Memes satire tickles campus’ funny bone
Hilarious Newcastle Memes become latest Facebook phenomenon around campus
University Memes have become the latest Facebook phenomenon for Newcastle students.
Despite being created only a fortnight ago, the Facebook page has had remarkable popularity and success.
The term ‘meme’ is defined as an idea or behaviour that spreads through a culture by imitation. Essentially, Internet memes follow the same principle, copied and re-captioned images that particularly seek to recount or satirize a particular individual, group, activity, or event.
Whilst being a simple concept, students are using this new trend as a communal voice to share ‘inside’ university jokes.
The page particularly satirizes the rivalry between Newcastle University and Northumbria.
Similar pages, with the same popularity, have been created for universities all over the UK.
Currently the most popular submission to the page is an effort by languages student Sarah Hughes showing a reclining Prince of Wales, from Blackadder the Third, with the caption: ‘Meanwhile, at Castle Leazes…’ and has earned over 770 ‘likes.’
The first meme posted on the wall was by, the so far unidentified, administrator of the page with a picture of an aggressively gesticulating toddler and the caption: “Got into Newcastle Uni… Must buy bodywarmer.”
A recurring meme theme has been an image of Fry from Futurama squinting into the distance that has been followed by captions including: “Not sure if library… Or body warmer outlet”, “not sure if [I] want to stay in basement… or feet are stuck to the floor” and one with a half picture of Fry and a caption of “not sure if Virgin Media in Jesmond is slow…”
History student Luke McVitie’s contribution consisted of a screenshot, from the iconic Shawshank Redemption, showing Tim Robbins teaching fellow inmates the alphabet with the caption: “Meanwhile at Northumbria…” and has garnered over 370 ‘likes’.
Physical geography student Jo Herod took a self-deprecating pop at her degree course with a picture of a child with crayons up his nose and the caption reading: “Meanwhile in Daysh…” whilst Marketing and Management student Katie Ball lamented the rise in price of trebles at Sinners and advocated the consumption of one’s own urea with a picture of renowned adventurer Bear Grylls.
Another common picture has been a pensive Sean Bean, playing Boromir in Lord of the Rings, with captions including: “One does not simply leave venue with dignity intact,” “one does not simply survive without Londis” and “one does not simply study Biomed without applying for medicine.”
Other popular submissions have included a parody of the cult film Mean Girls, the perception that because an indiviudal wears a North Face jacket that they are adventurers and the abject disappointment of doing an exam in Turbine Hall.
