Skin might smell identical, it also might not have the same “staying power” as You. Commenters had complaints of not being able to smell the scent, saying that its overall profile is very thin. 

    For that reason, some recommended other dupes that may cost a little bit more, but will last longer on the skin. Moi? from Montagne Parfums directly takes inspiration from Glossier’s scent. It costs $40 and has identical notes to Glossier’s version, and reportedly is more long-lasting than even Glossier’s original scent. While it’s reportedly a bit soapy and more summery than the original, it does have qualities that some people prefer. 

    What perfumes layer well with Glossier’s You or its dupes?

    Glossier’s You is considered a quintessential layering perfume, as it blends with natural body oils to create a unique fragrance that can lift up other similar scents. Its neutral, flexible profile can help it go with pretty much anything, but a few keen perfumeheads had recommendations for layering it and Sheer Skin.

    “Sheer Skin is so good! ok so hear me out,” one commenter said. “I layered it with Clean Reserve Skin, Sand and [Fog] Floral Mist perfume oil, and fresh musk lotion for BBW….whaaaat, yasss!!! must try.” 

    Clean Reserve Skin is a perfume that is readily available online. Sand + Fog Floral Mist Perfume Oil, which naturally layers with Clean Reserve, is also relatively cheap and easy to purchase. And, there’s a wide variety of general musk lotions at Bath & Body Works, which the comment referred to. 

    The original perfume’s base notes—pink pepper, iris, and ambrox— make it an excellent fit to layer with floral and woody fragrances. Online blogs and discussion threads recommend pairing Sol De Janeiro 62 and even Le Labo’s Another 13 with the scent. There are thousands of options to try at varying price points, which is one of the reasons why the original scent is so popular. 

    @hannahggreenn God knew I had a hard week and that I needed this lol ??? #marshalls #perfumedupe #perfumetiktok ♬ original sound – hannah green

    The Mary Sue reached out to Hannah Green and Marshalls via TikTok direct message.

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    Rachel Thomas

    Rachel Joy Thomas is a music journalist, freelance writer, and hopeful author who resides in Los Angeles, CA. You can email her at [email protected].

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  • ‘I am in excruciating pain’: California woman pays $13,000 for eye color change surgery. Now she’s warning others against it

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    A California woman opts for a risky eye color changing surgery to brighten her dark brown eyes to a lighter shade. She instantly regrets the procedure after seeing the results and raises red flags about potential complications.

    In a video with over 613,000 views, TikToker Jasmine Hill (@storywithfriends) says the unnamed doctor performed the procedure on one eye and handed her a mirror to see how it looked. She immediately noticed that the color was not the light brown she requested. Instead, the eye appeared a blue-green color. However, she still received the procedure on her other eye.

    Hill says she soon began experiencing further complications beyond being dissatisfied with the look of her eyes.

    “I could be in the house trying to watch TV and it was torture. I could have on the darkest shades and the smallest amount of light that would hit it was just excruciating discomfort,” she explains. She also began experiencing vision problems.

    Hill receives consultations from four eye doctors, who she says all told her they couldn’t improve her symptoms. So, she decides to hire a lawyer.

    Around four weeks after hiring her lawyer, she received a cease and desist via email from the doctor who performed the surgery. Hill made previous TikToks explaining her symptoms as they appeared.

    “The cease and desist says, ’13 patients to date have cancelled their [procedure] citing the reason is Jasmine’s video that named doctor Blah Blah Blah,”” she says, reading the email. The letter claims that Hill’s videos have cost them around $156,000 in damages from lost business.

    She says that her lawyer met with the doctor’s lawyer to find a “common ground for a settlement agreement.” Ultimately, they agree that a $14,000 refund would suffice.

    However, the settlement offer comes with stipulations. Hill cannot mention the doctor’s name, business name, manufacturer of the pigment used, or city or state where the surgery was performed.

    The doctor later sends an addendum to the settlement. He requests she remove all of her videos on the procedure, even if they don’t mention him. He also requests the removal of unrelated videos that show her location.

    She captions the video, “Legal Disclaimer: Everything said in this video is my opinion based off my personal experience.”

    While Hill does not directly name the doctor in the video, she likes a comment suggesting that the doctor is TikTok-famous Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler. The Mary Sue reached out to Wachler for further comment.

    How did viewers react to the complications?

    Many commenters empathize with Hill’s experience, encouraging her to seek a second legal opinion before taking the settlement.

    “That kind of NDA costs millions, not just a refund. They better try again. You need a better lawyer,” one says.

    Another remarks, “Cease and desist is a scare tactic carry on.”

    “This is no different than you posting a negative Google review and folks cancelling as a result. He’s suing how??” a third asks.

    “Girl defamation lawsuits are only valid if whats being stated is UNTRUE you are giving real situations you have nothing to worry about,” a fourth commenter writes.

    Others agree that eye color-changing surgery isn’t worth the risk. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, most methods of eye color-changing surgery carry the risk of eye infection, vision loss, and inflammation. Plus, these procedures can be complicated to reverse.

    “I’m so so sorry for everything you’ve gone through. I went through medical malpractice stuff and it didn’t end in my favor. The stress nearly took me out,” a commenter shares.

    “I am so sorry you’re going through this. This is so much for one person to experience. He is going way overboard,” a second says.

    @storywithfriends

    Legal Disclaimer: Everything said in this video is my opinion based off my personal experience.

    ♬ original sound – Jasmine Hill

    The Mary Sue reached out to Jasmine Hill via Instagram and TikTok direct message for further comment.

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    Rebekah Harding

    Rebekah Harding is a reporter and content strategist based in Philadelphia. You can contact her at rebekahjonesharding.com.

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  • ‘This feels like a HIPAA violation’: Los Angeles restaurant worker reveals what they really see when you DoorDash the same food every day

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    When you order a lot from DoorDash, it can be low-key embarrassing. What if staff recognize you? If that’s one of your worst fears, I’ve got bad news for you—it’s actually true, with a former restaurant worker going viral on TikTok confirming this.

    The clip, which has amassed 1.4 million views, was accompanied by an on-screen caption reading: “This is what happens when you order something on DoorDash every single day.”

    Restaurant worker can recognize regular DoorDash customers

    “The other day, I saw somebody on TikTok asking if people who work at restaurants can tell when you order from the same place, like 900 billion jillion times, and of course the answer is yes,” TikToker Daniel Rabinowitz (@danielrabinowitz) began.

    “There would be this one guy who would order from the Italian restaurant I worked at when I first moved to L.A. and every single day without fail, he would order the chicken ravioli and the notes would say no sauce, no nothing like literally just boiled noodles, five noodles in one order,” he explained. “He would order two orders every single day, and if that’s not enough, by the way, it was also like three times a shift— like, I’m not playing — I would be there for like 8 hours.”

    He continued, “If we would hear the little ticket print, I would literally just turn, and the cooks would be like, ‘Matthew B.’ And I would be like, ‘Matthew B.’ And then they would ask how many, because sometimes it would be just one. And then I would tell them, and then they would prepare it and we would get it ready.”

    Rabinowitz added that, one time, he even left a note for ‘Matthew B’ where he described him as his favorite customer. Sadly, he never responded.

    Rabinowitz didn’t immediately respond to The Mary Sue’s request for comment via TikTok comment and TikTok direct message.

    @danielrabinowitz @Grant Gibbs got me thinking about my favorite DoorDash customer of all time ??❤️❤️ #doordash #ubereats #delivery #takeout #loyalcustomer ♬ original sound – Daniel!

    ‘Please say you’re joking’

    Some commenters were horrified by this discovery. “This feels like a HIPAA violation,” one quipped. “Please say you’re joking,” another begged.

    Other workers also shared their own stories. “The other day Elizabeth W didn’t get fries with her salad like she always does, but I put the fries in there anyways,” a third wrote.

    While a fourth added, “UberEats show how many times they’ve ordered before and Nico B is on his 265th order at my work. He came in person once and I recognized his order and gasped and told him it was like meeting a celebrity which freaked him out and he never came back IRL.”

    Some of these culinary celebrities even graced the comment sections themselves, with a fifth recounting, “There’s a pizza place that’s 0.2 miles from me, I order from like 4 different apps, whatever had the best deals. I went in once and they were like hey it’s Every App Girl.”

    One customer admitted to feeling self-conscious about this

    An anxious customer who had this very predicament shared his concerns on Reddit. “I’m starting to feel self conscious of craving the same thing from a place with barely any change,” they shared. “For one, its cheap than other places that give the same food but different quality so I don’t feel like I’m being overcharged, its also very quick as its close to my house. Is it weird to think this way?”

    However, other Redditors made it clear that this isn’t something to feel self-conscious over.

    “Nah its pretty normal,” one wrote. “I have quite a few regular customers that do this sometimes a couple times a week. Both on DoorDash and working at a restaurant.”

    “We order from the same pizza place weekly,” a second shared. “I don’t feel like it’s weird at all.”

    While a third admitted, “I’ve gotten customers who order the exact same thing multiple times throughout the week, some even the same day. I honestly don’t care as long as the order is worth doing and you get the food.”

    And a fourth added, “I eat out a lot because I’m always busy and too tired to cook. I have a “usual” for every restaurant I go to, and sometimes I feel like the workers know it’s me when they hear my order. If it works for you, anyone else’s opinions don’t matter.”

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    Charlotte Colombo

    Charlotte is an internet culture writer with bylines in Insider, VICE, Glamour, The Independent, and more. She holds a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from City St George’s, University of London.

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  • Woman places Walmart pick-up order. Then she sees her picker’s name is ‘David’—and decides to intervene: ‘I knew there were going to be issues’

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    Men who struggle to properly fulfill grocery orders while working for grocery delivery services have become a kind of trope online.

    Many people rely on someone else doing their shopping, so it can be frustrating to receive “out of stock” or “replace” notifications when those items are rarely unavailable.

    As customers online often report, male grocery shoppers particularly have gained a reputation for not finding items, selecting the wrong products, or not looking thoroughly enough.

    For example, one woman said her male Walmart shopper delivered baby formula still in its anti-theft case. Others have said male Instacart shoppers can’t find basic items like bottled water or tampons.

    Now, a woman on TikTok has added another to the mix, calling out “David” from Walmart’s pickup service.

    What Did ‘David’ the Walmart Picker Do Wrong?

    In a video that has garnered over 345,900 views, TikToker Haley (@haley.teague) filmed herself going into Walmart after canceling a pickup order she says the Walmart worker mishandled.

    Haley begins by explaining that she had been busy and didn’t have time to grab a few last-minute grocery items for her household. Instead, she placed a Walmart pickup order.

    “As soon as I got the email or the text notification that ‘David’ is preparing my order, I knew right then and there they’re going to be issues,” she says.

    She says she immediately began receiving notifications that several items were out of stock.

    “Such and such is out of stock. Do you want to replace with this?” she recalls.

    Among the items the employee allegedly said were unavailable were Ritz cracker chips, garlic dill pickle chips, and Hellmann’s squeeze mayonnaise.

    “So let’s go to Walmart and see if these items are just really out of stock or if David just was too lazy to find them,” she says.

    Haley clarifies that she never went through with the order. “I immediately canceled my full order,” she says.

    She Says the ‘Out of Stock’ Items Were on Walmart Shelves

    The first item she looks for in the video is the eight-ounce toasted Ritz chips. According to Haley, those were marked out of stock in her pickup order.

    In the clip, she films herself picking up the chips directly from the shelf.

    “David, come on,” she says.

    Next, she checks for Milo’s regular sweet tea, which she says had been marked unavailable and suggested as a zero-sugar substitute.

    Again, she finds the regular version stocked in the refrigerator section.

    “What the hell, David?” she says. “I’m starting to wonder, was David even at Walmart?”

    Haley then heads to the condiments aisle to look for Hellmann’s squeeze mayonnaise.

    “David said that Walmart was out of that,” she says, noting that she buys it often and has rarely seen it unavailable.

    She films multiple bottles sitting on the shelf.

    “Look, David. Look what I found, David,” she says.

    She continues by checking on chicken livers, which she says she uses to make her dog’s food from scratch. While she acknowledges that the store is sometimes out of that item, she says it was available this time as well.

    “Again. What the hell, David?” she says.

    It’s About More Than Just Her Order

    Beyond her own frustration, Haley says she’s concerned about how the service impacts others.

    “There are people that pay a monthly subscription to Walmart to pay for this service,” she says. “People that cannot get out and come get their own items like I can.”

    She questions what’s going on with the delivery service and says, “We need to get to the bottom of this.”

    By the end of the video, she says she feels like she’s being “punked,” as if the situation were some kind of joke.

    “The chances of Walmart seeing my little TikTok regarding this concern is not likely,” she says. “Although they need to see it. It’s a real problem. It’s annoying. And David, please be fired.”

    In the comments, viewers said they have plenty of experience with the issue.

    “Don’t get me started on the produce they select,” wrote one user.

    “I go and find the. ‘Out of stock’ items and bring them over to the pick up area for them to add to my order,” shared another. “They probably hate me.”

    “I’m one of those people that have the Walmart plus account because I am disabled,” a third stated. “This happens every time I order.”

    @haley.teague Does this ever happen to anyone else? Do you ever place an online order for the delivery person just to say it is out of stock when you know for fact, it is not out of stock? #walmart #walmartdelivery #scam #foryourepage#customerservice ♬ original sound – Haley M

    The Mary Sue has reached out to Walmart via contact form and Haley via Facebook messages for comment.

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    Ljeonida Mulabazi

    Ljeonida is a reporter and writer with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of Tirana in her native Albania. She has a particular interest in all things digital marketing; she considers herself a copywriter, content producer, SEO specialist, and passionate marketer. Ljeonida is based in Tbilisi, Georgia, and her work can also be found at the Daily Dot.

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  • ‘I don’t feel good’: Person goes to urgent care after finding ‘suspicious lines’ under her nails. Doctors immediately send them to the hospital

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    Given the high price of medical care in the United States, it’s no surprise that many find themselves putting off essential treatment, even if they have insurance.

    In fact, almost half of American adults say it’s difficult to afford healthcare costs. Additionally, around a third of American adults admit to having put off medical care due to cost concerns.

    Often, this manifests as simply waiting out the problem in hopes it gets better. However, things can occasionally take a turn for the worse, as a recent viral video shows. 

    What’s Wrong With This Person’s Finger?

    In a video with over 6.7 million views, TikToker @spenshii shows themselves looking a bit ill.

    “I do not feel good, and I just found suspicious lines under my nail, so I’m going to go to Urgent Care,” the TikToker starts. “I hope to come back and tell you, ‘You don’t have to worry about suspicious lines under your nail!’”

    The video then immediately cuts to the TikToker in the hospital.

    In the caption, they offered a further explanation of what happened.

    “It was because they suspected endocarditis!” they wrote. “I am predisposed as I have Marfan Syndrome and a history of MRSA. It can present with splinter hemorrhages under the nails. But I’m all good, looks like it’s just some other nasty infection that causes chest pain and coldlike symptoms and nausea and vomiting and aches and fatigue and brain fog and splinter hemorrhages and…”

    Subsequent videos from the creator show that they were eventually diagnosed with pneumonia. They also documented the issues they had receiving that diagnosis, as well as some of the other problems that emerged during their treatment.

    What Are Splinter Hemorrhages?

    While most users expressed concern for the TikToker, some questioned what it meant to have “suspicious lines” under one’s nails.

    The TikToker revealed their own nails in a follow-up video. Visible under the nails are several thin, small, red-brown lines.

    As the TikToker wrote in their caption, these are called “splinter hemorrhages.” In a response video, Dr. Sermed Mezher summarizes them as “one of those that can mean absolutely nothing, or be a serious concern.”

    According to the Cleveland Clinic, one of the most common ways that people get splinter hemorrhages is via trauma. For example, closing a door on your finger or getting acrylic nails put on can both cause splinter hemorrhages.

    Are They Bad?

    In some cases, the sudden appearance of these small, thin lines can indicate a serious problem. Skin conditions like nail psoriasis and lichen planus can cause this issue. So too can vasculitis, or an inflammation of the blood vessels. This inflammation is sometimes the result of diseases like antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus.

    Furthermore, bacterial infections like endocarditis are also known to cause splinter hemorrhages. Patients with chronic kidney disease have reported them as well. Finally, there is some evidence that patients can develop this issue in response to medication.

    If you find yourself with splinter hemorrhages, especially if you haven’t experienced any recent nail trauma, it’s a good idea to see a specialist. From there, they will be able to tell you if your issue is benign or something that requires further medication and treatment.

    In the comments section, many users offered their own experiences in the medical field. Often, these negative experiences resulted from their not being taken seriously. This sometimes had dire consequences.

    “One time I was pooping blood but the GI Specialist was like hmm who knows what that could be, maybe anxiety! And then 5 years later a PA finally listened to me and referred me for a colonoscopy and then they found stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to my liver…at age 32…” recalled a commenter.

    “I had painful lesions inside of my nose for an entire year that my doctor and other healthcare professionals I came in contact with just brushed off as stress even though i told them that’s not what it is. I brought it up at every check up appointment bc it was making my nose swell and it was very painful. ‘it’s probably just stress’ or ‘you make a lot of medications so it’s probably a side effect’ ?? why do they immediately go to that, I’ve been on the same medications for 2 decades,” shared another. “anyways turns out I had a full blown mrsa infection in both of my nostrils for a solid year.”

    “One time i went to urgent care with really bad period bleeding to be reassured it was a normal amount of blood loss only to be transported to the ER for a blood transfusion after i lost half the blood in my body,” stated a third.

    @spenshii

    NAIL REVEAL POSTED!!!! and that’s what you missed on glee. Edit to add: It was because they suspected endocarditis! I am predisposed as I have Marfan Syndrome and a history of MRSA. It can present with splinter hemorrhages under the nails. But I’m all good, looks like it’s just some other nasty infection that causes chest pain and coldlike symptoms and nausea and vomiting and aches and fatigue and brain fog and splinter hemorrhages and-

    ♬ Frolic (Theme from “Curb Your Enthusiasm” TV Show) – Luciano Michelini

    The Mary Sue reached out to @spenshii via TikTok direct message and comment.

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  • Virginia woman is on hunt for best luggage, gives up on BÉIS. Then she goes to Nordstrom Rack: ‘The entire set is $290’

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    Choosing the right luggage is important for traveling. Size, durability, and spaciousness can all determine how stressful your trip will be. Since there are many options available, it can be difficult to decide. When she was in doubt, Virginia Beach TikToker Nancy Hoadley (@baconandbeauty) turned to the internet for help.

    A Nordstrom Rack Quest In Search of Luggage

    After a couple of failed luggage adventures, she isn’t giving up.

    “You may have noticed that I’m taking this luggage hunt very seriously,” she says, sitting in her car. “I’m no longer hunting for BÉIS. So, I’m here at Nordstrom Rack. The brands that I’m most interested in are Away and Nobl. Let’s go in and see what they have.”

    Then, she brings more than 62,000 viewers on her adventure. As soon as the content creator enters the building, she spots a blue three-piece CalPak luggage set. “This is the first thing I see when I walk in the door. Calpak is the other one that I’m highly considering,” she says. 

    In addition, Hoadley finds the same set in green. Although she isn’t a fan, she still checks the price tags and is flabbergasted.

    “The entire set is $290 and the Beis that I was looking at was $250 for one medium size,” she says. “A little bit torn because I don’t like that color but I’m gonna look in the actual luggage section and see if they have any other colors.” 

    Was She Successful?

    Once the content creator arrives, she stumbles across a gray All About Piece set and three Calpaks in purple, tan, and light blue. Despite narrowing it down to the purple-and-tan CalPak three-piece sets, she remains indecisive. “I’m gonna decide between the purple and this pinkish brown color. So, everyone needs to help me out now, because there’s a difference in style,” Hoadley says. 

    Back in her car, she seeks advice from her audience. “I’m pretty close to deciding that I am gonna get one of those Calpak sets. So, now I need everyone to weigh in,” the content creator concludes.

    Because she feels torn, she reiterates in the caption and tags all of the brands, “Ok yall we’re getting close. My top contenders are now @nobl travel , @Away Travel and @CALPAK – I found these sets at @Nordstrom Rack .. do I snag one or hold out???” 

    Viewers Voiced Their Opinions

    Hoadley asked and viewers obliged. Out of the two colors, many preferred the tan CalPak.

    “The purple looks cheap, the beige looks higher end,” one viewer commented.

    “I like the brown. It’s giving grown up chic gal vibes,” another stated.

    “What a find! Pink/beige. You will cry the first time it gets marks on it but honestly, the trio for that price go for it girl. Beautiful score,” a third agreed.

    However, others didn’t make the dilemma easier by revealing their favorite brands.

    “My Away luggage is my best purchase of the year,” one commenter shared.

    “I caved and bought Nobl and I love it!” a second revealed.

    Which Brand Is Considered The Best?

    Of the three contenders, Hoadley is considering Away’s carry-on bags the best based on outlets’ reviews and test runs. On the other hand, Samsonite has been considered one of the best for both carry-on and sets. Good Housekeeping gave the set a number 1 score for its durability, space, and use.

    When their testers dropped the suitcase from a three-foot height at different angles, it sustained minimal damage. Next, it was able to handle a standard load of items, such as clothing, shoes, and accessories, and had extra room to spare. Finally, the zippers and suitcase glided smoothly across various twists and turns.

    Essentially, each brand is subjective and varies depending on the type of traveler an individual is.

    @baconandbeauty Ok yall we’re getting close. My top contenders are now @nobl travel , @Away Travel and @CALPAK – I found these sets at @Nordstrom Rack .. do I snag one or hold out??? ? #luggage #nordstromrack #luggagebag ♬ original sound – baconandbeauty

    The Mary Sue reached out to Hoadley via email and TikTok comment.

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    Melody Heald

    Melody Heald is a culture writer. Her work can be found in Glitter Magazine, BUST Magazine, The Daily Dot, and more. You can email her at: [email protected]

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  • Houston woman goes out of town. Then she realizes she’s missing 3 Rolexes, an $8K Chanel bag, and ammunition. Then she checks the Ring camera

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    Dog and home sitters have become a popular alternative to kennels, but just how safe is it? As TikToker Halie Hope (@halie.hope1) found out, there is always a risk.

    In the tearful clip, Hope explained what happened, earning over 57,200 views. Approximately a year ago, her boyfriend hired a woman for dog and house sitting. Over time, the couple “built trust” with the girl, even letting her host friends and have small pool parties at their home. Hopped added that they learned to count on her.

    However, after a weekend work trip, Hope returned exhausted. The next day, she woke up to find that multiple valuables were missing. These included a PlayStation, four watches (including three Rolexes), a $12,000 tennis bracelet, an $8,000 Chanel bag, an AR-15, and various other guns and ammunition.

    Through the Ring camera, Hope said that she discovered “sketchy” people entering their home to party with the house sitter. So, she decided to call the sitter and nonchalantly mention that items were missing. The sitter allegedly replied, “Oh, really?”

    Hope also said she asked for the names and numbers of the people in their home.

    The Ring camera also showed these people arriving with a pack of beer and BuzzBalls. Their faces are in full view.

    @halie.hope1 ♬ original sound – Halie Hope

    Things soon escalate

    According to the camera, they left the property at 2:30 am and returned at 4 am wearing masks. They let her eight-month-old dog out in the front yard and entered the home. This causes the dog to get agitated and bark, but, according to Hope, the sitter said she was asleep.

    Hope then went on to explain how the incident impacted her two dogs. One of them broke the kennel and peed all around it as they tried to escape, while the other couldn’t stop barking.

    Cumulatively, Hope says that close to $40,000 of “prized possessions” were stolen, while her dogs remain “on edge.”

    “I feel violated, betrayed. I don’t feel safe in my own house because they know where they live, and they know what we have,” she said.

    Since the incident, Hope shared that she was getting a new security system and that there was an active police investigation.

    “You can’t take away this feeling, you can’t take away with what you did to my dogs,” Hope concluded.

    “Just be really careful in who you have in your home and who they have in your home,” she said. “And learn from this because this is the worst feeling ever.”

    As a final note, she also advised viewers to schedule all valuables on their home insurance policy.

    Essentially, there were two types of comments. Those who sympathized with Hope, and those who believe that she could have done more.

    “I’m sorry to be the one to say this but whyyyy was this stuff at reaches way, why not lock a closet or draw?” one asked. “I’m sorry this happened but why on earth would you leave Rolex and tennis bracelets in the house when you’re gone?” a second repeated.

    And a third chimed in, “Umm why would y’all leave all that out? That’s why you need a safe. Nobody is to be trusted ever.”

    Others urged her to call the police.

    “Guns?” a fourth wrote. “Ugh! You need to report this to the police!”

    “Stealing guns is a federal offense and the ATF should be involved,” a fifth advised. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

    Similarly, a sixth said, “Make sure you press charges on her too! Don’t drop those charges no matter what! I’m so sorry.”

    Is stealing a gun really a federal offense?

    Gun theft is indeed a federal offense.

    Federal laws governed under the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) dictate that stealing a gun is a serious crime, for which you can face up to 10 years in prison.

    According to Cannon & Associates’ law firm, stealing a firearm is a crime regardless of a gun’s value because the weapon can be used to commit other crimes.

    TikToker opens up about the theft in an interview with The Mary Sue

    In an Instagram direct message interview with The Mary Sue, Hope shared that, while the police investigation was still ongoing, two arrests had been made (although none of them were the house-sitter). She also shared that none of her belongings had been recovered.

    “I wanted to make a TikTok about this happening to urge people to make sure they list their valuables on their homeowners policy in case an incident happens,” she explained.  In our case, we are not able to get any compensation because our valuables were not scheduled on the policy. And secondly, I wanted to remind people to be very careful on who they allow in their homes and who they trust.”

    She added that while the reception to her video has been “great,” she also received some hate comments questioning why valuables weren’t in a safe. “The main takeaway is that you can never be too careful when it comes to protecting your home,” she concluded. “Security, locks, and insurance are very important.”

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Charlotte Colombo

    Charlotte is an internet culture writer with bylines in Insider, VICE, Glamour, The Independent, and more. She holds a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from City St George’s, University of London.

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  • ‘Don’t trust the staff’: Woman checks into Tennessee Best Western. Then someone starts ‘body slamming’ against her door at 11pm

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    A woman staying at a Franklin, Tennessee, Best Western had an unsettling experience when someone started “slamming” into her hotel door late at night. 

    TikToker DraperDestinations (@draperdestinations) booked a hotel for her family as part of a relaxing vacation, describing the incident in a video with over 131,000 views.

    The very first night they stayed there, they heard someone urgently trying to enter their room. The Mary Sue has previously reported on two different incidents where guests at varying hotel chains had employees try to enter their rooms while they were inside. But, in this situation, hotel staff may have actually stolen money from the family.

    Later, their room was cleaned without their explicit permission. Someone had rummaged through the files the family brought with them. Eventually, they saw a charge for a $2,000 withdrawal on their bank account that they did not make. 

    What happened at this Best Western stay?

    Everything about the family’s stay at the Best Western was normal at first. The staff were friendly and asked straightforward questions, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. 

    But, later in the evening, during the first night of their stay, the family heard someone physically slamming their body into their door. 

    “ Somebody started shaking our door pretty aggressively and body slamming against it,” DraperDestinations said. “We had all of the door locked… so it didn’t affect us, but it scared us.”

    The next morning, the family went to the front desk to tell a manager what had happened. They asked staff at the hotel to pull the cameras, giving someone working the front desk their room number. 

    The front desk clerk agreed, stating that the hotel would pull the cameras and see who was working that night for the family. The family left, satisfied with how the conversation panned out, and went to do activities in town. When they returned to the hotel at around 7 p.m., another manager was working the front desk. When they asked about their previous inquiry, they immediately received flak. 

    “ He was really shifty and shady about that option or us even needing to have the cameras pulled,” DraperDestinations told her audience. “He acted like it was a non-issue, stating that there was no reason to call 9-1-1.”

    The manager stated that if something happened in the future, they should just call the front desk. This bothered DraperDestinations, who felt as if her concerns weren’t considered seriously.

    Still, the family went upstairs to stay a second night in the hotel. 

    The family checks out the room and realizes someone cleaned it

    When they returned to their hotel room, they decided to do a “door lock test.” They fidgeted with the door handle for their room to see how it unlocked and turned. 

    “ The only time the doorknob turned was if you inserted a key for that room,” DraperDestinations said. “If you didn’t put a key in the doorknob on, the backside did not move.” 

    They then realized the room had been reset by someone with a key. Someone had straightened the pillows, restocked the towels, and replenished toiletries in the room. 

    DraperDestinations saw that a folder that was zipped up in a duffel bag was strangely “out.” She realized that someone who entered their room may have rummaged through their belongings, fishing out the folder and placing it out. 

    Within a short period, they got a notification that someone had withdrawn $2,000 from their banking account. DraperDestinations mentioned that the folder being placed out and the withdrawal happened too close together to be a coincidence. For that reason, she implied that a hotel staff member may have stolen their personal information. 

    In the TikTok’s comments section, viewers told DraperDestinations that she needed to call law enforcement as soon as possible. 

    Identity theft and fraud cases should be reported as soon as possible. It can generally help law enforcement narrow down suspects and aid in the case’s development. It can also help prevent additional credit hits due to heavy withdrawals or purchases on unaccounted cards. 

    “I would had called 911 when I saw the folder moved. I would not left until you knew who cleaned the room,” said one commenter. “We carry guns when we travel.”

    It’s unclear whether or not DraperDestinations called the police later on, although she did not do so while staying at the hotel. She barred the door to the room instead. 

    Viewers questioned why she didn’t immediately tell the front desk or call law enforcement, and Draper Destinations stated, “Honestly, I don’t know. I am such a diplomatic person that I try to think of all the possibilities and not go straight to thinking something bad. But today when our bank was hacked I realized I wasn’t crazy and it was an actual issue.”

    @draperdestinations Not every smile behind a front desk means you’re in safe hands. Hotels are businesses, and not everyone working there has your best interest at heart. Staff come and go, background checks aren’t always as thorough as you’d think, and access to master keys, guest information, and personal belongings is part of the job. That’s a lot of trust to hand over to strangers you just met. Rooms get entered when you’re not there. Personal items are left out. Credit cards are swiped. Luggage is handled by people you don’t know. Most employees are honest and hardworking, but it only takes one bad apple to turn a relaxing trip into a nightmare. Lock your valuables up. Use the deadbolt. Keep your important items with you. Being polite is good but being cautious is smarter. Trust is earned, not automatically given just because someone is wearing a name tag. #bestwestern #hotelstaff #trafficking #identitytheft #draperdestinations ♬ J 無音 – J

    The family has made no subsequent updates regarding the situation. We’ve reached out to DraperDestinations via TikTok direct message for comment. We’ve also contacted Best Western’s press team via email.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Rachel Thomas

    Rachel Joy Thomas is a music journalist, freelance writer, and hopeful author who resides in Los Angeles, CA. You can email her at [email protected].

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  • ‘These young people do anything’: Server wears under-eye and pimple patches at work and the whole internet has turned against her | The Mary Sue

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    We’ve all seen the shift in workplace culture over the last few years. You know, hoodies in the office, “quiet quitting,” and the general death of the starched uniform. But a recent viral TikTok has the internet drawing a hard line at skincare patches.

    In a viral video, Emma Cecelia (@emmaceceliaa) opened up about a server sporting a visible acne patch while waiting tables. And the internet’s verdict has been anything but soothing. The video has sparked a massive debate about the boundaries of hygiene and professionalism in the food industry. 

    The argument was simple. We’re all for self-care. But there’s a difference between doing a face mask in your living room and wearing a literal bandage designed to draw out impurities while carrying someone’s dinner.

    The Server was in the middle of her shift, and her skincare routine

    The imagery that Cecelia draws in the video is a total online nightmare for anyone with a sensitive stomach. Seeing a hydrocolloid patch right next to a plate of pasta is a bridge too far for many. These patches work by absorbing fluids from a blemish. So, obviously, nobody wants that in their dinner.

    Wearing such patches to work is a breakdown in the unspoken social contract of dining out. And seeing servers treat their workplace like a spa room is an indication of a much deeper issue. This generation has become so accustomed to authentic online life that they’ve forgotten to draw a line between personal and professional work.

    Cecelia argues that wearing a pimple patch at work isn’t cute or relatable. It’s an oversight in basic food safety and presentation. 

    Pimple patches? Okay maybe. But under-eye patches are a clear hygiene what-if

    The real problem here isn’t just the aesthetic; it’s the logistics. Hydrocolloid patches aren’t permanent fixtures. They can, and do, fall off, especially in a high-heat, high-sweat environment. And what fits the bill better than a busy restaurant kitchen or dining floor? 

    The thought of a used eye or pimple patch ending up in a side of ranch is enough to make any customer ask for the check immediately. It’s also a failure of management that this was allowed to happen in the first place. Where were the supervisors or coworkers to point out that a yellowing star or a translucent circle on the cheek isn’t part of the approved uniform? 

    Yet, some people called the pimple patch acceptable, for they are more adhesive than under-eye patches. But they drew an immediate line at the latter. In an industry where hairnets and gloves are standard for safety, a facial bandage designed to collect gunk is a massive red flag.

    Nobody took the servers side, except the manager who said nothing

    The comments section of Cecelia’s TikTok was a unified front of “no thank you.” Everyone, from veteran servers to disgusted diners, weighed in on the lack of professional standards. “It’s absolutely weird. We do not need to get comfortable like that, especially in a restaurant,” one user shared, perfectly capturing the sentiment. 

    “No that’s kinda gross. What if they fall off in my food?” another added, voicing the collective fear of every person who has ever found a stray hair in their meal. “As a server, yeah no. That isn’t professional for serving at a restaurant,” a third stated, proving that even industry peers aren’t defending the move.

    The generational gap was also on full display. One user noted that “these young people do anything” without considering the context of their environment. Another even asked, “Why isn’t boss/management/coworkers ANYONE saying ANYTHING?”

    Wear skincare patches in your bedroom, not the dining room

    There’s a simple argument here. The experience of eating out should not involve wondering about the structural integrity of your server’s skincare routine. We’ve reached a level of cynicism where basic hygiene is being rebranded as “just being yourself.” But the idea that “everything goes” in the modern workplace is clearly unwelcome by almost everyone. 

    If you run a diner, you might want to get your employee handbook updated to include a “no clinical treatments on the floor” policy. And servers, maybe save the patches for your 8-hour sleep cycle, not your 8-hour shift.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Kopal

    Staff Writer

    Kopal primarily covers politics for The Mary Sue. Off the clock, she switches to DND mode and escapes to the mountains.

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  • TikTok to launch local feed that taps users’ geolocation data

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    TikTok said Wednesday it’s rolling out a new local feed that shows videos from nearby businesses and services based on users’ precise geolocation data.

    Users of the social media platform will now see a new tab on their app called “Local” that leads to content related to nearby travel, events, restaurants and shopping, as well as posts from local creators, the company said in a statement. The local tab won’t appear in accounts owned by people younger than 18, those who have a private account or who set their privacy settings to “friends” or “only you,” it added. 

    The service is rolling out after TikTok drew backlash in January when it updated its privacy policy to state that it may collect “precise location information” from users’ devices if they enable location services in their device settings. Some users described such data collection as “invasive,” although TikTok’s terms noted that people could turn off the geolocation tracking in their settings. 

    On Wednesday, TikTok emphasized that sharing geolocation data is voluntary and that other apps rely on similar information about their users. 

    “This approach is consistent with how many modern apps use location today and gives people the choice to enable it when they want more relevant, local experiences, while keeping them in control,” TikTok said. 

    TikTok said that geolocation tracking is set to “off” by default and, if turned on, will only be active when the app is in use. 

    The social media service rolled out the new privacy policy in January on the same day that it split from its prior owner, China-based ByteDance. TikTok’s new ownership includes software maker Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX, which together own a combined 45% of the company. 

    Another 35% stake in TikTok is owned by eight other investors, including Dell CEO Michael Dell’s personal investment office. ByteDance will retain 19.9% of the business, just below the 20% ownership cap allowed under federal law.

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  • ‘It is the worst product I have ever purchased in my life’: NYC woman buys BÉIS bag as personal item. Now she’s deinfluencing you

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    Not every influencer-approved product lives up to the hype. One New York City woman learned this the hard way after purchasing a BÉIS bag she thought would upgrade her travel game—but instead, it’s what she calls “the worst bag on planet earth.”

    Here’s which celebrity-backed brand is to blame.

    NYC Woman Warns Against Viral BÉIS Bag

    In a trending video with more than 17,000 views, content creator Andrea Tamanas (@andreatamanas0) shared her brutally honest review of a BÉIS bag she’d recently purchased as a personal item for flights.

    “Do not order this bag for any reason,” she says. “It is the worst product I have ever purchased in my life. I think it’s also the worst bag on planet Earth.”

    Tamanas had initially been drawn to the bag’s sleek leather design, thinking it would be a cute upgrade from her usual backpack.

    “My mom said this looks like what doctors used to come to your house with back in the day so now I can’t unsee it and now I think it’s ugly,” Tamanas explains.

    Plus, she points out that many airlines might not accept it as a personal item because it’s too big, and even if they do, the bag takes up so much space under the seat that “you’re probably gonna be uncomfortable.”

    And it’s not practical at all when it’s actually filled up; the ergonomics make it too uncomfortable to carry when heavy.  

    “I did the mistake of not having a carry on during this trip and so basically I was lugging this around with me the whole time,” she says. “I dislocated my shoulder and I’m like not even being dramatic.”

    And the hardware is already rusting and making sounds. 

    “Do not buy a BÉIS bag. That’s all I have to say,” she concludes.

    What Counts as a Personal Item?

    If you’re planning to use a bag as your personal item on a flight, size matters, and airline rules can be surprisingly strict.

    According to NerdWallet, personal items should typically fit under the seat in front of you. For most airlines, that means dimensions shouldn’t exceed 18 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 8 inches high. Examples include purses, laptop bags, small backpacks, and briefcases.

    But here’s where it gets tricky: each airline sets its own rules. Delta specifically states that personal items are things like purses, small backpacks, and laptops. American Airlines caps personal items at 18″ x 14″ x 8″. Alaska Airlines doesn’t list specific personal item dimensions but expects passengers to be able to lift anything going in the overhead bin themselves.

    A bag that’s too large for under-seat storage might get you flagged at the gate and you may be forced to pay to check it.

    The Verdict on BÉIS Bags

    BÉIS luggage has become internet famous thanks to celebrity founder Shay Mitchell and countless TikTok endorsements. But buyer reviews paint a more complicated picture.

    On Trustpilot, BÉIS holds a 1.8 out of 5-star rating based on 216 reviews. A whopping 77% of reviewers gave the brand just one star. Common complaints include broken zippers, peeling vegan leather trim, and poor customer service experiences.

    Good Housekeeping put BÉIS luggage through rigorous lab testing and found mixed results. While the bags didn’t dent during drop tests, they scratched and scuffed easily, especially around edges, zippers, and handles. Testers noted the textured matte finish helps hide damage better than shiny suitcases, but recommended using a magic eraser to buff out marks.

    The magazine said BÉIS works best for casual travelers who only fly a few times per year and don’t mind babying their bags. Frequent flyers might want to invest in more durable brands. 

    As one Good Housekeeping editor put it, “What it lacks in durability, Beis makes up for with premium details.”

    @andreatamanas I think the worst travel bag ever invented in the history of life. Also it’s Sunday ignore how I look #travelbag #beis #travelessentials #travel #beisbag ♬ Yacht Club – MusicBox

    What do viewers say?

    “I just got the Luka duffle and love it. Maybe try that one,” a top comment read.

    “Calpak is way better, nothing could make me buy Beis. I’m so sorry!!!” a person said.

    “I bought it. I hate it. It’s so heavy, cumbersome, and non-functional. If you’re standing still – it looks sleek/luxurious. If you’re actually walking through an airport, you’re lopsided and limping,” another wrote.

    The Mary Sue reached out to Tamanas for comment via email and TikTok direct message and to BEIS via email.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Stacy Fernandez

    Stacy Fernández is a freelance writer, project manager, and communications specialist. She’s worked at the Texas Tribune, the Dallas Morning News, and run social for the Education Trust New York.

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  • New England woman goes on 3 dates with man. Then she learns something disturbing about his past: ‘Sounds like a episode of Black Mirror’

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    Modern dating can feel a bit like playing Russian roulette, especially for women. There really is no way to tell what kind of person you’re dealing with on the other end of the apps.

    From men out to waste women’s time to dudes with terrible hygiene, it’s grim out in these streets. There are more nefarious cases, too—and a woman on TikTok has gone viral for one such case.

    What happened with her dating experience?

    In a video first posted on Jan. 8, TikToker Catalina (@missfitness______) shares a wild dating experience. It has since accumulated over 12,000 views. She says she was encouraged by her friends to go out with a guy who seemed “super nice.”

    Catalina says she “wasn’t really into him” but that the first date featured “good conversation.” So she agreed to go on a second date. She “wasn’t really into it” during this second date either, but it was still “fun.” But then, the guy’s first red flag appeared.

    “He told me he … had gotten a divorce about nine months prior to this,” Catalina says. “He had lived in London, and they had gotten a divorce in London. I did a folded background check. Everything checked out as far as what he told me, besides the London part … Kind of a red flag here.”

    Catalina then says she noticed he was “following a lot of the same-looking women that did not look anything like [her],” which she identified as a red flag—because it seemed she was not his type. During their third date, more red flags appeared.

    Alarm bells start to ring

    During the date, this guy was sweating profusely and had to drink alcohol to get the sweating to stop. This made Catalina concerned that he was struggling with substance abuse problems. At the end of the date, something held her back from getting intimate at all, so she refused a kiss. After that, she “never heard from him again.”

    “I obviously never contacted him either,” Catalina says. She says she “wasn’t really into it. I knew there was something off.”

    The plot twist? She was right. A friend of a friend ended up knowing this guy personally. And Catalina finally got all the missing details.

    “[This guy] ended up getting arrested, had to go into a mental institution, was sleeping with everybody in the mental institution, and got kicked out of mental institution,” Catalina recounts. “But the funny part about this—and it’s not really that funny—he was never really 100% divorced. He was separated. He lied about getting a divorce in London.”

    Catalina says she also found out her date “had gotten arrested in a domestic altercation with his soon-to-be ex-wife” and had “a rule that if [women] don’t put out after the third date, then he ghosts them.”

    “So he’s still on Bumble, he’s still on Hinge,” Catalina concludes. “I was right the whole time … Women’s intuition. When something is off, something is off.”

    @missfitness______ Another funny dating story ? #dating #datingadvice #foryou #viral #tiktok ♬ original sound – Cat

    What are the actual red flags when dating?

    First off, let’s define our terms. “Red flags” refer to warning signs of impending problems or dangers. Rooted in nautical and military histories of waving red banners to signal readiness for battle, the phrase has become mega-popular over the last few years. In the context of relationships, a “red flag” is slang for some kind of behavior, trait, or other personal quirk that shows someone is bad news.

    Conversely, a “green flag” signals that someone is a great romantic prospect. Traits like patience, kindness, and a strong work ethic are common “green flags.” According to Psychology Today, “Yellow flags” are behaviors that mean you should be cautious and keep an eye out for anything more serious, and “beige flags” are “generic or minor quirks that don’t reveal much about a person.”

    In terms of Catalina’s video, it’s important to acknowledge that red flags are subjective. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and all that. However, there are a few flags that experts agree are non-negotiable red.

    Did he have any red flags?

    Catalina brings up a lot of concerns in her video that deal with delicate issues. Conversations on substance abuse, criminal records, and mental health require immense nuance and sensitivity, and shouldn’t be speculated about by strangers. But most crucially, Catalina says in her video that this guy lied about getting a divorce in London, was put off by her boundaries regarding intimacy, and got in a “domestic altercation” with his partner.

    Coaching service BetterUp warns about “narcissism, aggression, victimization, or even abusive behavior.” In a similar vein, SimplyPsychology also draws a hard line against abuse and also warns of people who push to move “too quickly into intimacy.”

    The Mary Sue has reached out to Bumble and Hinge via email, as well as Catalina via TikTok comment.

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  • Woman goes on date with boyfriend—he expects them to share an entree. Was her reaction valid?: ‘Breaking up over brussel sprouts says a lot’

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    There’s no doubt that dating has always been an expensive activity. As prices increase and inflation is still high, it’s turning into a luxury to take significant others or potential partners out on a date. Now couples are resorting to splitting the bill or meal.

    While money can be the death of a relationship, so can the way it’s handled. When this woman wanted to add an extra entree, her boyfriend’s reaction boiled her blood, igniting conflict in the comments section about relationship behaviors. TikTok creator Liz (@liz_bizness) recounts the incident in her car.

    “Yesterday, I’m at dinner with my soon-to-be ex and we usually get one entree. It just depends on the plate and how hungry we are,” she says. “So, we pick the pasta, and then I say, ‘I also want to order brussels sprouts.”

    In her mind, she didn’t see a problem. “It’s fifteen dollars. You know people go out and each get a thirty plus dollar entree,” she states.

    However, the content creator’s boyfriend felt differently. “He goes, ‘Well. I thought we would just get the one thing. I don’t really wanna. I’m not that hungry,’” she recalls him saying.

    Needless to say, this ticked Liz off. “Well, I [expletive] am. Am I breaking the bank for you?” she says angrily. “I don’t think this is a money thing. You’re just really annoying.”

    Once the server stopped at their table, he subtly saved the day. “Then, the waiter comes and asks for our order. He looks at me after [ordering] the pasta and is like, ‘Oh, and the brussels sprouts,’” she shares.

    “Yes, that is literally what I said,” the content creator concludes.

    Ultimately, it isn’t the Brussels sprouts that stirred her anger, but rather the hypocrisy. “All about what he wants. I’ve seen this man spend $300 in one night on drinks. Also he loved the appetizer,” Liz explains in the caption.

    Viewers Were Divided

    The video garnered over 17,000 views. Despite the explanation, some didn’t understand why it warranted a breakup.

    “Breaking up over brussel sprouts says a lot,” one viewer remarked.

    “If you are dating and he doesn’t want to spend that much, you should pay,” a second stated.

    Meanwhile, fury was sparked among the majority for what they believed was thoughtless on her boyfriend’s part.

    “It’s not a money thing, it’s a respect thing,” one commenter wrote.

    “No he’s inconsistent, incompetent, and frugal. It’ll be hard and he’ll try to minimize your needs as time go on,” another explained.

    “If a man won’t happily feed you at a restaurant he took you to, he is not the man you want to spend your life (or time) with. And I say that as someone who happily gives to those I love,” a third said.

    Have People Become More Selfish In Relationships?

    Indeed, they have. Although the brain is naturally hard-wired to be giving and altruistic, selfish behaviors have increased over the span of decades. However, Fortune reported the pandemic drove it into full swing, especially in young people, resulting in being prone to stress, distrust, and neuroticism. Besides affecting their mental and physical health, selfish tendencies also impact relationships, with Utah State University listing the behaviors that can spell disaster:

    • Lack of empathy
    • Always prioritizing their needs
    • Avoiding responsibility
    • Lack of emotional av aiablitiyy 
    • Constantly taking but never giving
    • No compromise
    • Communication constantly revolving around them
    @liz_bizness All about what he wants. I’ve seen this man spend $300 in one night on drinks. Also he loved the appetizer #forwomen #dating #relateable #relationshipstorytime #absurd ♬ original sound – liz

    The Mary Sue reached out to Liz via TikTok comment and direct message.

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    Melody Heald

    Melody Heald is a culture writer. Her work can be found in Glitter Magazine, BUST Magazine, The Daily Dot, and more. You can email her at: [email protected]

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