The Graduation Trend Is Really About Letting Go
· Paige Karchmar · Trends / Culture
There's a graduation trend going around TikTok right now, and what people are really posting about is a version of themselves that disappeared faster than they expected.
There's a graduation trend going around TikTok right now, and what people are really posting about is a version of themselves that disappeared faster than they expected.
What the Videos Actually Look Like
My feed has been full of UT seniors standing in front of the Tower in graduation dresses and caps, cutting between freshman-year dorm clips and present-day footage that somehow already feels nostalgic. The videos aren't dramatic in the way social media used to be dramatic. Nobody is trying to look perfect. If anything, the edits work because they feel messy and real.
You'll see a clip from move-in day where someone looks terrified and overexcited at the same time. Then suddenly it cuts to them graduating. And it kind of hits you in the stomach a little.
Why It's Hitting Me Right Now
Part of why I keep thinking about this trend is because my brother graduated last week from IU. Watching someone actually finish college changes how you think about your own timeline. College always feels long when you're in it, until suddenly someone you know is posting senior photos and packing up an apartment they've lived in for four years.
I think that's why these videos are resonating so hard right now. They capture something people my age don't always say out loud very well: everyone knows this phase is temporary, but nobody fully understands it while it's happening.
The Imperfections Are the Point
The interesting thing is that the videos themselves usually aren't impressive from a production standpoint. Half the clips are blurry, filmed vertically at bad angles, or obviously pulled from someone's camera roll at 2 a.m. But the imperfections are what make them believable. They feel like memories instead of content.
Where Brands Misunderstand
A lot of graduation marketing still treats college students like they want polished "best years of your life" messaging. But what people actually connect with online right now is specificity. The places that show up in these videos aren't the obvious ones:
- PCL and PMA libraries: where somebody studied every finals week
- The Campus Littlefield Fountain: everyone jumped into after big moments
- The late-night food spot: that became part of someone's routine without them even realizing it
The Real Lesson
The businesses that naturally show up in these memories matter more than the ones trying hardest to market themselves into them. People remember places that felt present in their real lives, not places that just advertised at them.