The Rise of “Who Was a Pen” Memes: Why Students Can’t Stop Laughing
If you’ve spent any time scrolling through social media lately, you’ve probably stumbled across a wave of memes featuring a hilariously confused student holding a pen, accompanied by captions like “When the teacher asks, ‘Who was a pen?’ and I’m just sitting here like…” or “Me trying to remember if the pen is mightier than the sword or just a writing tool.” These absurd, relatable jokes have become a staple of student humor, blending academic stress with surreal comedy. But where did this trend come from, and why does it resonate so deeply with students? Let’s unpack the phenomenon.
The Origins of the “Who Was a Pen” Meme
Like many viral trends, the “Who Was a Pen” meme doesn’t have a single origin story. It seems to have emerged from a mix of classroom mishaps, exam-related panic, and the timeless student habit of turning confusion into comedy. The phrase itself is a playful twist on classic exam questions—think “Who wrote [insert famous book]?” or “Explain the significance of [historical event].” By replacing a serious inquiry with something nonsensical (“Who was a pen?”), the meme exaggerates the feeling of being unprepared or overwhelmed during tests.
The imagery often features a generic “student” character—sometimes a cartoon figure, sometimes a photo of a real person staring blankly—paired with captions that highlight the absurdity of academic pressure. For example, one popular template shows a student holding a pen with the text: “When you’ve studied for 10 hours but the question is about the pen’s existential crisis.”
Why Students Relate to These Memes
Academic life is full of moments where expectations clash with reality. You might spend weeks preparing for an exam, only to face a question that feels completely unrelated to what you studied. The “Who Was a Pen” meme captures this disconnect perfectly. By framing academic challenges as ridiculous or illogical, students use humor to cope with stress. It’s a way to say, “This situation is so absurd, let’s just laugh about it.”
These memes also thrive on shared experiences. Whether it’s mishearing a question during a lecture or blanking out during a presentation, every student has faced a “wait, what?” moment. The meme’s vagueness (What does a pen have to do with anything?) makes it adaptable to countless scenarios, from science class to history essays.
The Role of Memes in Modern Student Culture
Memes have become a universal language for Gen Z and younger students. They’re quick to create, easy to share, and perfect for conveying complex emotions in a bite-sized format. For students, memes do more than just entertain—they build community. When someone posts a “Who Was a Pen” meme, they’re essentially saying, “Hey, I’ve been there too.”
This sense of solidarity is especially valuable in an era where academic pressure is higher than ever. Between standardized tests, college applications, and the constant hustle to balance school with extracurriculars, students are looking for ways to vent. Memes offer a low-stakes outlet to poke fun at the system without feeling guilty or confrontational.
Anatomy of a Perfect Student Meme
What makes the “Who Was a Pen” trend so effective? Let’s break down its key ingredients:
1. Relatability: The meme taps into a universal student experience—feeling lost or unprepared. Even if you’ve never encountered the exact scenario in the joke, the emotion behind it is familiar.
2. Absurdity: By asking a meaningless question (“Who was a pen?”), the meme highlights how academic pressure can sometimes feel arbitrary or disconnected from real-life skills.
3. Simplicity: The format is easy to replicate. Swap out the pen for a calculator, a textbook, or a lab beaker, and you’ve got a new variation.
4. Visual Humor: The exaggerated facial expressions (wide eyes, frozen smiles) add a layer of comedy that text alone can’t achieve.
Memes as a Study Tool?
Surprisingly, some educators argue that memes can play a positive role in learning. When students create or share memes about a subject, they’re engaging with the material creatively. For example, a biology meme about mitochondria being the “powerhouse of the cell” might stick in a student’s memory longer than a textbook definition. While the “Who Was a Pen” trend isn’t exactly educational, its popularity reflects how students use humor to process information and make sense of their academic journeys.
Of course, not all memes are study aids. But they do reveal how students are thinking about their challenges. A meme that jokes about forgetting everything during an exam might hint at test anxiety, while one about caffeine-fueled all-nighters could reflect burnout. For teachers and parents, paying attention to these trends can offer insights into student wellbeing.
The Future of Student Memes
Will the “Who Was a Pen” meme fade away? Probably—most internet trends do. But its underlying theme—using humor to navigate stress—is timeless. As long as students face academic pressure, they’ll keep finding ways to laugh about it. Future memes might focus on AI tools like ChatGPT (“When the robot writes your essay, but you still have to explain it to the teacher”) or hybrid learning (“Zoom class: where pajamas meet panic”).
What’s clear is that student memes will continue evolving, reflecting new technologies, classroom dynamics, and generational quirks. And while they might seem frivolous, they serve an important purpose: reminding students that they’re not alone in the chaos.
Final Thoughts
The “Who Was a Pen” meme is more than just a joke—it’s a coping mechanism, a cultural artifact, and a testament to the creativity of students under pressure. By turning academic stress into something laughable, these memes help lighten the mental load of school life. So the next time you see a student holding a pen with a caption about existential dread, remember: it’s not just a meme. It’s a tiny rebellion against taking life too seriously.
And who knows? Maybe someday, a history class will analyze this era of student humor. Now that would make a great meme.
Please indicate: Thinking In Educating » The Rise of “Who Was a Pen” Memes: Why Students Can’t Stop Laughing