At Shenendehowa High School, a stress toy called NeeDoh Nice Cube has become the next must-have classroom accessory. The squeezable cubes, which retail for around $6 at most stores, have exploded in popularity among students in recent weeks.
From Stanley cups to Labubu keychains, Shen students have watched product after product take over the school only to fade weeks later. NeeDoh is the latest addition to that cycle, raising questions about what makes certain items catch on so fast and whether students are buying them out of genuine interest or social pressure.
Sophomore Anna Gamble said the appeal is simple.
“It’s really satisfying,” Gamble said. “A lot of people like them because they reduce stress.”
Sophomore Julia Loomis agreed, saying NeeDoh cubes have become a classroom staple during high-pressure moments.
“They’re good to use while you’re taking a test because it gets rid of your anxiety,” Loomis said. “They’re fun to use, and it passes the class quicker because it distracts you.”
However, not every student is using the toy as intended.
“Some students have been imprinting their notes on their NeeDoh Cubes to use them during exams,” said junior Ryan Richard.
Despite the hype, students said past trends have taught them that most hyped-up products do not last. Both Loomis and Richard estimated that popular items typically hold students’ attention for about a month before losing their appeal.
“I feel like the hype doesn’t last very long, because then you just move on to the next thing that’s exciting,” Gamble said.
Whether NeeDoh will follow the same pattern or prove to be more than a passing fad remains to be seen. But even trends with short lifespans carry significant social weight at Shen, and students said the pressure to participate starts almost immediately.
Gamble said that pressure is hard to ignore.
“If everyone has one, you want it for yourself,” she said.
Senior Tatiana Griffin-Braaf said she also feels the social pressure, even though she tries to resist it.
“I like to think I don’t buy trendy items,” Griffin-Braaf said. “I buy items that I like.”
Still, Griffin-Braaf said she feels pressure to participate when a product is all over the school. The desire to fit in, she said, is difficult to separate from genuine interest.
Not all students feel that weight equally. Junior Jade Farnsworth said she tends to avoid products at the height of their popularity and would only consider buying a NeeDoh months after the hype dies down.
“I don’t really buy trendy items, but I feel like I buy them after they’re trendy, sometimes,” Farnsworth said. “If I were to buy a NeeDoh, I feel like it’d be in five months.”
Richard said cost is what keeps him out of the cycle altogether.
“I don’t got money, man,” Richard said. “I’m broke.”