Whether it’s mocking the Golden State Warriors 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals (they went on to lose 3 games straight to the Cleveland Cavaliers and subsequently the NBA title) or poking fun at this year’s presidential election, there are memes for every occasion. There are tons of compilations of the hottest memes on YouTube, and dozens of pages on social media dedicated to showcasing the best memes that the internet has to offer. Today, memes have evolved into “dank memes," which is to show that these memes are the best in the game, sweeping the internet by storm.

Now, as a student of the game (of memes) and being in college, I find myself looking for a quick pick up after a long day in class. And after looking high and far, I have found one of my favorite pastimes in memes. Not only do memes provide a great laugh when I need energy to get through my day, but they allow me to relax and take a break from the constant running around campus from class to class. Find a good meme compilation on YouTube (which there are hundreds of), and sit back with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee and a warm blanket, and you have yourself a good time.

In addition, memes continue to introduce me to new things and keep me up to date with the times, and what today’s teenagers are interested in. For example, when I see a meme about the presidential election, it inspires me to research and find out what current state of the election is, and how the candidates stand on certain topics. However, in my favorite meme of all time, it has introduced me to a new band, and it has expanded my love of music. In the meme series “To Be Continued” (inspired by the anime series JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), each meme ends with the bass line of the song “Roundabout” by a band called Yes. After some snooping on the internet, I found the full song and listened to its eight minutes of searing basslines, crying guitars, and epic keyboard solos. And let me say, that it was one of the best rock songs that I’ve ever heard, and I my ears would have never been blessed with such beautiful noise if it wasn’t for this meme. Now, I cannot stop listening to this song, and to this day, I continue to explore Yes’s repertoire of songs dating back to the 1970’s. I am forever indebted to memes and their abilities to surprise me each and every day.

All in all, memes are here to stay, and I look forward to finding more memes to stay up to date on the year’s hottest topics and to be better informed about what’s happening in the world around me. As we transition into a new year, I expect 2017 to be filled with a fresh batch of “dank memes, and I am excited to see which animated TV shows and people will become even more popular because of the meme culture. So, as you find yourself winding down from another busy holiday season, sit back, sip on a cup of tea, and find yourself some “dank memes.” I wish everyone a great start to 2017, and have a happy New Year!