Lately, my Facebook and Pinterest accounts have been flooded with pictures like these …
Pictures with corresponding inside jokes about our university? Score.
Minor confusion about the relevance of Willy Wonka and “THE” Ohio State University? Yes.
These nifty little icons that have been blowing up the internet are called “memes.” Get excited, collegiettes, because here is your go-to guide to understanding the true meaning behind what you’ve been laughing at while you should’ve been studying for your midterms. (Don’t deny it … )
What IS a “meme?”
Good ol’ Wikipedia defines a meme as being “used to describe a concept that spreads via the internet.” It can be a picture, phrase, or video that goes viral on the web.
Solving the curious case of Willy Wonka and “THE” Ohio State University …
So, just what do the pictures in memes mean? Here is your quick fix to understanding the frequently occurring faces and images behind the text that you find so entertaining.
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SOCIALLY AWKWARD PENGUIN: When you see this meme, the word “awkward” should immediately pop into your head. When the cartoon penguin with surrounding blue background appears, prepare to exclaim, “Oh my gosh, I hate it when that happens!”
- FOREVER ALONE: This oddly-shaped rock head can quickly be identified as the “forever alone” meme. Whenever spotted, brace yourself to encounter a situation that ends in the sad realization of being alone.
- CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: These memes are probably some of my personal favorites. When the “challenge accepted” face is shown, be ready to laugh. Drawn from the show How I Met Your Mother, this meme symbol is one of the most widespread and entertaining.
- CREEPY WONKA: Finally, the question I’ve been asking from the beginning will be answered. Although I’d like to think that all of “THE” Ohio State University has won Golden Tickets, the funny picture of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka merely sets up a meme to say something snappy and sarcastic.
- SUCCESS KID: This meme is for those times when you feel like celebrating. The top statement presents something; the bottom exclaims the success that was achieved. To top off the meme, a baby triumphantly clenching his fist is shown.
So, do the images blowing up your newsfeed make more sense now? Of course, there are hundreds, probably thousands, of these little icons floating around the web just waiting to be deciphered. Next time you’re curious about an image, check out http://knowyourmeme.com/ for a description, along with examples of the meme you’re mulling over.
Sources: http://knowyourmeme.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_meme