Best coping mechanism — joking about inevitable, tragic events. Whether you design them yourself or your timeline showcases a chock full of funny dog videos, no one can disagree that memes provide the silver lining around unfortunate events, whatever that may be.
Let’s dive into the top memes so far this year.
1. World War 3 Scare
Tensions heat up between the United States and Iran, so what do innocent American civilians do? They take to Twitter, TikTok and other social networking sites to joke about the possibility of WW3 that could arise. Although the possibility of drafting Americans into this so-called “war” seems highly unlikely, citizens joke about the possibility of being sent away to Iran without prior Army experience. All that must be said about this meme — good luck charlie.
2. “The Box” Trend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKNqEXCukzs
Boomers taking over TikTok not only brings on that shock-factor, but also hilarious entertainment galore. “The Box” has earned a well-deserved spot on the list of dance trends on TikTok. Check out this video and jam with this boomer. He knows all the lyrics and places emphasis on every word he recites. When college students hear the intro of this song come on while at the club, the crowd gets hype thinking of the dance and the meme that goes along with it.
3. Ok, Boomer
This meme reigns forever. The perfect comeback to any annoying, judgmental statement directed towards Generation Z members contains two words — Ok, Boomer. Whenever students criticize the older generation, they get upset. Meanwhile, this new “Ok boomer” comeback really gets them going, and there’s no way to explain why. This statement puts these oldies in their place and sets the record straight. C’mon, we’re not all bad.
4. NeW yEaR, nEw mE
Anyone sick of hearing the classic yet overused “new year, new me?” More often than not, New Year’s resolutions don’t work, so what is better than making fun of failing your goals as soon as the new year starts? Ditch that healthy food, skip leg day and just enjoy another month before you actually start working. Don’t be embarrassed if you have a rough time in the beginning; you have a whole year to get back on track.
5. Houston Astros Cheating Scandal
Bang, bang. Did you ever hear the banging of a bat on a trashcan during a Houston Astros home baseball game? This cheating scandal has been confirmed and can be seen all over the Internet. “As a Nationals fan, I thought it was funny to see these things considering they lost,” said Jessica Schwarz, a sophomore at the University of Maryland. Enjoy this meme and many others putting the whole Houston Astros staff on blast.
6. Super Bowl LIV
Even if you don’t enjoy watching football, you have to admit that NFL players’ touchdown celebrations stir laughter from the bottom of your tummy. Whether it be goofy dances, flips or in this case, performing resuscitations on a fellow teammate, NFL players entertain their audience any chance they can get. Highlights from this past Super Bowl, in particular, provides a bigger, broader stage for many viewers to enjoy their TD celebrations.
7. 2020 Presidential Election
No matter your political affiliation, you must admit the beef between Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders reigns superior among the many memes out there. And there’s television coverage to prove it. Whether you’re interested in the actual content of the debates or not, it’s undoubtedly fantastic to watch the dramatic (and often petty) interactions between presidential candidates.
8. Baby Yoda
Stealing the hearts of Star Wars fanatics everywhere, the Baby Yoda character gained a huge fanbase with the release of Mandalorian on Disney+. Baby Yoda is small and cute just like a human baby… but with green skin. “I was never a big Star Wars fan. The movies themselves never really intrigued me. However, after seeing all of the pictures of baby yoda, he was just the cutest thing. I really wanna watch the series now solely so I can see the cutie,” said Schwartz. Memes of Baby Yoda range from hilarious to just plain adorable, and he will undoubtedly spark a smile on the gloomiest of days.
9. The Bachelor Champagne Ordeal
The Bachelor kicked off its new season with mind-numbing drama…over a champagne bottle. How much more dramatic can these girls be? The involved contestants thought this conflict would ever die down, but it has, unfortunately for some of us. Looking back, it seems pretty miniscule, but it never fails to spark laughter.
10. Joe Goldberg from You
We can all agree that Joe from the Netflix series You is creepy. Some memes out there are creepy too, but most invoke laughter. These memes are absolutely dominating Tik Tok and Twitter. Students can’t help but chuckle every time they hear “you…are special.” Users of these sites even find themselves putting on their own baseball cap and imitating this man on a mission.
