First World Problems

by Abby on April 25, 2012

Twitter birdIf you know me at all, you know I love me some Twitter. I like my social media how I like my exercise classes: fast-paced, simple, and fun. Unlike, say, Facebook, where one of my high school friends recently added me to a 20th reunion group and now I get 50 emails a day from former classmates posting hideously embarrassing photos from senior year. HOW is that FUN?! And yes, I am old. Moving along…

As Twitterphiles know, you can use hashtags to mark relevant keywords or categorize tweets. Some are serious – say, #healthyliving or #amwriting – while others are meant to be funny, such as the Charlie Sheen-inspired #tigerblood or #Disneypickuplines.

One of my personal favorites is #firstworldproblems. Basically, this is the Twitter version of your parents telling you to finish your tuna noodle casserole because there are starving children in Africa. It’s a way to vent about something while acknowledging that your complaint is trivial in the grand scheme of things. Here are some examples I found on Twitter just now:

Not enough strawberries in my Special K. #firstworldproblems

I want to go to Zumba, but I don’t want to lose my parking space outside my flat. #FirstWorldProblems

My electric toothbrush ran out of batteries. #FirstWorldProblems

There’s nothing quite as sad as a spilled cup of morning coffee. #firstworldproblems

I have lobster stuck in my teeth #firstworldproblems

There are even Twitter accounts dedicated solely to this hashtag, like @firstworldme and @firstworldlife.

Sometimes I find myself mentally hashtagging my thoughts as I go about my day. Like I’ll be in line at the grocery store, frantically trying to pay for my rainbow Goldfish crackers and organic hot dogs and make it to preschool pickup on time. I might think, “Who thought self-checkout was a good idea?! This guy in front of me is looking up every produce code from avocado to zucchini! I’m going to be here ALL DAY!!” That, my friends? Is a #firstworldproblem.

Same with: “The neighbors’ landscapers are ruining the baby’s nap” and “There is NEVER a parking space in front of Starbucks when it’s raining” and “I hate when I get stuck w/ Time mag @ the gym instead of USWeekly.” BTW, it was while reading Time that I learned that over 49% of households in India have no toilet. NO TOILET. Now what was I complaining about…?

It’s actually a really good way to keep yourself in check and remember what’s worth getting worked up about and what’s not. As Deepak Chopra tells us, you control your thoughts; your thoughts do not control you. (#deepthoughts)

Go ahead, try it! Leave me your best #firstworldproblems in the comments, then post ‘em on Twitter if you’re so inclined. Now I’ve gotta wrap up before Bubble Guppies is over and my laptop battery runs out.

READ O’ THE DAY: Top 10 Funniest Viral Twitter Hashtags

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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

jetts31 April 25, 2012 at 8:03 am

My kids’ Nintendo DS’s are never charged. #firstworldproblem
I hate when I have to turn on my central air in April #firstworldproblem

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Ali April 25, 2012 at 8:44 am

There Are Downsides to Looking This Pretty. #samanthabrick #firstworldproblems

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Krysty April 25, 2012 at 10:40 am

Abby – so true! The other day I was racing around buying groceries before pick up and I found myself getting mad that WF was out of arugula. Really? I grabbed some spinach and got on with my day – I think it’s that tendency when the big things in life are taken care of, food, shelter, clothing (indoor plumbing!) that we waste time focusing on the small stuff that doesn’t matter…

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Nadine Feldman April 25, 2012 at 11:07 am

I’m going to remember this! Often I catch myself whining about stuff that doesn’t matter. Now I can tweet about it! Great therapy!

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Cara April 25, 2012 at 11:23 am

1. Last year we made so much money we had a huge tax bill, and now we can’t afford to re-do our deck. #firstworldproblems #humblebrag
2. Our downstairs toilet bubbles and gets the floor wet whenever I take a bubble bath upstairs. #firstworldproblems
3. USPS refuses to deliver packages to us because we live too far away from our mailbox, so I have to drive to the post office to get them or make sure to only use UPS #firstworldproblems

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N Trick Steinbach April 26, 2012 at 3:38 pm

My biggest concern these days: keeping my baby happy on the plane while we fly from Europe to the US….to sit on a beach. With my extended family. For free.

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Marina April 26, 2012 at 8:33 pm

When I started reading this I was annoyed because my sleeping baby moved out of the view of my video baby monitor #firstworldproblems. Thanks for the attitude adjustment and the laughs! Now I’ll be hashtagging my thoughts too 🙂

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Frume Sarah April 29, 2012 at 12:28 pm

In addition to mental hashtags, sometimes I think in only 140 characters.

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Butch November 7, 2016 at 11:44 pm

Your’s is the ineelligtnt approach to this issue.

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http://www./ November 15, 2016 at 10:04 am

There are angels amongst us. She did not have to wait until her red carpet ride to a glorious heaven to shine – for this moment, this beautiful angel had diamonds to do so for her.May grace and love continue to mark your path through life, dear lady. God bless you for all you do!

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