By Iris Yim
As a curious Gen X researcher—and a mom trying to understand her 12-year-old daughter Viveka and 16-year-old son Henning—I often find myself asking them questions about what grabs their attention online and what trends they’re into. It’s both personal and professional curiosity. (Side note: Viveka isn’t a fan of being called Gen Alpha; she thinks it sounds like it causes “brain rot.” 😅)
The “Aura” Meme: A Case Study in Gen Alpha Humor
A few months ago, we were driving past a construction site near our home in Chapel Hill, NC, when Henning suddenly snapped a photo of the building signage. When I asked why, he pointed to the word “aura” in the building name and said it was “funny.”
Naturally, I asked, “Why is that funny?”
He paused and said, “I don’t know how to explain it. Ask Viveka.”
Viveka couldn’t quite articulate it either—but she did what Gen Alpha does: she showed me a bunch of videos. To me, these videos mostly featured self-deprecating humor and socially awkward moments. So, I turned to Google.
Here’s what I learned about the “aura” meme:
The aura meme, especially popular on TikTok, is an ironic trend blending spiritual beliefs about auras, video game mechanics, and the idea of “rizz” (charisma or flirting skill). It’s about humorously evaluating how cool or confident someone seems in social settings, often via fictional “aura points” that are gained or lost based on their actions.
- Strong aura = cool, confident, magnetic
- Weak aura = awkward or try-hard
- Aura pointsare awarded (or deducted) based on social behavior. For example:
+1000 points for a stylish move.
-1000 points for tripping in public.
There’s even “aura farming” and “auramaxxing” (trying too hard to boost your aura), and yes, the whole thing has anime and video game influences baked in.
A Day in Denmark: “Preppy” and “Clean Girl” Aesthetics
While visiting my husband’s family in Denmark this summer, Viveka and I stopped at SlotsArkaderne in Hillerød for some shopping. We wandered into Matas (think Sephora or Ulta), and she pointed out brands and products that “everyone” likes.
Naturally, I asked: “Who’s everyone?”
Answer: “People around me and influencers on YouTube and TikTok.”
Here’s a snapshot of the current Gen Alpha aesthetic according to my very informed tween:
- Style Keywords: Preppyand Clean Girl
- Popular Brands:
- Clothing: White Fox, Pink Palm Puff (oversized hoodies), Lululemon leggings, Nike socks, Adidas Samba sneakers, Converse
- Beauty: elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter (used also as lip gloss!), Sol de Janeiro (especially Bom Dia Bright Cream), The Ordinary, Milk Makeup, Tirtir (K-beauty foundation), and even Labubu(because Lisa from Blackpink has one)
- Influencers she follows: @EllaGLife, @jazminetan
Quiz Time: What does “GRWM” mean?
Viveka taught me this one too.
GRWM = Get Ready With Me
Try searching for “preppy GRWM” on YouTube or TikTok to get a full visual download of this style Gen Alpha and Gen Z girls are into.
Titanic, But Make It a Toad
One last story. A few days ago, Viveka was humming “My Heart Will Go On.” Surprised, I asked how she knew that song—after all, Titanic came out long before she was born.
Her answer? She saw a viral video of a Toad singing it—arms outstretched, squeaky voice, fully dramatic. Oh no, it’s not a toad per se. It’s the mushroom character in Super Mario but somehow it’s called Toad.
Ridiculous? Maybe. But also a reminder: If you want Gen Alpha to connect with classics, start by speaking their language.