The Skinny's Ins and Outs for 2026

OUT: Doomscrolling

I dread to think of the number of hours I wasted scrolling on Instagram in 2025. I’ve much better things to do in 2026, although I might check back periodically on that chef/farmer I have the hots for. You know the one. [JD]

IN: Reading in micro chunks

“But what do I do during all those boring chunks of the day (queueing, busing, pooing, etc) if I can’t Doomscroll?” I hear you ask. Get used to carrying a good paperback around and reading a few paragraphs at a time rather than reaching for your phone. [JD]

OUT: AI, obvs

I don’t want to hear another thing about it, like ever. [EA]

IN: Having a good think.

…and not letting AI do it for you. [RA]

IN: Newspapers

No more infinite news. Read some pages and throw them away. [AB]

OUT: Glasgow food influencers

I recently saw a guy recommend a Japanese restaurant in Partick while also saying he’d never tried miso soup before. There are a couple of exceptions, but on the whole, these people don’t like food; they like free food. [JD]

IN: Beans

They’re delicious. They’re cheap. And if we all ate more beans and less meat, the climate apocalypse might be averted. [JD]

OUT: The new wave of chain coffee shops

Because the coffee is disgusting. [RA]

IN: Old man pubs

The drinks are cheaper, the atmosphere is better, and you’re guaranteed some good banter at the bar. My fave no-nonsense pubs in Glasgow are The Doublet, The Laurieston, The Rose Reilly, The Allison Arms, The State or The Arlington, while in Edinburgh try The Blue Blazer, Bennets or Diggers. [JD]

OUT: Stodgy Italian restaurants muscling in on beloved pizzerias

I don’t think I’m alone in thinking my favourite pizza joint has gone a bit downhill following a recent expansion. [JD]

OUT: 3D printing [RW]

IN: Whittling

Whittling here representing craft, the handmade, the human presence in the creation of objects. We’re bringing back the Arts and Crafts movement, basically. [RW]

OUT: Queuing

Queuing at bars has no place in our society, fight your way to the front and then make friends with strangers to work out who’s first like a grown up. And queuing as a tourist activity needs to stop. Queuing’s for monarchists pass it on. [RW]

OUT: Spotify algorithms

Don’t let the algorithm dictate your listening habits, the algorithm is funded by major labels and everything will end up sounding the same. [TB]

IN: Mixtapes

Instead of letting the algorithm decide your music taste, ask your friend to make a ‘mixtape’ or playlist for you of stuff they think you’ll like. Make them one too! [TB]

IN: CDs

So much better than vinyl! Cheap! Tiny! [AB]

OUT: Being depressed

If you see me being depressed this year punch me in the face. [AB]

IN: Fight clubs

Specifically to provide accountability for Anahit. [RW]

IN: Leaving the flat

It’s so tempting to cocoon yourself indoors at this time of year, but by staying in, you miss out on all the random interactions that make life so fun. You know, petting other people’s dogs while out on walks, running into pals while grabbing a coffee at your favourite cafe, going for an unplanned pint after the cinema with someone you got chatting to in the foyer; the good stuff! [JD]

IN: Going to see local bands play in tiny wee venues

Arena headliners have to start somewhere and that’s in venues like Sneaky Pete’s, The Hug & Pint or King Tut’s. For the price of one arena show you could go see multiple bands in your local scene. [TB]

OUT: Cancelling longstanding music shows on BBC Radio Scotland

Having your music played or being interviewed on national radio can be invaluable for an early-career artist and can lead to airplay and recognition outwith Scotland. Down with their reasoning to make way for more ‘easy listening’ programming. No. [TB]

IN: Rep cinema

We’re so lucky to have a lively rep scene in Scotland, thanks to cinemas like GFT, Filmhouse and DCA and countless indie film clubs up and down the country. Treat yourself in 2026 by seeing as many old movies as you can on as big a screen as possible. [JD]

IN: Going out out

Guys the reason we’re all depressed is that we’re sitting in our houses not moving. [AB]

OUT: Tapping objects in videos on social media.

It’s not ASMR, it’s just annoying. [RA]

IN: Comedy not just in August

I love going to see as many dumb clowns in August as is humanly possible, but what about the other 11 months, don’t they deserve lols too? [TB]

OUT: Writing pitches with AI.

Just why? [RA]

IN: Local radio

Community radio is so important for your local music scene. Support it in any way you can – listen, tell others to listen, go to their events. [TB]

IN: Buying merch

Buying a T-shirt, record, cap or a pair of socks from a local or touring artist can make a huge difference to them. It will also make you look cool. [TB]

OUT: Cliques

We’re all in our 30s. Get a fucking grip. [AB]

IN: Second-hand fashion

There’s an unmatched thrill to finding your new favourite outfit on Vinted or in a charity shop. What’s more, you might find an absolute bargain and it’s better for the environment! [TB]

OUT: Rude emails from entitled men in bands

If you’re in a band and think I owe you something because you released an album in Scotland then no, I don’t. Learn some manners before sending that next email or I will out you. [TB]

OUT: Rude emails in general

Also tagging private accounts in Instagram rants when they haven’t consented to your following them is unacceptable. [RW]

IN: Typos

I recently got an email where a PR told me how diverse his rooster was and it made me laugh more than it probably should have. [TB]

IN: Swimming pools

Love them, love that we have so many beautiful ones easily and cheaply available in the Edinburgh city centre. [RW]

OUT: Aggression in swimming pools

I am so over (mostly) men being unhinged, aggressively overtaking people who are just swimming at the pace of the people in front of them because that is how lanes work. I get it, you hate your life because you’re terrible. Doesn’t mean you have to make my one little moment of calm stressful. [RW]

IN: Libraries

They’re very magical and I also have so much work to do. [AB]

OUT: Marathons

Because I don’t want to do one. [EA]

IN: Half-marathons

Because I want to do one. [EA]

OUT: Monogamy-shaming

I promise it’s fine for queer people to not want to spend all their time navigating relationships and boundaries. Hobbies are cool. You can live in radical friendship and community no matter your relationship structure. [MM]

IN: Walkie-talkies

Yeah you have to live next door to your friends. Make it happen. Over!!! [MM]

OUT: Amateur pathologising

I am going to go out on a limb and say that you’re about to talk a whole bunch of horseshit. [PS]

IN: ‘Being cringe’

‘Oh no, you’ve adopted a conversational posture that doesn’t fit with my carefully curated liiiiife’. Grow up: some of us are weird, or earnest, or difficult to get on with at first. Call me ‘difficult’ or call me ‘snarky’, but do not call me ‘cringe’ or I swear down I Will Get The Manager. [PS]

IN: Low-rise jeans

Listen I don’t like it anymore than you do but I simply have to be down with the kids. [AB]

IN: Straight-leg jeans

I don’t like it any more than you do, but we need to bridge the gap between ‘baggy 2000s skatecore’ and ‘late 2000s skinny jeans’ somehow, and it’s this or chinos. [PS]

OUT: Long TV series that don’t seem to be going anywhere

Waste my time once, shame on you. Waste it three or four times in a row because the autoplay’s switched on, shame on me. [PS]

IN: Long films that don’t seem to be going anywhere

Worried about your focus or attention span? Looking for a window into another world? Keen to spend the evening in a big comfy chair with the heating on? It’s called ‘A 2h30m+ Film at The Cinema’, and here’s what it means for your weekend. [PS]

IN: Ordering a bottle of wine

It is just easier. No faff, no mess; if it’s bad we’re all in the same boat, if it’s good we can have another one. It’s an entire round of drinks in one neat package. Why is no-one talking about this? [PS]

IN: Starters as Mains

Why spend all your money on one big dish, when you could fill your field of vision with a bunch of small dishes? Will it annoy the kitchen? Absolutely. Will you run out of room for plates? Indeed. Is it a good idea? Definitely. [PS]

OUT: Starters as Starters

No starter for me thanks, just bring me a bunch of nibbles… for the table. A little bit of this, and a bit of that, and now I don’t have to steal any of your food because it’s not stealing if it’s for the table. [PS]

IN: Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way

To live your one wild and precious life, embrace these insights from Martin Scorsese’s scorned ex. [MM]

OUT: Being snatched

Why are people wanting to be super skinny again… soo boring to fight your body. [MM]

IN: The gym but not in a weird way

Don’t be obsessed, do get endorphins. [MM]

IN: Emptying the freezer

Girl it still counts as food waste if you throw the frozen leftovers away a year later. [AB]

OUT: Speaking as a small business owner

You and everyone else, buddy. [PS]

IN: Reading bby fiction

Stop reading theory and start acting, then in your downtime revisit the books you read as a kid. [MM]

IN: Animals

I’ve been feeding the birds in Lochend Park and feeling my place in the world or whatever. [MM]

IN: Grayscale on your phone

It’s the best I can do to detach myself from its grips. I might as well be on commission for grayscale at this point. [EA]

OUT: All social media forever [MM]