In this day and age, social media has been an influence for people of all ages. From TikTok to Instagram, people are following popular trends such as doing popular dances, point of view videos, and more. However, one particular TikTok trend that has recently taken over the internet stands out: Bones Day. 

What is this TikTok trend?

TikToker @jongraz started filming videos of his 13-year-old pug, Noddle, as a little game to see if he would wake up with “bones”. In the morning, he picks up Noodle and props him on his legs. If he falls back down, it is a “no bones day”. If he stays propped up, it means he does have bones and it is a “bones day”. His videos blew up and people loved waking up to see if Noodle the pug would wake up with bones. As the trend continued to emerge, people began to rely on Noodle to decide what kind of day it would be for themselves. 

Initial Thoughts

I asked some of our owls if they have heard of this TikTok trend. 47% had and 53% had not. Of those who had not previously seen the videos, I showed it to them and asked for their initial thoughts. Emma’s initial thoughts were “It has Groundhog Day vibes to it.” If a groundhog can determine if winter is over, why can’t a pug decide what kind of day it will be? Many students said the videos were very funny. 

Is Noodle the next horoscope?

Many people rely on Noodle the pug to help them determine what kind of day they are going to have, kind of like a horoscope. I asked the students what they thought about this, and many of those who were unfamiliar with the trend had similar opinions. K.M replied with “I believe that this is somewhat like those who take the magic 8 ball too seriously. I love dogs and I believe they have thoughts but I don’t think Noodle is thinking about what he or viewers should do for the day.” Another student with a related response was from Emma: “I would say that it’s very entertaining but really relying on somebody else to determine whether your day is going to be good or bad is not the way to go. You should determine that for yourself, but it is very entertaining to watch.” Another student said “I wouldn’t personally listen to the dog on what kind of day to have. The dog doesn’t decide what kind of day you are going to have, you do. I just wouldn’t put all of my faith throughout the day in a dog.” Another student had an interesting take on it and said “I don’t like the thought that people determine their day like this, since we should have our own positive mindset every day, not rely on this pug to determine the day for them. Every new day is yours to make, so you should make it a positive one.” 

What about students who have already seen the trend?

In regards to Noodle’s decision being like a horoscope, Elizabeth Sandlin said “ I think it’s a harmless trend, however, I don’t believe in its truth.” Although the majority of the students surveyed did not think Noodle is the next horoscope, Eve Bamber somewhat disagrees and says it can affect someone’s day. She says, “In a way it does. Your beginning attitude says a lot about how your day is going to be, so always go in with a positive mindset.” 

Their Thoughts

I also asked those who were informed about the trend what their opinions were. Marcus agreed with Eve, saying “It’s alright but the sad thing about it is that if in the morning people see that it is a no bones day, it already puts them in a bad place for the day, and many people that may try to change their life around might see that it is a no bones day and just use it as an excuse.” Marcus is not wrong. In fact, @jongraz sometimes encourages people to say no to things when it is a no bones day. Maybe the trend isn’t such a positive thing after all. On the other side of the spectrum, Emily’s opinion on the trend was “I think it’s fun to see whether or not it will be a bones day each day because it is something to look forward to each day and a fun way to determine what kind of day it’s going to be!”

Conclusion

Social media is influencing our daily lives even if we don’t notice it. Whether Noodle the pug can determine what kind of day it will be or not, at least he provides funny content while we scroll on our phones. And in the words of Jordan Story, “Noodle the pug for President 2024.”