During the first week in March, The Montclarion will be publishing content related to the two-year commemoration of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the effect it has had on Montclair State University’s campus community #Since2020.
Over the years, there have been many social platforms like Vine and Triller that have shifted pop culture. But nothing like TikTok. And no, I’m not talking about Kesha’s hit song.
In March of 2020, an asteroid, or what felt like an asteroid, hit Earth. One minute we were outside conversing with each other. Next, we were in isolation surrounded by four walls.
But we can all thank the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic for blessing us with the rise in popularity of a gem that is known as TikTok: a social media platform where anyone can film, share short videos to express themselves and potentially go viral at any moment.
It was a form of entertainment and a way for the world to connect during a chaotic time.
It’s definitely safe to say it became a worldwide sensation with the creation of new trends every week. From singing and dancing to comedy, cooking and ASMR, TikTok has it all.
Here are some viral trends from 2020:
1. Whipped Coffee
Whipped Coffee is the new cold brew with cold foam.
Sekhena Sembenu | The Montclarion
For all my Starbucks lovers, including myself, we couldn’t leave the house; the pain was real. So we had to become inventive, which landed us on whipped coffee. What better way to consume our daily coffee than by whipping it up right in the comfort of our homes?
Whipped coffee essentially became our new cold brew with cold foam.
We mixed equal parts of instant coffee, sugar (brown or white) and hot water in a bowl until it became a creamy, caramel texture. Then, we filled a glass with ice, milk and topped it off with our magical mixture.
It tasted as good as it looked, and honestly, it saved us from spending $5 every day.
2. “Bored In The House” Challenge
Sophomore journalism major Sekhena Sembenu sits at home in utter boredom.
Sekhena Sembenu | The Montclarion
From watching every Netflix show or movie to online shopping and doing puzzles, we did everything. But by the third week of isolation, many of us were left with nothing to do.
Bored is an understatement, and clearly, Curtis Roach felt the same way. Roach created the “Bored In The House” challenge where creators could lip-sync to his lyrics and show off their shenanigans, typically comical activities that kept them occupied.
This challenge once again brought the world together, and in many ways, it felt like a celebration of boredom. Weird, I know.
3. Pancake Cereal
Pancake Cereal is similar to the size of Cheerios but tastes better.
Sekhena Sembenu | The Montclarion
Just like the whipped coffee, we had to spice up our cereal. So pancake cereal was created and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like.
This recipe involved the same steps as making regular pancakes, except you created miniature pancakes similar to the size of Cheerios, using a piping bag or a squeeze bottle.
You could eat it with milk or make it fancy by adding different toppings like honey, Nutella, fruit and syrup.
It was easy peasy lemon squeezy.
4. “Blinding Lights” Dance Challenge
Sekhena Sembenu (right), Natalie Patterson (left) and Luisa Davila (center) dance to “Blinding Lights.”
Sekhena Sembenu | The Montclarion
Based on a song by The Weeknd, the “Blinding Lights” challenge had all of us sweating off those quarantine pounds.
This upbeat challenge was done with three people or by yourself imitating a specific dance routine.
Whether it was doctors and nurses on the frontline or people isolated at home, this trend had everyone on their feet.
In essence, I think everyone said, “Forget a home workout. This is my workout.”
5. “I’m Just A Kid” Challenge
Marion Sembenu cradles her daughter, Sekhena Sembenu.
Sekhena Sembenu | The Montclarion
Comical and sweet, the “I’m Just A Kid” challenge was a trip down memory lane: something we all needed considering the times we were in.
With Simple Plan’s song, “I’m Just A Kid” playing in the background, we recreated a childhood photo with our parents or siblings and made sure we wore clothes similar to those in the original photo.
The pictures ranged from adults cradled around their parents’ hips to family holiday cards.
6. Purse Challenge
Sekhena Sembenu “gently” slaps Natalie Patterson (left) with a purse as Luisa Davila (center) goes about her business.
Sekhena Sembenu | The Montclarion
The purse challenge was just another way for us to pass time, but it had to be the funniest of all.
Unlike the previous trends, the purse challenge required some props: any type of bag or household object, a car, a boyfriend/girlfriend and some friends.
When least expected, one would reach into the backseat, grab an item and purposely but “gently” smack the other person with it multiple times to get their reaction. One couldn’t help but laugh as the other person just sat there in pure confusion.
It definitely brought us back to the YouTube days.
7. Childhood Cringe Challenge
Young Sekhena Sembenu attempts the infamous Snooki poof.
Sekhena Sembenu | The Montclarion
Like I stated before, being bored left us with literally nothing to do. So our next move was to expose ourselves. Not literally though.
We all have embarrassing and cringey childhood photos, and if you don’t, you’re totally lying.
This turned into a huge trend of us digging up some old photos of ourselves when we assumed we were being “super cool,” but in reality, we looked like a hot mess.
From Hannah Montana and Snooki to high fashion models and waxed eyebrows, we really thought we were the main characters.
This trend was pure gold.
Without a doubt, TikTok took over and rebranded the entertainment world. The conditions we were enduring in 2020 with being isolated weren’t easy, but hundreds of trends kept us occupied and connected. It’s safe to say TikTok did us some good.
