There was no shortage of memes and other viral moments in the year 2025, with new running gags and meme formats showing up every month. But which one was the best? Today, members of The Daily Campus life section share their thoughts on what the 2025 Meme of the Year is – and no, we’re not just going to say “6 7” over and over again.
Dan Stark, Life Editor, daniel.stark@uconn.edu, he/him
Though “6 7” may be the obvious answer due to how it has taken over the cultural zeitgeist in a way that hasn’t been seen since dabbing, my pick for Meme of the Year is “Chicken Jockey.” For those who may have forgotten, since March and April seem like so long ago, crowds of teenagers at screenings of “A Minecraft Movie” would go absolutely bezerk when Jack Black would say those iconic words. These reactions included throwing popcorn everywhere and cheering like soccer fans do when their team scores.
Every day in the spring, new videos of different reactions would show up on my social media feeds. But the best and craziest one I saw was a group of people who brought an actual chicken into the theater – and in Utah of all places. Subsequently, the showing was shut down, but I think that’s a fair price to pay for internet immortality.
Unfortunately, my beloved Costco Guys did not do anything worthy to be considered in this year’s conversations, which makes me incredibly sad.
Ayyan Tamjeed, Staff Writer, art24001@uconn.edu, he/him
Nothing could top the time when “A Minecraft Movie” was in theaters and the bevy of memorable catchphrases that spawned from the movie, or more specifically,
from Jack Black. I’d argue it’s like “6 7,” but done better.
Black’s intonation, diction and energy he puts into each catchphrase made them instantly memorable and memeable. “Flint and Steel,” “The Nether” and “Chicken Jockey” all entered my lexicon the moment I heard them. I saw people on social media pouring their heart and soul into singing “Chicken Jockey” or doing a Matt Berry impression of each catchphrase and even a dance remix of the song of the year, “Steve’s Lava Chicken,” which they added into Minecraft.
Whenever I would meet up with fellow friends who watched the movie, it felt like being at the playground, repeating catch phrases to each other ad nauseum, flattening the English language and the act of communication into a few, discernible phrases as if you transported back to a time before you knew what exergy was, or before “6 7” took over. I know this sounds like the pot calling the kettle black, but it’s so annoying.
Maleena Muzio, Staff Writer, maleena.muzio@uconn.edu, she/her/hers
If you are not a fan of the recent “Wicked” movies, you may not understand what I would say is my favorite meme of the year. Only emerging in the last few weeks, the Madame Morrible “Wicked Witch” meme has stolen my heart. If you do not know what I am referencing, actress Michelle Yeoh has been repeatedly giving a humorous description of her “Wicked: For Good” character, Madame Morrible.
“Madam Morrible, MM, flip it around: Wicked Witch!” is her exact quote, as she makes two “M’s” with her hands and flips them upside down to make “Ws”. This may not sound as funny as I am making it out to be, but trust me, her enthusiasm and genuine excitement each time she does it makes me laugh out loud.
Many fans have also been comparing this saying to Lady Gaga’s infamous “There could 100 in a room” speech in which she has said in countless interviews that “there could be 100 people the room, and 99 don’t believe in you, and just one person believes in you…” The best comparison I saw was a sped-up Instagram Reel with each of them repeating their mottos over and over. Although a niche and maybe strange choice, this has to be my favorite meme of the year.