The synchronized skating community is small, but we are making our impact on the social media world one hashtag at a time. One of the most recognized hashtags is #WhyNotSynchro2018, which has moved to #WhyNotSynchro2022 as synchro was not approved for addition into the 2018 Olympics. However, one of the more fun and relatable hashtags circling the social media realm this week is #CauseItsPorterWeek.

For those that aren't involved in the synchronized skating world, the Dr. Porter Classic competition is held during the first weekend of December, at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are about to host its 22nd annual competition this upcoming weekend. This competition has grown over the years and now people are even referring to it as "pre-nationals" or "nationals, part 1. For example, 5 out 6 of the senior teams competing at nationals in Oregon this year, for a spot in the ISU World Championships in Sweden, will be competing this weekend in Ann Arbor. This gives them a good idea of where they stack up against each other, and what they need to do in order to adjust that podium for nationals, and improve their chance at attending worlds. The senior division isn't the only "big deal" division; there are 24 intermediate teams looking for a medal. 24 teams.

So why is #CauseItsPorterWeek a thing? Since this competition is so cut throat, the week going into it can be very stressful, and there are always things going on; thus the hashtag was born. It has become a staple in the synchro community, to use this hashtag when pretty much anything happens during the week before this competition.

Although, this is great fun for skaters to see, sometimes it can be confusing to others...

And then there are people that have gotten fed up with it...

#CauseItsPorterWeek has consumed all of the hashtags in my twitter timeline, and I have retweted many of them. Hopefully this gives some insight as to what exactly it is, but it can be hard to understand unless you have ever experienced the week before Porter.