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• 17 Writing Memes That Are Too Relatable

Jackie Pearce

What Are Memes?

Why writers should enjoy memes, writing memes, 1. life as a writer, 2. grammar memes, 3. first draft jokes, 4. procrastination as a writer, 5. writing hours, 6. author humor, 7. focus for writing, 8. how we see our work vs how editors or clients do, 9. battling resistance, 10. the freelance writing life, 11. forgetting a brilliant idea, 12. spending time with a thesaurus, 13. fighting against distractions, 14. ideas as a writer, 15. finally beating writer’s block, 16. working and writing through holidays, 17. the dreaded first draft, ready to become a writer.

Writers might enjoy looking at writing memes because they often humorously capture the common struggles, quirks, and experiences that writers face in their creative endeavors.

Additionally, such memes can offer a brief but welcome break from the sometimes solitary and intense nature of writing, serving as a source of inspiration, motivation, or a good laugh amidst the writing process.

In this article, there are 17 of the best writing memes out there, but keep in mind that there are an endless amount out there for you to enjoy. This is simply for you to scroll through while you take a break (probably from a writing assignment you are putting off).

Let’s take a look at some great ones for you to enjoy!

For the most part, I can assume that almost everyone knows what memes are, but on the off chance you do not know what they are, let’s define what they are.

According to the dictionary, a meme is:

An image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by internet users, often with slight variations. Dictionary definition of a meme

When it comes to making it as a freelance writer, it can be a hard, lonesome journey. Not everyone will be able to write with people around them, or if they do, it is still a solitary venture.

Writing memes can help give you a much-needed laugh when you need it most. There is a lot of help that comedy can provide when it comes to enjoying your career .

When it comes to being a writer of any kind, so many people think our careers are different than they are day-to-day. For example, how many people think of us as starving artists who can barely afford their morning coffee?

Not everyone appreciates a good grammar joke, but most writers certainly will!

For most of us, our first drafts are… not great. What we publish to the world and what we first put down on paper are usually two very different types of writing.

Is there anything more relatable than putting off your writing? Even for the most prolific of professionals, there will be times when writer’s block is heavy and hard to get through.

Raise your hand if you are guilty of doing things like cleaning your house, doing the dishes, color coding your Google Sheets, or rearranging your closet by colors instead of actually sitting down to write?

Whether you are a night owl or a morning bird, you might be able to relate to writing at weird times.

You never know when inspiration will strike and sometimes that’s at 2 AM.

Which author do you think is the most guilty of this? Some just love to kill off characters and make the story extra painful for the reader.

Is there anything worse than when you’re in the middle of writing and someone interrupts your thought? Statistics show it can take at least 20 minutes to get focused again once you have been distracted.

This not only applies to authors, but this also applies to the freelance writing life as well. Sometimes, you will submit what you think is amazing, fantastic writing and your client or editor will think that your work is just average.

Sometimes life gets in the way of creating and it is easy to feel guilty over not spending time writing! It does not always last forever, but it certainly is hard when it does happen.

Similar to the other post about being a writer above, this is more specific to freelance writers. It is amazing what so many people think about when it comes to what the freelance writing life is like!

As a writer, you have probably had the frustrating situation of realizing that you had a great idea in the middle of the night for something to write but cannot remember it by the time you need to sit down and put that idea on paper.

This is why a lot of writers choose to keep a little notebook or voice memo recorder beside their bed.

Almost all of us can relate to the idea of needing to use the thesaurus to come up with different words to use when it comes to writing. Whether you are repeating yourself over and over with a blog you are writing, or your want to mix up your pitches to potential clients, you want to find new ways to mix up your writing.

The internet (and especially social media) is one of the greatest and also the worst things that ever happened to writers. Writers have always found ways to distract themselves, but having endless content just the click of a thumb away has made it even harder to focus.

This is why a lot of writers have to go somewhere without internet in order to get any quality writing done.

Not every idea we have as writers are always good ones! The most important part is that you keep coming up with ideas, even when they are not the best ideas.

Is there anything better than finally fighting back against writer’s block and getting some words (or even pages!) written?

Now, it is not a good idea to work so much that you completely ignore and forget to celebrate any of the holidays or fun times in your life.

However, most of us can relate to doing so either through necessity or passion when it comes to writing. Just do not forget to celebrate every once in a while!

While this one is not as funny as some of the others, it still rings true for most of us!

The dreaded first draft is often the hardest hurdle for writers to overcome, no matter what kind of writing you do. It is important to sit down, focus, and get those words out!

If you are ready to stop laughing at writing memes and start making money with your writing skills, you will want to know about the Den 2x program for freelance writers.

The Den 2x helps freelance writers grow their income and know how to succeed. The main goal is to help you focus on doubling your income, whether you’ve been working as a freelance writer for two years or 20+.

If you want to stop chasing random tactics as a freelance writer and follow a plan that has been proven to work, you do not want to miss out on this opportunity!

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20 Fun Meme Activities For Students 

March 15, 2023 //  by  Kaluki Kaluku

Memes have become a popular form of communication in the digital age. They are humorous, relatable, and easy to share; making them an effective tool for engaging students in the learning process! We’ve compiled a list of 20 meme activities that teachers can use to inject some fun into their lessons. From creating memes to analyzing and interpreting them, these activities will help students develop critical thinking and digital literacy skills while having a good laugh.

1. Meme Creation Contest

In this activity, students are asked to make their own memes about the subject being taught. Students can make memes using free online tools like Canva or Meme Generator. The teacher can then put the memes up in class or share them online to make learning fun and interactive.

Learn More: Kent Blog

2. Meme Analysis Worksheet

The teacher provides the class with a worksheet that has a variety of memes that are relevant to the subject that is being covered. The students will then examine and analyze the memes; searching for recurring themes, patterns, and messages. This helps foster the growth of critical thinking as well as digital literacy.

Learn More: Studocu

3. Meme-Based Writing Prompts

Participation in this exercise requires using memes as a source of creative writing inspiration. Students may be provided with a variety of memes and then challenged to compose a piece of writing (such as a short story, poem, or essay) that is based on the concepts and ideas that are conveyed in the memes.

Learn More: Early Mae

4. Meme Caption Writing Challenge

In order to participate in this activity, students are given a variety of memes without the accompanying captions. Then, students are given the task of coming up with their own captions; improving their sense of humor and creativity.

Learn More: Nvidia

5. Meme Review Game

To participate in this activity, students are tasked with recalling a previous lesson or section by developing memes that are relevant to the material. After then, the teacher may put up the memes and use them in a manner that is both entertaining and informative to go over the topic again.

Learn More: Education World

6. Meme Art Contest

Students are asked to design their own memes using conventional art equipment such as pencils, markers, and paper as part of the exercise. This enables a more hands-on approach to the creation of memes and encourages students to think imaginatively about the assignments they are given.

Learn More: Know Your Meme

7. Meme-Based Research Assignment

In this activity, students are tasked with doing research on a certain subject and developing memes that are relevant to the material they discover. Students’ research abilities are enhanced and they are encouraged to think creatively about the information they’re learning.

Learn More: India Bioscience

8. Meme-Based Debate

Students participate in an exercise in which they will be asked to generate memes relating to a debated subject and then use those memes to support their points. Students are encouraged to think critically about their points by adopting a more visual and creative approach to discussions.

Learn More: Debate

9. Meme Analysis Discussion Forum

During this activity, the teacher will have the students create a discussion forum in which they share and talk about memes that are connected to the subject that is being taught. Both critical thinking and teamwork are encouraged.

Learn More: Global Literature

10. Meme-Themed Trivia Game

In this activity, a trivia game based on memes associated with the lesson’s subject matter is created. Learning may be made more engaging and interactive by having students work in groups or alone to answer questions and compete for points.

Learn More: SnackNation

11. Meme Scavenger Hunt

Memes that are related to the subject being taught in class are distributed around the classroom. Then, the students are tasked with locating and studying the memes which help them enhance their analytical thinking and observational abilities.

Learn More: Alex Milsom

12. Meme Quiz Show

The activity involves the creation of a framework similar to a quiz show in which students respond to questions about memes and the subject that is being taught. This may be done on an individual basis or in groups and promotes participation as well as learning.

Learn More: Promethean World

13. Meme Storytelling Activity

Engaging in this activity requires using memes as a source of storytelling inspiration. Students have the opportunity to enhance their creativity as well as their storytelling abilities by selecting a meme and writing a tale that is inspired by the picture.

Learn More: AML

14. Meme-Based Vocabulary Lesson

Students can make memes using new vocabulary they are learning and then share them with the rest of the class; making studying more enjoyable and interactive.

Learn More: FluentU

15. Meme Creation as a Form of Reflection

As part of this exercise, students will reflect on the knowledge they’ve gained through creating memes. Students have the opportunity to generate memes that are reflective of their understanding of the topic.

Learn More: School Library Journal

16. Meme Grammar Lesson

Students have the opportunity to generate memes that illustrate various grammar rules and share them with the rest of the class. 

Learn More: Learn English

17. Meme Interpretation Group Project

This activity includes giving groups of students a meme and asking them to analyze the meaning and message behind the picture. Both critical thinking and teamwork are encouraged here.

Learn More: Ruin My Week

18. Meme Comparison Activity

This activity involves comparing and contrasting various memes that are connected to the topic being taught. In doing so, they’ll strengthen their critical thinking and analytical abilities.

Learn More: Mrs. Orman’s Classroom

19. Meme-Based Social Media Campaign

This activity involves constructing a social media campaign utilizing memes relating to the subject being taught. Students may develop memes and distribute them on social media channels to increase awareness and connect with a larger audience.

Learn More: UTA

20. Meme-Based Brainstorming Activity

In this exercise, the teacher will use memes to generate ideas that are connected to the topic that is being taught. Students have the ability to generate memes that reflect a variety of concepts and then utilize them as a starting point for further debate and investigation. This inspires both individual creativity and good teamwork.

Learn More: iFunny

Memes and GIFs for Writing Development

As a consumer of social media, I have long been fascinated with memes, particularly those that relate to topics I am invested in, like teaching, literature, or composition. Memes, usually consisting of an image file overlaid by a short text, have become ubiquitous in popular culture. Many are based on images taken from films or TV shows, while others are based on a memorable photo or pair of  photos. The humorous text references current events or everyday experiences. Similar to memes, GIF files are omnipresent in social media, particularly  reaction GIFs , which are very short video clips showing characters’ facial expressions. Both memes and GIFs can be found through a web search, but can also be created using free and easy-to-use web tools like  Canva  or  Giphy .

As much as I enjoy consuming memes and GIFs in my own social media use, I also see great potential for these formats in supporting second language learners’ writing development. Two recent publications highlight ways that language and writing teachers have drawn on these resources. In this blog post, I summarize these two articles with a focus on how they can be useful for teaching second language writing and suggest additional activities writing teachers might try to bring memes and GIFs into the classroom.

Memes as Intercultural Communication

Memes can be the basis for an ongoing discussion of culture and language between learners and native speakers of a language. In their article “ An Ecological Perspective on the Use of Memes for Language Learning ,” published in the journal  Language Learning and Technology  (2023), Yiting Han and Blaine E. Smith report on analyses of a chat group between U.S. college students learning Chinese as a foreign language and Chinese international students at their university. The researchers noticed that both the learners and the native speakers frequently used memes in their posts. When they analyzed the discussions, they found that the learners were able to increase their understanding of Chinese culture as they negotiated the meaning of the memes with the group. Han and Blaine also found that the learners were able to express their own multicultural identities when they chose and created their own memes that bridged U.S. and Chinese cultures.

This study suggests that second language writers can not only  learn about  culture from consuming memes, but also  contribute to  culture through creating memes. These are sophisticated language skills:

Being able to read, reply, reproduce, remix, or even create memes in [a second language] requires not only the ability to interpret the words, but also the ability to decipher the information hidden behind the interplay of semiotic resources (e.g., humor, cultural significance, etc.). (p. 156)

According to Han and Smith, the text chat with memes allowed learners to have fun, draw on their existing knowledge of social media, and learn slang in social context through a playful and relatable experience.

Text chats with memes could be something second language writers join outside of class, but the authors of this article also suggest ways that teachers could bring memes into the classroom. One idea is to use memes for teaching intercultural awareness by having the teacher select memes for the class to analyze as a group. Alternatively, students could individually collect memes on a topic to share and discuss with their classmates.

GIFs for Academic Writing 

GIFs similarly draw on students’ existing understanding of social media communication. In her article “ Using GIFs to Position Students as Scholars ” in the journal Prompt (2023), Jamie Henthorn describes a writing assignment that uses GIFs to link students’ informal literacies to new academic writing skills while also positioning novice writers as scholars. Henthorn notes that her first-year college writing students are often intimidated by academic articles and unsure how to read or respond to them. This assignment directs students to analyze a journal article and report on their analyses by incorporating reaction GIFs to represent personal responses to each section of the text. In teaching this assignment over several years, Henthorn has found that even students who struggle to write about their understanding of academic texts are able to find and create apt GIFs to represent that same understanding. The author comments:

GIFs are one way to make analysis feel less formal, and they provide students another way to conceptualize their reactions to a text. Beyond my course, I want my students to see themselves as scholars able to engage with and build on the research they encounter. To do this, they should learn to trust their intuitions and observations about research. (p. 13)

In making the case that this assignment also positions first-year college students as scholars, Henthorn suggests that the process of selecting GIFs helps students recognize that they are in a conversation with the text and their own readers. Students have an investment in representing their reactions accurately so that readers know what worked (and didn’t work) for them in the text. Henthorn’s assignment could be modified for many different writing tasks that require learners to react to a source, from a film or song to a novel.

Note: If you are unfamiliar with the journal  Prompt , check it out. It’s an open-access, peer-reviewed journal that publishes nothing but academic writing assignments!

Meme about teaching writing

Other Teaching Ideas With Memes and GIFs

These two articles have prompted me to think about many other ways I might incorporate memes and GIFs into my teaching. As Henthorn notes, these formats bring in a sense of fun while still challenging students to develop essential academic writing skills. Given how many memes and GIFs are freely available on the internet, students can easily search and select ones that best represent the points they want to make.For creative writing, students might choose to start with a meme and make up a story about the situation in the meme. Going the other way, students can select memes or GIFs to retell a familiar story or narrate an original story.

As Han and Smith suggest, memes can also be fruitful prompts for discussions of culture. Students might create memes that represent their home culture for an audience from a different culture. They could also remix memes from one cultural context for a different context by providing text in their new language and editing the visuals (see an example in Figure 4 of  Han and Smith’s article ).

It’s worth noting that both memes and GIFs are visual forms of communication. Alternatives for visually impaired learners might include using sound clips or adding metatext to make images accessible.

If you’ve developed any activities that connect memes or GIFs with teaching writing, please share your ideas in the chat!

02 Mar 2023

• Classroom Activities

Betsy Gilliland

About the author

Betsy Gilliland is an associate professor in the Department of Second Language Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, where she teaches courses on second language writing, teacher research, and qualitative research methods to undergraduate and graduate students. Co-editor of the   Journal of Response to Writing , she was chair of the TESOL Second Language Writing Interest Section (2019-2020) and has published in   TESOL Journal ,   Journal of Second Language Writing , and   ELT Journal , among others. She was a Fulbright Scholar at the Universidad de Atacama (Chile) in 2018.

This website uses cookies.  A cookie is a small piece of code that gives your computer a unique identity, but it does not contain any information that allows us to identify you personally. For more information on how TESOL International Association uses cookies, please read our   privacy policy . Most browsers automatically accept cookies, but if you prefer, you can opt out by changing your browser settings.

77 Funny Book Writing Memes for Authors and Writers

Hey, writers. It’s good to see you here instead of hard at work on your current writing project. Of course, we know that it’s important to have some downtime and to have a bit of a laugh, which is why we’ve collected these 77 fun memes that do a rather good job of poking fun at the truth of what it is to be a writer. Have fun checking them out. You might just see a bit of yourself in them.

“Why Can’t You Just Get Your Book Published?”

Just tell a publisher to publish the book…. You beautiful genius, why didn’t we writers think of that?

Writers When They’re Determined to Do Anything

Why finish a book when there are so many other important things to do, like, well, anything except finish? After all, the crevices in the keyboard don’t clean themselves, do they?

Getting Those Thoughts Down on Paper

It always feels like the best characters are trapped inside our big brains, but we aren’t quite smart enough to help them get out and on the page.

How I Tell a Story

Does this sound familiar? It’s not our fault. What some may see as scatterbrained, we can tell ourselves, is simply a mad genius at work.

When You Find a Typo in a Published Book

Ah, yes, the dichotomy of typos. It feels so good when you find a typo in someone else’s published book, but so bad when you see one in your own.

Red Pill or Blue Pill?

Overcomplicating things and spending hours creating the perfect Spotify playlist for a story that will never see the light of day hits close to home, doesn’t it?

Respond to Bad Reviews

All publicity’s good publicity, right? While bad reviews aren’t going to do you any favors, lashing out against a reviewer will hurt your brand… no matter how good it might feel.

Picking Between Past and Present Tenses

Few things make writers tenser than talking about tenses.

I Just Hope I Find It Along the Way

This is how a lot of great stories start . It’s also how a lot of manifestos tend to start, so be careful.

Rewriting the Beginning 50 Times

The middle is where many writers fear to tread. Surely, if you just tweak the beginning another one or fifty times, the middle will be easier.

Who’s Been Keeping Me From Writing

Writing isn’t easy, but it’s a lot harder when your biggest obstacle to getting things done is the weirdo staring back at you from the mirror.

The World Right Now

The real world can be a bummer. It’s no wonder writers spend so much time in their own heads. It’s often the best place to be.

Writing vs. Editing the First Draft

It appears you even threw the kitchen sink into the first draft. Sounds good now, but just wait until you have to edit.

Two Kinds of People 

Want to make a writer curse like Yosemite Sam and fight like a Spartan? Go ahead and dogear the pages in their favorite books.

Most Difficult Things About Writing

Admit it. We’ve all gone down the rabbit hole of character names for hours and days on end, searching for that perfect name with meaning, history, and gravitas. And then we wind up using Jack or Kate because it’s easier to type.

The Present Tense

With this type of tense problem, it might just be easier to give up and learn a completely new skill. Maybe basketweaving.

“Your Parents Are Dead”

Seriously, how many characters have one or more dead parents to give them “character”? In literature and pop culture, from Bambi to Batman, parents have it rough.

My First Draft

Your brain is a wonderful, powerful tool, but that first draft always comes out like a child’s first finger painting. It’s messy, it might be a dog or a dinosaur, but it can be turned into something special. Probably.

When Someone Finds Your First Draft 

The only thing worse than cringing when reading your first draft is finding out that someone else has seen your first draft.

“I Trusted You”

Just keep telling yourself that it’s only a fictional death. Tell your therapist and your tissue box the same thing.

Being a Good Writer

And here you are… reading these memes and telling yourself that it’s still “writing work” because you are “getting ready”.

A Day in the Life of a Writer

Hey, this is rather accurate, except we’re missing the parts about feeling like an imposter and wondering whether that new show you want to stream is out yet.

Genius Level of an Author

Even worse is the location where you tend to have those great ideas. We all know that it’s usually in the bathroom.

I Think I Did a Pretty Good Job

If only we all had this kind of confidence in ourselves as writers! Honestly, though, don’t write reviews for yourself… the Internet will find you and make sure you know how wrong you are.

I Wonder if…

Well, this is a great way to start a horror story . Now what happens when they start trying to get in touch with you?

How I Feel When I Write a Plot Twist

Oh, that plot twist feels so great when you come up with it… until you realize that you confused twist with a trope.

Trying to Work Out if the Plot Ties Together

Plot seems easy, but we all know it’s not. It’s like doing long division in your head while walking barefoot across a floor filled with Legos.

The List of Books That I’ve Actually Finished Writing

Yeah… but at least you have a list.

Writing in the Middle of the Night

Honestly, there’s not much of a difference between vampires and writers, except that vampires tend to be more organized and better dressers.

I Will Find You

It’s not a lack of ideas that plagues most writers. It’s the lack of a pen and paper to write them down while on the toilet.

Brace Yourself and Kill the Character 

Yes, kill the character, but make sure you wear gloves and bury the body deep.

I Have No Memory of This Place

This is where you convince yourself that you never really liked the story, so you can start that new idea.

If we’re being honest, most of us are actually some combination of the first and the sixth image here. I mean, we sometimes look at a sheet of paper.

When You Write Something Really Dark 

And then you start to worry about the authorities checking your online search history.

Me Listening to Music While Writing

We all know that we have those ideal “theme songs” for everything we write. Don’t pretend you’re any different.

The Reality of My Writing

With a little massaging and edits even this could work… or not.

When People Try to Read Your Unfinished Writing

This is when it’s time to start poking at some eyes and smacking hands.

New Project vs. Unfinished Projects

There’s nothing sweeter than the kernel of a new idea. Until you’ve actually thought about it and played around a bit. Then there’s that next new idea.

My Creativity

Creativity is like the friend who tries to hype you up to do something dangerous and then just leaves you standing alone in the middle of the restaurant in your underwear.

20 More Words for a Paper 

And here’s why writing toward word counts can be a problem. I mean, “here is”.

Writers have more excuses than a kid who wants to get out of gym class on dodgeball day.

Finding Your First Typo in Your Published Book

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to have your heart drop into a bucket of ice water and embarrassment, here it is.

I Wrote a Novel in Second Person

To be honest, the writer deserves to be there. Second person for a novel is an abomination.

How to Be Successful

“Here’s what you need, kid. You need a little luck, a little talent, and a couple of those plot things from Jersey Jim down on 52nd Street. Yeah, that’s how you do it.”

A Famous Writer

You would probably be better off with a career in just about anything else aside from venomous snake wrangler. And even then…

Time to Get to Work

So, this is what it’s like when people feel called out about something. Not cool, Padme. Not cool.

A Serial Killer’s Google Search History

Seriously, if there’s a serial killer in the city and the authorities started looking at search histories, writers are screwed.

The Main Villain

This is a little like turning a raging wolf into a tiny lap dog wearing a jaunty hat. It doesn’t always work, and it can take away some of the allure and mystery from your original Big Bad.

A Character With Living Parents

Well, that’s impossible. Characters don’t have living parents. Time to pack it up and become a full-time blueberry farmer.

A Total Emotional Hellscape

Sure, it makes us sad. Yet, we continue to do it. We writers are sadistic gods of our created worlds, and we like the power.

Writers After Killing Your Favorite Character 

Writers have a heart. Honest. We just keep ours in a little jar in the cabinet.

When You Write 200 Years of World History 

Worldbuilding is nature’s way to keep the population of fantasy writers in check.

Adverbs Everywhere

Think of adverbs as characters you don’t like. Kill them with impunity and smile while doing it.

Story Idea vs. First Draft

At least you recognize that the first draft is a little goofy… some writers just press submit.

It’s Called an Oughtobiography

Instead of reading this clever meme, you “ought to be” writing.

Delete Charakter

When you have a character that doesn’t fit… just pluck them out of the story like aliens beaming up a farmer in Indiana. Find another story for them.

Manuscript Evolution

I’d like to say that it gets easier with time, but I don’t like to lie.

All the Random Subplots Without Cohesion

Don’t worry. No one will notice. Honest. Wait, I don’t like to lie.

When I Finally Write the End

Honestly, there’s no better feeling. So, to get that good feeling faster, start your books backwards.

Something Useless and Unpractical

It’s a good feeling. All that worldbuilding is great. You aren’t getting any further on your story, but hey, you do you.

Where Does It Hurt

Everyone says technology is the way of the future. This happens too often, and everyone starts looking for stone tablets and chisels.

When Only 10 People Read Your Book

It’s not the size of your audience that counts, it’s the journey. You’ll grow stronger, and maybe some fresh “eyes” to see where you can do better.

I’m Going to Become a Writer

This is disturbingly accurate. Of course, it would’ve been nice if the guidance counselor had actually told me this. At least then, I could’ve made an informed decision.

Alright… “Chapter 1”

You laugh, but how many would-be writers are slowly decaying in front of the blank page right now. Not so funny now is it?

At the Third and Last Act of Editing 

Editing has to be some sort of karmic retribution we’re all suffering because of the transgressions of some writer from the past, right?

Some Sort of Bullshit Energy

If you use enough fancy high-tech-sounding words and have people with lab coats and clipboards in scenes, no one will notice.

How I Speak vs. How I Write

Writers have two creatures living in us. One is refined, charming, and intelligent. It doesn’t get out much. The other creature is rabid, weird, and always present.

What Gives People Feelings of Power 

It doesn’t seem like it takes much to please a writer. Just finish a chapter… just finish a chapter. Little do people know that’s like milking a cobra.

Villain vs. Mentor Character

Sometimes, we do get attached to the characters. We don’t want to let them go. But our villains have to be villainous. They can’t just shake their fist at the sky.

After a Character Runs Out of Meaning

Of course, for fantasy, urban fantasy, and horror authors, the coffin just ends up adding more character meaning.

Am I Researching or Just Procrastinating

To the untrained eye, it appears as though I’m procrastinating. But am I researching? No, I’m procrastinating!

It’s Free Character Development 

Well, it’s part of humanity, so it can be part of a character. Of course, this often serves as a dark mirror for many writers.

Finishing the Current Chapter

Yes, this is procrastinating, but it’s also writing… so, we should probably come up with another word for it. Procrastin-writing?

Very Little Overlap 

These little circles show the truth. But when you hit that sliver in the middle, it’s like magic.

That Plot Twist

This is like a surprise fart, but one that you and others will enjoy because it doesn’t stink.

The Tone I Wanted to Write the Story in

Honestly, this might say a lot about you and what you have inside. Not that it’s a bad thing.

Killing New Characters, You’re Attached to

Sometimes killing makes us sad, sometimes it makes us happy. If we weren’t writers, we’d be in prison.

How many times did you see yourself in these memes? Let’s be honest. Writers who have been at it for more than a couple of days are sure to find a lot of humor and a lot of truth in the memes. Hope you had fun with them and even more importantly, isn’t it time you got back to that work in progress?

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Creating and Using Memes in Your Classroom

Who would have thought that memes—those images, videos, and pieces of text that are copied, often modified, and spread via internet—have roots in ancient Greek? The term ‘meme’ was introduced in 1976 by British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, in his work The Selfish Gene, and it comes from the Greek mimema , meaning ‘imitated.’ 1

Today, memes are a vehicle used to express commentary on a phenomenon or a relatable event. They’re typically shared on social media to capture attention or get a laugh. As numerous blog posts reflect, educators are using them in class and, in the case of Sharon Serano, receiving them in good fun from family members. As Sharon prepped lesson plans one night, her 14-year-old son made this meme for her:

Sharon is one of many educators who have found that memes can be effective teaching tools, whether they’re created for students or by them. 2 Read on to explore ways to create and use classroom memes.

Meme Creation

A basic meme shows an image and text; more involved ones include animation, audio, or video. These elements can be original, duplicated, or modified. Many meme elements are based on or lifted from culturally familiar sources, such as Sharon Serano’s Star Trek: The Next Generation -inspired gift from her son.

The internet is replete with meme-creation tools, including apps that your students may already have on their phones. Most are free, but some charge small fees and some allow users access to adult content, so choose carefully before assigning creation tasks.

Each creation tool walks you through a few simple meme-making steps. Every site is unique, but the typical steps are these:

• Choose your meme’s size and orientation (portrait or landscape).
• Choose from preset templates and icons or design your own from scratch.
• Choose or upload the images, photos, and/or artwork you’d like to include.
• Add your text, choosing the text font you prefer.
• Customize the background and color scheme as you like.
• Save your work! Download and save it as a PNG, JPG, or GIF file.
• Always share—via email, text message, social media, or through your classroom file-sharing system.

Memes for Students

Memes quickly communicate information on any subject—often with humor, which can make the shared facts more memorable. Consider this excerpt from The Lord of the Rings …

… adapted to reinforce a class rule:

Beyoncé can help you get a point across …

… as can a baby’s photo:

Think of educational messages you can deliver in this concise, humorous way:

Memes by Students

A quick internet search will yield countless school-related memes, including many submitted as homework assignments. Before issuing a meme-creation assignment, teach a lesson on memes. Go over their key elements and offer some common examples. Most of your students are familiar with them, but your introduction will help level the playing field for your class.

Activities and learning objectives will vary by class, subject, and grade level, of course. As an example, consider the specifics of a meme project that challenged students to demonstrate their understanding of irony: 3

Object Use this activity for a unit learning about irony through a given novel—in this case, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies . Faculty sought a creative assessment tool that a) differed from previous assessment tools, and b) would be enjoyable for the students to use.

Tasks In addition to creating a meme, students were expected to include a supporting paragraph detailing the type of irony the meme conveyed and explaining why they chose the image that they did. In writing this paragraph, they practiced their writing and grammar skills.

Pedagogy To create this product and an effective message within it, students had to choose imagery and text carefully. Doing so using an online tool demonstrated their knowledge of technology and technological content .

As memes tend to include very few words, a meme that successfully conveys a message must use strong, highly descriptive language. Students were called upon to think critically about their word choices, which supports word study and improves vocabularies.

Inclusion Meme creation uses but does not require a computer and internet access. Options for this activity enabled learners with varied degrees of technological access to complete it.

• Students could draw their memes by hand, keeping in mind the elements of a meme and ensuring that their final product contained them
• If students had access to a computer but not to the internet, they could use a program such as Microsoft Paint or PowerPoint to create a meme

Evidence of Learning Outcomes Faculty assessed the students’ memes based on the level of sophistication in their use of irony and its connection to Lord of the Flies .

The supporting paragraph helped faculty assess:

• Comprehension of the type of irony chosen
• Written communication skill regarding the rationale for each selected image

Response Students were extremely motivated to come up with creative ideas for their memes and complete the assignment because it incorporated a type of social media that they were used to seeing outside of the classroom.

“I was shocked and impressed at how keen and willing the students were to complete this assignment,” concluded their teacher. “It made me excited to continue to explore new and innovative ways to use technology and relevant social media … to connect with and motivate all students.”

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16 Writing Memes That Perfectly Depict the Writer’s Life

by Holly Riddle

If you’ve been writing for a while, then you know a few things.

One: the writer life is, in reality, not at all like the glamorous perception you’ll see in movies and on TV.

Two: your friends, unless they’re writers too, just aren’t going to understand challenges like your writer’s block, procrastination when it comes to actually getting something on the page, or how much you can hate writing and find it fun at the same time.

Three: sometimes, the best thing to do about your writers woes is to just laugh about them—and that’s where these funny writer memes can come in handy.

Here are some of our 16 favorite funny writing memes that perfectly encapsulate the highs, lows, and humor of the writer’s life, from the struggles with a first draft to the constant story ideas to the way your characters just live in your head rent-free (even if your novel doesn’t technically exist yet).

1. Oh, you thought you were actually going to finish that novel?

Think again! Time for procrastination to set in. Writers do whatever they can to not finish that WIP (Work In Progress), until something kicks their butt into gear, whether it be National Novel Writing Month, a challenge with a writer friend, etc.

Source: Writers Write

2. Unfortunately, a writer only has themself to blame

Alas, even though you try to blame everything else in the world for your procrastination—the dog needed walking, the laundry needed doing!—you just can’t at the end of the day. Get that idea down on paper!

Source: September C Fawkes

3. Some days the new ideas just keep flowing… other days, not so much

You know how it goes. Once you get into your writing flow, the shiny new ideas begin—until they dry up completely and you have a bad case of writer’s block.

Source: Writing About Writing on Facebook

But guess what? We have a super helpful article on dealing with this very problem .

4. Don’t worry, though…

Daydreaming about writing and writing are actually the same thing… right?

Totally. Definitely. We relate.

Source: Aela Writes

5. You started? Great! Now, where’s the plot?

Once you get started on that novel, though, inevitably there’s going to be a time that you sit back, look at what you wrote, and really start to question whether or not your words actually form a cohesive plot. That’s where, of course, a writing schedule that incorporates a little beta reading can come in handy.

Your writer friends are the best folks to give insight into whether or not you truly have a story.

And! You can also swing by our article on finding the perfect plot .

6. Sometimes, you just gotta plow forward

Occasionally, though, you have to just keep writing, plot or no plot.

Source: Daddies Drarryy

7. Writing is just rewriting

Eventually, you’ll have to go back and address those rambling sentences. Newbie writers may not recognize it yet, but the old pros will. Sometimes, being a writer is just rewriting, rewriting, and rewriting some more—especially those pesky opening pages.

Source: Liz Lawson on Twitter

8. That said, perfection isn’t everything

Not everyone is going to love what you write and, frankly, that’s okay.

Source: Aye Write

9. Your biggest fan is you

Because, after all, you won’t be happy unless you write things you actually want to read. Don’t aim to please readers or other writers when you’re the first audience you’ll ever have.

Source: Writeous Writing

10. But maybe try to keep the tenses straight?

Past tense, future tense, present tense—it’s hard enough just deciding which one you want to use on a new project, let alone sticking to it while you write.

Source: Macademmia

To help you through this troubling time, check out our post on narrative tenses .

11. You and your characters are best friends forever

Oh, don’t mind me. I’m not talking to myself; I’m talking to my novel characters.

Don’t get us wrong—we love a good cast of heroes and villains .

12. Being a writer isn’t as easy as it looks

Yes, we all love writing (we hope you you do, anyway, since you’re here). Unfortunately, when many of us say we like writing, we like having written more than the actual getting the words on the page.

Source: The Darklings

13. No one understands

But no matter how easy or hard friends and family think your writing is, chances are they have no real clue what you really do.

Your parents call your writing “cute.” Friends think you lay around. You think you’re a big shot. You’re really just drinking coffee at your desk and creating stories from the looping picture in your head.

Source: Jenni Merritt

14. An editor will not make your life easier

Editors are amazing. They make your book better. If you have a publishing deal with a big publisher, they vouch for your book and make your writing dreams a reality. They don’t make your life easier, though.

That first edit letter? Ouch.

Source: The Mom Who Runs

15. So just enjoy the ride!

It’s not always easy to enjoy the ride that is the writing life, but at least try to. And stop feeling guilty about not keeping to your writing goals for the day/week/etc.!

Source: Memes for Writers on Instagram

16. And whatever you do…

Source: UniversityStudent.org

We believe in you! And if you ever need to step back from the pain and existential angst of being a writer, you’ll always have these writing memes here to help you have fun on your creative journey.

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10 Fun Ways to Use Memes in Your Classroom

by Guest Author

Whether teachers are scrolling through TikTok or Googling new slang words, it’s almost part of our job description to stay on top of the latest trends. Some may fade quickly (remember VSCO girls?), but you know which one seems to be sticking around? Memes.

Memes are a great way to add humor into your classroom, whether you find them on the internet, make your own, or allow students to create them. There are so many ways to include them in your classes, and however you choose to do it, they will definitely make you and your students laugh.

Here are 10 fun ways to use memes in your classroom.

1. Use memes instead of labels

You could get fancy and design some matching Pinterest-perfect labels, or you could print out some memes and stick them wherever you deem appropriate.

2. Check for understanding

When it comes to building and reinforcing new skills, why not get creative? Not only will your students find new ways to show their knowledge, but you can also hang up their final products for effortless informational posters.

3. Incorporate memes into vocabulary practice

We definitely can’t guarantee that students will be interested in learning new vocabulary words, but assigning them to make memes will help them retain new vocab and have fun while doing it. Want them to write the definition? To make up sentences with their vocab words? Make it a meme.

4. Post class rules around your room

We make our rules and expectations as clear as we possibly can, but sometimes students seem to…forget. Would you rather tell them your rule for the thousandth time or point to a funny poster to remind them?

5. Create memes about a book or historical concept

Humor will help kids remember the stories and concepts that they’re learning in class. And, since you are literally the target audience, you will 100% be entertained by what they turn in.

6. Use memes as an emotional check-in tool

Emphasize the importance of your students’ emotional well-being by giving them class time to reflect on how they feel. It’s likely that not everyone will want to share, but anyone who does share will absolutely bring some laughter to the day.

7. Decorate your room with inspirational quotes and general positivity

I definitely cannot promise that printing out a bunch of memes will give your classroom the perfect aesthetic, but it will be funny. It just depends on the vibe you’re going for.

8. Use an image as a creative writing prompt

Give all the kids the same picture and see what *APPROPRIATE* captions they come up with. This could be a warm-up activity to start class, or it could be used to get their creative juices flowing before a new writing assignment.

9. Showcase a meme of the week

Your classroom isn’t just about content–it’s about culture! Having a meme of the week creates a shared experience for your classes, and they’ll be so excited to see what you have in store for them every Monday. And if a weekly search sounds like too much effort, allow students to choose them each week.

10. Compliment your students

Want to compliment a student on a job well done? Use…you guessed it…a meme! You can include them in a quick email, or you could even print out stickers to stick on tests and papers. Either way, your students will appreciate the perfect combination of humor and support.

If you’re looking for ways to make your students laugh (and, of course, make yourself laugh) throughout the school day, memes are the way to go. Seriously. We meme it.

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This Free Meme Generator for Students Will Add Some Flair to Their Next Assignment

Because laughter is a powerful tool in the classroom!

Have you ever had students create memes as part of a classroom assignment? They’re a great way to bring humor into the classroom and allow students to connect to topics in a relatable way. Connect to character relationships in ELA, poke harmless fun at historical figures, create math puns, and so much more. Laughter in the classroom can help strengthen student relationships and bring joy into your lessons. There are plenty of ways to encourage lightheartedness and laughter, and this meme generator for students is a great tool to help accomplish that.

Get the meme generator!

About Our Meme Generator:

• You’ll receive a copy of the meme generator in your Google Drive, making sharing with students super easy.
• Images are preselected to make sure everything used is school-appropriate!
• Students simply choose the meme image they’d like, drag it onto the main screen, and add their caption.

Meme Generator Tips:

• Our meme generator ensures that students are using approved and appropriate images. Once you get the template, feel free to add your own meme image options and share with your students.
• It may be helpful to set guidelines on creating captions or have a quick conversation about keeping captions school-appropriate.
• Check out these 7 creative ways to use memes in the classroom to spark some inspiration.

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5 Ways To Use Memes With Students

• Teaching Strategies

I love memes and enjoy sharing them on Facebook, Twitter or even emailing them to friends and coworkers. But until several years ago, it never occurred to me to use a meme generator, a fun communication tool, in the classroom. For those who aren’t familiar with them, memes (pronounced meemz ) are a cultural element or system of behavior that is passed from one individual to another. These days, however, they've come to be known as those images with a a bold quote, sentiment or saying. They are a vehicle to express commentary on a phenomenon or a relatable event and are shared on social media to capture attention or elicit a quick laugh.

During the inauguration of President Biden, a picture of Sen. Bernie Sanders wearing large mittens and sitting alone on a chair with a morose expression on his face was quickly turned into thousands of different memes that place his image against all sorts of historical, geographical and cultural backgrounds. 

It created a unifying topic of humor.  One night while working hard on my lesson plans, my 14-year-old son decided to poke fun at me by sending me a text with the following meme that he created:

I had to laugh because it was so true. And in that moment, I had an epiphany. What if I asked my students to create math-themed memes? The next day I set out the criteria for The Math Meme Project:

• The memes had to be their own creations.
• They could be about any algebra topic or about my class in general.
• Students could submit up to three.
• They could submit their creations to my school email.
• They had three weeks to turn them in.

Creating memes

I told them to use one of the many meme-creation tools available to make their original meme. To get the ball rolling, I gave my students a handout with a few examples of math memes that had been published on the internet. Other than that, I didn't give them much direction because I wanted them to figure it out on their own.   Most students already had meme-making apps on their phones, but some students found a few websites online to create their submissions. The students were able to create these memes without any guidance from me. If your students are younger, you may need to guide them through the process. The task of creating memes is simple once you find the right tool. Meme-creation apps are easy to find for laptops, tablets or smartphones. Search “meme-creation program” in the Apple App Store, Google Play or on your laptop, and many options will come up, including Meme Creator, Meme Generator and Quick Meme.

Warning: Vet the Meme Programs

It’s important to preview any meme program before assigning it to the students to avoid fees or inappropriate content. Most meme-creation programs are free but some charge a small fee for an ad-free version. Also, some meme-creation programs show other users’ creations, some of which may be intended for a mature audience. Review the meme-creation homepage before inviting the students to the site. It might be best to avoid the webpage all together and just download the app onto devices before the lesson.

Surprising results

By the time the due date arrived, I was delighted to find 38 students had turned in more than 100 memes! And I was struck with a revelation: Memes are a great educational device for teachers and students alike to promote clarity, pedagogy and humor. I was so proud of my students’ creations that I handpicked the best of them and included them — along with my son’s and a few of my own — in a video that I posted on my YouTube channel and shared it with my students.

The Math Meme Project video became a hit and has been viewed thousands of times by people all over the world, including the U.S., Philippines, Hong Kong, South Africa, Malaysia, Australia, Austria, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, India, Honduras, Tunisia, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, Czech Republic, Philippines, Finland, Spain, Qatar, Romania, Begium and Indonesia.

I used the same project the following year as an extra credit opportunity with my math students. To introduce the project, I showed my classes the video from the previous year and encouraged them to create their own memes. As a result, I received almost twice the submissions as the year before. However, I ran into new problems with Math Meme Project 2017 video, namely having to be more selective to keep the video from being too long and to remove those that had political leanings. This project has inspired other teachers to replicate this project with their classes. Bernadette Bogacki, a math teacher at Washington Township High School in Sewell, New Jersey, tried it with her Algebra 2 and pre-calculus students. She said the students enjoyed being able to think about math in a fun and imaginative way. “It helped to make the concepts more accessible in their minds — less stressful in a way. They really enjoyed collaborating with each other, sharing ideas and laughing in the process.”

Using memes as a tool

Here are some ways you can use memes in your classroom.  

Create class rules.

Make a meme for each rule and post them in the classroom. As an alternative ice-breaking activity on the first day of school, ask students to create their own memes based on the rules and share the best ones with the class or post on the bulletin board.

Learn new vocabulary .

Students can create memes to define or use new vocabulary. Display the word at the top, and place the definition or a sentence using the word below.

Identify the novel .

Students can use memes to dramatize a point from a novel or short story they are studying. Teachers can break the class into groups and have each group create a meme from assigned chapters in a class novel.

Emphasize a historical event .

Teachers and/or students can import an image into a meme-creation program and make their own meme with a witty subtitle.

Use as a device to check for understanding .

Students can also create memes as a way to review the material or to explain math formulas or science concepts.

Aside from being a fun and novel way to get student engaged in content, these assignments can address the Creative Communicator standard, part of the ISTE Standards for Students , which expects students to communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

Memes can also allow student to share messages around the topics they are passionate about to muster support for social justice issues, which is one of the five digital citizenship competencies of the DigCitCommit initiative .

Sharon Serano is a math teacher at Washington Township High School in Sewell, New Jersey. Follow her on Twitter @MrsSerano and check out her YouTube channel . This is an updated version of an article published on the ISTE Blog on Dec. 2, 2016.

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College Memes: The Ultimate Study Break

Did you know that the term 'meme' was coined by British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book 'The Selfish Gene'? While he originally used it to describe the spread of cultural ideas and behaviors, today, memes take on a whole new form in the context of college life. These digital nuggets of humor and satire have evolved into a unique way for students to bond over shared experiences and challenges, all while providing a good chuckle.

Whether it's a meme about a last-minute essay idea or a witty take on a professor's quirks, these humorous images and captions have become an integral part of college culture, offering a sense of camaraderie among students as they navigate the often tumultuous waters of higher education.

College Memes: Short Description

Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions as we delve into the world of university memes that will have you laughing and crying at the same time. These humorous digital gems capture the ups and downs of student life, from the hilarious antics of roommates to the stress-induced moments during finals week. Join us as we explore the lighter side of higher education, one meme at a time, and discover the relatable moments that make you both chuckle and shed a tear of recognition. Whether you're a seasoned essay writer or a student juggling multiple deadlines, these school memes offer a humorous break from the academic grind.

15 College Memes That Perfectly Capture Student Life

College life presents a series of challenges that can leave even our high school selves scratching their heads in bewilderment. The transition is nothing short of an obstacle course, filled with days spent in a sleep-deprived frenzy, racing to complete assignments, constantly running late to classes, and pondering existential questions like 'Why am I doing this?' or 'Should I just drop out?' It's a journey that can leave you questioning your sanity, and it's during these moments that the real transformation occurs.

After four years of trials and tribulations, it becomes abundantly clear that humor is the lifeblood that sustains us through the ups and downs of college. In addition to finding humor in the college journey, students also turn to valuable resources like books for college students and the best educational podcasts to aid in their academic pursuits and personal development. But here, we've curated a collection of the finest memes about school that are guaranteed to evoke both hearty laughter and moments of shared despair.

These funny college memes are intended to show off some of our favorite moments and a bit of fun. Colleges have many wonderful experiences – learning academic passion and friendships—as well as downsides such as stress and student debt. Thankfully, college students enjoy satirizing unis, as these wacky memes prove.

Ready to Conquer Your College Challenges with Confidence?

Just like the humorous twists in our article, let us help you navigate your coursework with ease!

• Attempting to break the world record for 'Most Repetitive Page Turner' as you struggle to stay focused on the text.

• Preparing for tomorrow's test like a professional procrastinator, because anxiety makes for great company.

• Sitting in class, nodding along like an expert bobblehead, while your inner monologue sings the 'Lost in Lecture' anthem.

• Exhausted but victorious, as you finally put to rest the assignment that's drained you for weeks.

• As the teacher fires off questions like missiles, you find yourself in full 'Stealth Mode,' transforming your focus into an intense examination of the table's profound table-ness, desperately hoping to avoid the dreaded spotlight.

• When you ghost Duolingo for just 48 hours, the Duolingo bird levels up from an app mascot to a multilingual mob boss, demanding you beg for mercy in Spanish – porque tu español es muy malo!

• While you anxiously clicked your pen during the test, that one Morse code expert in the class couldn't help but wonder why you seemed so determined to conquer Cuba, one pen click at a time.

• When the teacher mercilessly erases your uproarious Kahoot nickname, you're left feeling like a cartoon character stripped of their goofy charm in a room full of seriousness.

• Even if you granted me a whopping 67 years to complete my homework, I'd still somehow manage to procrastinate until the eleventh hour.

• As you hand your paper to the professor, you think to yourself: ‘Well, it may not be perfect, but it's a testament to my dedication and struggle to understand the subject matter.’

• You on a lazy Sunday night, blissfully unaware that the impending Monday test is lurking like a ninja, ready to pounce from around the corner.

• Your homework, initially presented as three questions, suddenly morphs into a complex trilogy with each part unraveling into a, b, and c, making you question if you've unwittingly stepped into a mathematically twisted parallel universe.

• The teacher's stern countdown echoes in the classroom, granting you a mere 5 minutes to transcribe the whiteboard's contents, while your fellow students lounge in their seats, slyly capturing the information on their phones with a nonchalant finesse.

• Teachers in regular classes, wielding their 'stop talking!' authority like seasoned bodybuilders, versus teachers in the current era, who implore with puppy-dog eyes, 'Please, someone, say something,' as they navigate the challenges of remote learning.

• Prepared to absorb the entire semester's worth of knowledge in just 12 hours, you channel your inner Eleven from Stranger Things, ready to unleash your supernatural cramming abilities.

Summing It Up

From the chaotic rush of assignments to moments of shared laughter and despair, these memes serve as a humorous reflection of the college journey. College life may be a rollercoaster, but with humor and valuable companions by your side, the ride becomes all the more enjoyable! And if you're looking to make those college connections last a lifetime, take a look at our guide on how to make new friends in college for some practical advice.

So, don't hesitate to post these relatable memes or share them with your friends. They capture the essence of college life in a way that resonates with anyone who has ever experienced the ups and downs of writing stuff for classes or trying to make sense of the academic whirlwind. Embrace the humor and camaraderie that these posts bring to your college experience!

Want to Experience a Stress-Free Academic Journey?

With our college essay writing service , you can focus on enjoying the memorable moments of laughter and learning that college has to offer!

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Writing memes offer a fun break and a good laugh for hard working writers. Most of them use images frequently shared on social media with white bold text. The text focuses on common writing themes, grammar errors, writer's block, procrastination and more.

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They Always Understood the Assignment is a catchphrase that, when paired with images of an actor or an actress in their various roles, is used as a way of complimenting their acting skill and range. Originating from a viral tweet, the meme and phrasal template gained popularity in March and April 2021, mainly on Twitter.

On March 12th, 2021, Twitter [1] user @thering26 posted four images of actress Uma Thurman in her roles from Kill Bill , Pulp Fiction , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Batman & Robin , writing "Uma Thurman will always understand the assignment" to compliment on her acting skill and range. The post (shown below) received over 24,800 retweets and 145,500 likes in one month.

Starting March 13th, 2021, Twitter users started using variations of the phrase "she always understands the assignment" to compliment various actors and actresses on their range. On that day, Twitter [2] user @BluRayAngel posted the earliest found derivative that utilized the format (shown below, left). Their post about actress Zoe Saldana received over 370 retweets and 3,000 likes in one month. On March 15th, Twitter [3] user @PleaseBeGneiss made a post about character actor Tim Curry that gained over 14,500 retweets and 129,000 likes in the same period (shown below, right).

In mid-to-late March, multiple tweets using the format were posted on Twitter, including viral tweets about Bratz dolls [4] (23,800 likes), actor Nicholas Hoult [5] (30,000 likes) and actress Viola Davis [6] (46,500 likes) (shown below, left to right).

On April 3rd, 2021, Twitter [7] user @balladofsongs made a post about character actor Stanley Tucci that gained over 76,000 retweets and 619,000 likes (shown below).

Twitter user @balladofsongs' tweet prompted a surge in the popularity of the format, with multiple viral versions being posted in early April 2021, including tweets parodying the trend.

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External references.

[1] Twitter – @thering26

[2] Twitter – @BluRayAngel

[3] Twitter – @PleaseBeGneiss

[4] Twitter – @NINETIESRNB

[5] Twitter – @rejectedhannah

[6] Twitter – @mossarchives

[7] Twitter – @balladofsongs

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Apr 07, 2021 at 01:17PM EDT

'actors act,' incredible insight

Apr 07, 2021 at 11:44AM EDT

Funny way of saying it, but positivity about good actors and some meme potential if it lasts… So, W ? maybe ?

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Know Your Meme

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Create a Meme Assignment: English 150

Activity Summary:

This activity works well between Assignments 4 and 5 in English 150. Use it to help students bridge the divide between writing about a place and designing text and images about that place.

Instructions:

This activity is perfect for a computer lab day (or any day in a laptop classroom) after students have completed Assignment #4 and before they are full swing into Assignment #5. It serves as a good transition between the two assignments. I personally make this a graded, small assignment ( see grading below ), but you may want to use it as a participation activity. Please click here to download the PowerPoint that you may use to introduce this assignment to your students. Click here for the assignment sheet that I use for this activity.

Theoretical Background

First, here is a little theoretical justification for having students create memes in the classroom (refer to the PowerPoint attached to this activity for what you can tell your students). Although Internet memes may seem silly and not worth serious attention, they do serve an important role in discourse on the Internet. Internet users hesitate when they encounter a wall of text. Even a well-reasoned and well-written argument can be glossed over if the text seems too long and not worth the investment. You may have hesitated to read this section of this activity, for example. A short, pithy response to such texts is “tl;dr”, which stand for “too long; didn’t read.”

Internet memes, specifically image macro or still image with super-imposed text memes, like this activity calls for, provide rhetors on the Internet with a visually engaging device for drawing readers into a discussion. Image macros refer to a prior-existing discourse, much like McGee’s ideograph (1980), and have the power to instantly call on an inside joke and discussion surrounding the image.

This activity asks students to construct such a discussion about their organization (Assignment #3) or artifact (#4) by using an image that they have collected and referring to what they have learned through the research they conducted.

Since your students will have either taken photographs or collected images of their organization (#3) or artifact (#4), they should have a decent selection of pictures to work with for this assignment . Ask students to bring or have access to (such as through Google Drive or CyBox) their Assignment #3 and #4 papers and any other picture files they may want to use.

Use the PowerPoint  to explain

• What a meme is. I’ve found that once I’ve explained the term meme and shown students a few examples, they quickly realize that they’ve seen them all over the Internet before, typically on social media sites. This comes fairly naturally.
• How to create a meme. Although the process is fairly simple, the video below, which is also embedded in the PowerPoint, demonstrates how to do it in Adobe Photoshop, which will help students gain familiarity with a powerful image editing program. Encourage students not to use imgur, createameme, or any of the easy-to-use meme creators on the Internet; these programs detract from the design skills students can otherwise learn through this activity. If I can tell that a student has used one of these simpler tools, I give them a 1 out of 2 for the assignment.
• Ways to come up with a clever or insightful phrase about the organization or artifact. Your students do not have to be funny or witty with this project (though most feel compelled to be anyway). The text they choose to super-impose should be relevant to their topic, however.

After students understand the activity, allow them time in class to create their meme. For those struggling to come up with a clever statement, offer freewriting and other creative thinking ideas. I recommend allowing students a couple of days to complete the assignment outside of class in case they can’t come up with something on the spot. Also consider lecturing on this assignment before your lab day to allow time for students to prepare ideas.

Video Demonstration of Photoshop

The PowerPoint  includes a screencasted video demonstration of creating a meme in Photoshop. You may also watch it or download it here:

After students submit their memes, I tend to go through them quickly and grade them on a two point scale. This becomes part of the student’s participation grade.

0 = Didn’t do it/two class periods late

1 = The text is irrelevant/the student used an easy editor (the name of the service is displayed on the meme)/one class period late

2 = The text is relevant and the meme looks like the student’s own work

If students take the effort to make a meme that was created with an easy online meme generator  look  like it wasn’t, I figure they have at least learned something about image manipulation, which is the point of the assignment. So no, I don’t worry that much about cheating.

Assignment #5

Now students have an image that they can truly call their own. Their memes should work well in a brochure or poster because the text discusses the organization or artifact that the brochure or poster is about. The memes can add some humor, interest, and/or creativity to their documents. Concise visual messages like memes can also serve as a sort of summary statement for a larger document; see the discussion about tl;dr above. Encourage students to use their memes in Assignment #5; however, you may choose to make this optional. (Some students may not be satisfied with how their memes turned out, for instance.) Also encourage students to include their meme with their -OVE artifacts in their portfolios.

Thank you for taking the time to read through and consider using this activity. Since this all comes out of and is part of my dissertation project, I am happy to consult with you about it. Please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions about this assignment, and I’m happy to consult with you further on using this fun and engaging activity in your classroom.

Related Content:

Kittens as Grammar Lessons

This activity will help students with visual analysis by teaching them how to find identify appeals to pathos.

Tell me a Tail

meme Assignment Meme Generator

The fastest meme generator on the planet. easily add text to images or memes..

Featured meme Assignment Memes See All

What is the Meme Generator?

It's a free online image maker that lets you add custom resizable text, images, and much more to templates. People often use the generator to customize established memes , such as those found in Imgflip's collection of Meme Templates . However, you can also upload your own templates or start from scratch with empty templates.

How to make a meme

• Add customizations. Add text, images, stickers, drawings, and spacing using the buttons beside your meme canvas.
• Create and share. Hit "Generate Meme" and then choose how to share and save your meme. You can share to social apps or through your phone, or share a link, or download to your device. You can also share with one of Imgflip's many meme communities.

How can I customize my meme?

• You can add special image effects like posterize, jpeg artifacts, blur, sharpen, and color filters like grayscale, sepia, invert, and brightness.
• You can remove our subtle imgflip.com watermark (as well as remove ads and supercharge your image creation abilities) using Imgflip Pro or Imgflip Pro Basic .

Can I use the generator for more than just memes?

Yes! The Meme Generator is a flexible tool for many purposes. By uploading custom images and using all the customizations, you can design many creative works including posters, banners, advertisements, and other custom graphics.

Can I make animated or video memes?

Yes! Animated meme templates will show up when you search in the Meme Generator above (try "party parrot"). If you don't find the meme you want, browse all the GIF Templates or upload and save your own animated template using the GIF Maker .

Do you have a wacky AI that can write memes for me?

Funny you ask. Why yes, we do. Here you go: imgflip.com/ai-meme (warning, may contain vulgarity)

ELA Common Core Lesson Plans

• Create Characters Lesson Plan
• Creative Writing Lesson Plan: Using Details
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• How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay Lesson Plan
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• How to Write a Reflective Essay
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• Lesson Plan: Effective Sentence Structure
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• Using Imagery Lesson Plan
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• How to Write a Literary Analysis.
• How to Annotate and Analyze a Poem
• Lesson Plan for Teaching Annotation
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• 4.08 – Lesson Plan: Using Semicolons Correctly
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• Teacher Guide Central

Make a Meme Lesson Plan

During my summer vacation I learned what a meme was.

A humorous image, video, piece of text, etc. that is copied (often with slight variations) and spread rapidly by Internet users. Get 5 Short Story Lesson Plans Now! We specialize in teacher-ready lesson plans. Thank you for subscribing. Something went wrong. I will never give away, trade or sell your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time.

They seem to be all the rage so why not learn how to make one.

This took me less than a minute to make. If you click on the picture, you’ll get a clearer view. I might even be naked. ( Spoiler Alert : I’m not)

Better yet, turn it in to a lesson plan with these standards.

• RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
• L.9-10.2   Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
• L.9-10.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts
• W.9-10.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
• Read something, preferably something literary.
• Teach students how to make a meme.
• Instruct students to make a meme utilizing theme, characterization, symbolism, imagery, or any other elements of literature involving the aforementioned literary selection you’ve read.

Make a meme with Powerpoint.

There are actual meme-making apps you can find online. Feel free to find one and make your memes that way. I’ve discovered through trial and error that Powerpoint is the easiest application for making memes. Here’s how.

• Insert a text box over the aforementioned image.
• If the image takes up the entire slide, press <ctrl> + <a>.
• If the image does not take up the entire slide, left click the mouse and highlight the area you want to copy.
• Once your soon to be meme is highlighted, right click your mouse.
• You’ll see a list of options. The option you want is <save as picture>
• Save the picture to your preferred location.
• The picture will automatically save as a png file. If you prefer to save it as a jpeg file, do so when you save it. If you don’t know what any of that means, don’t worry.

The easiest way to assess these is to have students email the meme to you or bring it in on a flash drive. You don’t really need a rubric, but be sure to state the specific qualifications for the assignment.

• Picture (10 pts) . The picture must be related to the literary work just read. It must be clear and school appropriate. It must show the full item (no cut-off portions unless that’s the artistic intent of the meme) Any image subject to copyright must be cited correctly in a separate document.
• The Writing (10 pts) . The phrase must creatively relate the picture to an element of literature present in the story. It must adhere strictly to high standards of language, usage, and grammar. The writing must be easy to read.

Here’s an example. This one took me two minutes because I had to find an image from Romeo and Juliet that wasn’t copyrighted.

Last Updated on December 24, 2015 by Trenton Lorcher

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Making Memes

The Meme Assignment was developed by Dr. Shawna Brandle for her American Goverment class at Kingsborough Community College. The assignment was included and referenced in the 2022 Transformative Learning in the Humanities Project titled, Writing the World by Shawna Mary Brandle, Katherine Culkin, Dino Sossi, and Yan Yang.

The meme assignment “requires students to create a meme that relates to the class, then write a short essay explaining the meme, using at least one in-text citation of their course readings (or another scholarly source). The assignment sheet includes a rubric to aid in their self-grading assessment as well as detailed instructions for how to write a self-grading assessment as it is the first time in the class they are being asked to write one. Many students choose this assignment, and they do excellent work. Embedded in the assignment are several important learning skills, but they are packaged in a very accessible way. Once a student has made a meme, it is easier to explain what they made as they have a reference- this helps give structure to their essay, which otherwise might be an overwhelming task for the first few weeks of the semester. In needing to use only one citation, students can get comfortable with the purpose and mechanics of citation, without getting completely overwhelmed. Students can see and learn from each others’ memes, and many of the memes are so funny and apt that [Dr. Brandle] request[s] permission to include them in the slides [Dr. Brandle] use[s] for class.”

To read more about Dr. Brandle’s “Choose your Own Adventure” American Government Syllabus and the Meme Assignment, view the Writing the World Text on Manifold: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/read/writing-the-world-one-student-at-a-time/section/24c3c0c2-0d67-4594-8792-d8d74c965f49

Courses : Multidisciplinary; originally developed for American Government

Author: Shawna Brandle

To download the Meme Assignment please visit and explore the Writing the World text and resource on Manifold: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/read/writing-the-world-one-student-at-a-time/section/24c3c0c2-0d67-4594-8792-d8d74c965f49

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