By Madeline Higdon, Photo Editor

The population of America all falls into two categories: Everyone either has a kid or knows a kid; I myself fall into the second category.  

As we all fall into these two categories, surely you have heard of the trend of squishy toys – moreover, the NeeDoh craze. 

When my middle cousin heard that I work in a mall with a toy store, she was immediately interested in me buying her a NeeDoh. She is our trendsetter in the family, obsessed with Sephora skincare, Sol de Janeiro, and squishy toys. So, for my dear cousin, I purchased a purple ‘fuzz-ball,’ and naturally, I had to get one for myself as well. 

Now that I own one, I can understand the craze to a slight extent. These little things are madly addicting.  

I purchased mine for $8.99 from Titletown Toys in the Valdosta Mall, and truthfully, I thought I was undercharged. Titletown had every squishy toy imaginable in stock: butter squishies, fuzzballs, ice cubes, taba squishies, mystery dumplings, sugar squishies, squeezy popsicles, and the list goes on and on. Yet, this company did not overcharge me for my fuzzball.  

A NeeDoh fuzzball is wildly overcharged among popular retailers, hitting the shelves for a gobsmacking $40 at Walmart. Moreover, online scalpers have listed these stress toys for upwards of $500.  

Now, the burning questions: what are these things even made of? The NeeDoh website reports that the inside is filled with a ‘dough-like’ material that can stretch. From what I can see upon squeezing all of the air out of one side, the material inside is white like a dough. The outside is made of a rubber shell, and the Fuzzball, specifically, is covered in tiny, rubber ‘hairs,’ similar to those of a Koosh ball. 

I have found myself carrying this tiny little ball everywhere with me, from late-night study sessions, theatre rehearsals, and even to casual outings.  

Funny enough, it not only gives me something to do with my hands, but it helps focus my psyche. When all of my senses are being stimulated, I focus on everything coming in. Lights are bright, sounds are loud, and suddenly, I find myself unable to understand what I’m doing or hearing.  

Squeezing my little NeeDoh helps make my mind one-track, and I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I would totally recommend them to someone who might have the same experience.  

Now, yes, they are toys, and they are also a huge craze right now. However, how many items meant to be toys or stress-relief objects have been turned into a bandwagon to hop on? Fidget spinners, labubus, and now NeeDohs are all victims.  

Once the trend dies and the world moves forward with a new item to overconsume, NeeDohs inevitably will end up in a bargain bin at Five Below; it’s just the way of the world. Take the Hydroflask, for example.  

My advice? Treat it like Halloween candy. If you wait for the holiday to end, they’ll be on sale at the drugstore for 90% off. That’s the best time to strike. When the NeeDoh craze dies, that will be the best time to buy one for yourself, as there will be boxes upon boxes of backstock marked down to almost nothing.  

The NeeDoh was not something that I was intending to enjoy so much, but similar to the rest of America, I have fallen victim to yet another trend.