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The Memes That Got Us Through 2025

Image: Celebrity Jonah Hill wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and patterned red tie sits in front of a wood-paneled background, raising their left hand and displaying a silver wristwatch. The photo is centered on a gradient background with orange, red, and blue tones.
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The Memes That Carried Us Through 2025

A recap of this year’s best memes

December 16, 2025
  • John Philbin (CAS’27)
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In 2025, so many things have happened, but one thing we were never short on was memes. With a nonstop stream of pop culture moments, from Love Island to Wicked: For Good to TikTok in general, we’ve had an ever-growing supply of things to laugh about. Come along with us for a recap of this year’s best memes that capture the chaotic energy that is 2025. Enjoy!


I’m Your GRANDMOTHER!

Meme: Two people are shown in a split image; one has long red hair and the other has short blonde hair and is wearing a coral shirt with a turquoise necklace.

“Bhad Bhabie,” formally known as Danielle Bregoli, had a significant influence on pop culture after her appearance on Dr. Phil. Even years later, she still makes an impression. But honestly, her grandmother was pretty bold, too. She had the confidence to stand up to her granddaughter and tell her exactly who she is: HER GRANDMOTHER!

I’ve Played These Games Before

Meme: Individual wearing a dark jacket sits indoors in front of a crowd, with colorful lighting in the background.

Season three of Squid Game brought the start of 2025 in with a bang. But for us, this meme-worthy moment was the most memorable part about it. It’s also the perfect go-to vocal stim when friends ask for advice on a class you’ve already taken. Good luck, soldier.

Brisket and Menudo…Right?

Meme: Person with long blonde hair wearing a black top, sitting in a room with purple lighting and string lights on the wall.

Ash Trevino talking about how she would rent a hall and make brisket and menudo is just like telling your friends you’ll meet them at the esplanade at 6 am to go for a run. Is it fantastic in concept? Absolutely. Realistic? Eh…

We Just Got Eight Free Pizzas!

Meme: Person holding a stack of pizza boxes in a brightly colored room, with yellow text on the image reading, "we just got 8 free pizzas."

Sometimes, the night calls for ordering in. However, this episode of The Middle showed us a best-case scenario: getting eight free pizzas that you literally never ordered. What could be better than that?

Beyoncé Winning Album of the Year at the Grammys

Meme: People seated at a round table in a large, crowded venue with bright stage lights. One person, Beyonce, is wearing a sparkly gold dress and long gloves, another is in a dark blue dress.

After being snubbed in past years with Lemonade and Renaissance, the look of absolute disbelief on her face made us giggle. It encapsulates that relatable feeling when you finally get something you’ve been working so hard for. We’re still so happy for you, Beyonce.

Man Staring at Customer

Meme: Person in a black collared shirt standing in a store with shelves displaying luggage and bags in the background.

We know we’re supposed to be judging the Gen Z stare, but if someone looked at us like that for 30 straight seconds, we think we would be just as scared. To each their own, I guess.

Zendaya’s Hat…

Meme: Person wearing a black dress and large black hat at a press event with "Teen Vogue" and "Armani" logos on the backdrop.

Zendaya is probably one of the most influential actors of our generation. However, we can definitely say that we were a little confused to see her wearing that hat…creepy, not going to lie.

You Are the Youngest Person EVER!

Meme: Split image: left side shows a person wearing a black outfit and hat, sitting at a judge’s table with a microphone and a large drink cup; right side shows a child wearing a formal vest and tie holding a microphone, standing in front of a bright red and yellow background.

Howie Mandel, the man you are. He’s made such an impression on America’s Got Talent, especially when he interviewed this 4-year-old contestant, who was also the youngest person ever.

“67”

Meme: White number "67" displayed on a black rectangular background.

We can’t believe I’m talking about 67 on a public forum again. We’re scared that people from the future will find this blog and think this is what mattered most to humanity. Writing this, I feel like I’m back in middle school, but it’s wayyy too consequential to leave out of this list. But enough is enough. 

Love Island…but Bald

Meme: Four images of a person with a shaved head wearing a black necklace, shown in various settings including a tropical beach background and indoors with colorful decor.

Pictures of the Love Island cast with a bald filter never fail to make us laugh. It makes such intense moments unserious at a moment’s notice. And for some reason, it just feels right.

I Knew That Door Had a Lock on It…

Meme: Individual wearing a shirt and tie, sitting in a room with framed artwork and kitchen items in the background, pointing with their hand.

Stephen Zahn is definitely NOT in his flop era. Although his role in Diary of a Wimpy Kid has concluded, he still makes an impression on my screens through ridiculous memes like this. May we also suggest that this moment was the most consequential of the entire movie saga?

Poot Returns

Meme: Person in a white long-sleeve top and beige skirt stands against a wall while holding a broom. Their hand is raised, making a peace sign, with a shadow cast on the wall behind them.

If anyone remembers the iconic appearance of “Poot,” the fan-appointed title for that unforgettable Demi Lovato photo at the 2014 Royal Variety Performance in London, you know precisely what we’re channeling right now. This year, Poot made a reappearance for Halloween—and it was literally iconic.

So I’m a Boss

Meme: Person sitting on an ornate, gold-colored throne chair, showing jewelry, rings, and long nails.

There isn’t always a perfect answer for every problem, especially in college. Navigating social situations can definitely be complicated and unclear. Sometimes, the best response is just being a boss.

Cynthia Erivo Sratching Her Head (The Concept)

Meme: Cynthia Erivo being interviewed at a National Board of Review event, scratching their head, with microphones and branded background.

Whenever we can’t fathom the idea of something, our minds are transported back to this on-screen interview moment with Cynthia Erivo. I think that there’s something else we’re not talking about, though: the mind-bending concept that this meme has been used almost everywhere since this image appeared on the internet.

Don’t Make Me Call Security (DMMCS)

Meme: Animated character with green skin and orange curly hair stands behind a wooden counter, next to a sign that reads, "You must be this tall to enter big guy ride." Another purple cartoon character is below the sign.

Ice Spice and SpongeBob SquarePants were a collaboration I never knew I needed. But with the release of The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, anything can happen.

Jonah Hill

Meme: Jonah Hill in a suit and tie is sitting in an office with a wood-paneled background, holding up their hand near their head.

This look of utter disappointment on Jonah’s face sums up how most of us feel about the year 2025. 2026 can’t come soon enough.

Niche (AI) Baby

Meme: Image with stylized text and a crying emoji next to the word “Son” on a light background.

Someone created an AI baby, and people ran with it. Since then, it has taken a life of it’s own in countless comment sections on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Patrick Star Drooling

Meme: Blurry image of a cartoon character, Patrick Star from SpongeBob SquarePants, with a wide open mouth and visible front teeth.

This is the second mention of SpongeBob Squarepants in this blog; however, this doctored image of Patrick Star is too relatable to leave out. It’s precisely how students feel when they open an exam they’ve crammed for hours. Nothing’s there.

Right… Right…

Gif: An elderly women with red hair and a red sweater with a hold necklace and earrings with text on screen that says "right, right"
Gif courtesy of tenor.com

This meme resurges every year, and every time we fall for it. We have so many questions. Why did she think Krispy Kreme would actually be crispy? Does she actually believe the person answering her? Why does she sound like me pretending to understand the content after my macroeconomics lecture?

Flip It Around…

Meme: Collage of nine photos showing a woman at various events and interviews, frequently holding up her hand in a gesture with four fingers extended. One image features two women in conversation on a talk show set.

The musical-turned-movie Wicked has fascinated Hollywood and theater kids everywhere. But honestly, we’re more fascinated by how many times Michelle Yeoh has pointed out that when you flip “MM” for Madame Morrible around, it turns into “WW” for Wicked Witch. Still impressive if she came up with that, though.


We hope you’ve enjoyed going through this year’s greatest memes! There certainly has NOT been any less brain rot on our part. Happy New Year, Terriers, and have a fantastic winter break!

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