The hashtag sign has become the symbol that's been taking over the pages of many social media pages--not to mention referenced in conversations emphasizing the topic at hand.
#Inclass, #ChickenDinner, #swag, #YOLO and many other motifs have entered the spotlight at DePauw. Amidst the studying and daily struggles students go through, they find ways to clear their minds with entertaining trends. We have compiled a list of the top four most popular trends.These trends serve as a method of releasing creative energy, escaping the constant workload and uniting students in the cultural bubble that is DePauw.
#StruggleBus
All aboard the Struggle Bus! The constant balance of both academics and extracurricular activities proves difficult for some students. And when that stress of papers, tests and projects piles high, the metaphorical Struggle Bus doors open for those frazzled students.This term is a favorite especially during midterms and finals.
First-year Penelope Ramirez explained how when people have greater struggles, their position on the Struggle Bus gets promoted.
"You're the driver if you're going through a hell week," Ramirez explained. "So right now we're [all] on the struggle bus, but I'm driving the car," Students use the term humorously to compare the load of work they're dealing with, but sophomore Sarah Dela Cruz said that people definitely don't want to be on the struggle bus.
"It's not meant to be a competition, it's just that we're all going through it so we all ride the bus in different sections," said Dela Cruz.
#DePauwNaps
Be careful where you snooze on campus because your picture just might end up on the DePauw Naps Facebook page. This page showcases all the students on campus that are caught drifting off instead of being productive on school work.
Some of these pictures show the person innocently curled up in a ball while other snoozers are discovered with their limbs stretched out in all directions, making for a legendary afternoon nap.
Scrolling down the page of shame has become an enjoyable break for students on Facebook. Senior Meg Jung said the page is a good community bonding activity that everyone could relate to since people understand the fight against falling asleep unexpectedly. Sophomore Kiah Simmons believes the funniest part of the page is never know who's going to end up on it next.
"You just hope that you never get caught," Simmons said.
#BitStrips
Let your imagination run wild with Bitstrips! These cartoon strips are flooding the feeds of Facebook users, and you might just end up in one of them. Bitstrips allow users to customize avatars of themselves with details such as scraggly hair, unique outfits and fun accessories.
The user can then feature themselves and their friends in the most outlandish situations of their imaginations. Some popular strips center around fun or fantasy activities, but the fun comes from incorporating friends in the comic strips and embarrassing them.
Although junior Dione Gordon doesn't participate in this cartoonish trend she explains how people shouldn't take the jokes in the strips too personally.
"It's all fun and games and if you get mad then you just defeated the purpose of what it's supposed to be," said Gordon.
#OmbreHair
Whether it's blue or pink, or something more natural like brown or blonde, ombre hair has the fashion world buzzing. Ombre is a hairstyle that blends from one color to another in a transition from root to tip. Celebrities with the trending look include Beyonce Knowles, Lauren Conrad and Jessica Alba. Girls on campus have adopted the trend too, changing their hair colors to create a fashion statement that people could remember.
Even sophomore Shakira Gibson decided to try out the trend after a relative told her about the new look. "I mixed a red and a blonde [hair dye] because I wanted a lighter color that wouldn't be too outrageous," said Gibson. "It's popular in cities and urban neighborhoods, and especially in the media."
While girls are willing to experiment with mixing and matching colors of the rainbow in their hair, others aren't so crazy about the new look.
"Ombre hair just kind of looks like you're forgetting to go to the hairstylist," Jung said. She thinks it looks like four inches of regrowth hair at the roots, but nevertheless, she understands why girls like this look.