Dating, lifestyle trends and the nostalgia that comes with the 'Best of the Best': 3 reads for the weekend

From shifting romantic rules to hyper-optimisation culture and early-2000s screen nostalgia, this week’s lineup breaks down the trends shaping how Gen Z loves, self-improves, and reminisces.

Dive into three latest stories below:

01. When best of the best takes older Gen Zs back to the D3 and ABCD era
This article explores the nostalgic appeal of Best of The Best, a new Netflix comedy centred on collegiate Bollywood dance competitions and the Indian diaspora. Drawing parallels with beloved Gen Z favourites like Dil Dosti Dance and Any Body Can Dance series, it examines how the film captures the familiar mix of friendship, rivalry, romance, ambition, and dance that defined a memorable era of Indian youth entertainment.

02. The new dating flex: How are we doing love now?
This article explores how dating language has evolved in 2026, with social media influenced new terms and behaviours around romance. It reflects changing attitudes toward intentions, attraction, emotional compatibility, finances, and commitment in modern relationships.

03. Maxxed out! Inside the obsession with optimising everything
This article traces the rise of the “maxxing” trend, from its origins in gaming to its adoption by Gen Z as a way to optimise different aspects of life. It explores popular forms of maxxing while examining how social media has transformed the term into a broader self-improvement phenomenon.