THE ROAR EXCUSE MEME? by Jasper Beckman '18 Memes. A source of unparalleled humor that are enjoyed by all; young and old, boy and girl, the funny and the boring. But do they have an actual effect on the lives of students? Do they personally affect students, or the way they study? Simply: yes. Thousands, maybe millions of memes circulate through our instagrams, snapchat stories, and even on Facebook for those who still use the platform. They shed light in a world of constant darkness and distract us from the plethora of horrible things going on in the world. What about where the students come from? Does nationality play a role in our enjoyment of Kermit the Frog photos, or of that woman so desperately trying to figure out simple math equations? How does the students racial background influence the simple joy of a meme? Kristine Werschler, a senior from Washington (U.S) had a lot to say on the matter. “Memes definitely affect on my life. They make me feel like I’m not the only one struggling in this world.” It’s true, find any meme on instagram and scroll through the comments. Thousands of users from all over can be seen saying “me,” or tagging their friends, writing “us.” Frida Sacuiu, a senior from Stockholm, Sweden shared a similar view on meme’s. “They make me feel like I’m not alone.” Lærke Blix from Copenhagen, Denmark, had a different view of meme’s. “They have no affect on my life, sure they’re funny, but no affect.” She definitely had a different sentiment than many of the other students, but she may be lucky for it. I, as well as hundreds of other students know all too well the problem with enjoying meme’s. The distraction. How many times have you found yourself scrolling through your instagram explore feed for hours on end? Wasting hours staring at an illuminated screen, occasionally commenting “I’m dead,” or “I’m actually laughing so hard,” when in reality you’re sitting on your bed, perfectly alive in the darkness of your room, making literally no noise at all. How many of those hours could we spend studying? Going out with our friends? Doing community service? It seems like meme’s are a waste of our time, but times are hard for high school students. With overwhelming amounts of work, commitment to sports, and eventually college applications, it’s necessary for students to get some peace of mind. “It relieves stress,” says Olivia Haunsø from, every where, practically. Indeed, it does. The occasional laugh is definitely helpful with relieving stress, and for that I, and others, are very thankful. What’s better, a cheap laugh or a college acceptance? The answer to that question still remains a mystery. What I can answer is today is that students from around the world share a mostly similar view of the silly electronic images. It helps with stress, and creates a virtual platform that kids can express their feelings freely on. Memes unite students, but beware: eventually you’ll find a meme that reminds you of everything you’re neglecting in your life to be on your phone.
illustration by Francisco Suarez '22