Unless you’re living under a rock or deliberately staying as far as possible from the world of social media, you’ve probably stumbled upon the chaos of TikTok by now.
No matter your experience with the video-sharing platform, it’s undeniably given rise to more iconic memes and popular trends than I could even begin to count.
I personally love it. Sure, it can be a terrifying and downright annoying place sometimes, but there are certain content gems that make up for all the toxicity.
One TikTok star in particular comes to mind when I think of the app’s redeeming qualities. There’s one gloriously talented individual that rises above all the others; he might as well own the platform at this point.
Yes, I’m talking about Noodle the pug.
Again, unless you’re oblivious to all things Internet, I feel like everyone knows about this dog. If you’re somehow lost at this point in the article, I can explain.
Noodle the 13-year-old pug has become a pop culture icon through his (and, I guess, his owner’s) TikTok account. Noodle’s main job description is to predict what kind of day everyone is going to have, and this is based on whether or not he decides to stand up in his bed in the morning.
When Noodle stands, it’s deemed a “bones day.” When Noodle falls back down, collapsing limply back into his bed, as one does, that’s what we call a “no bones day.”
This Groundhog-Day-esque prediction has been circulating around the Internet for a while now, but I still think it’s one of the best things to come out of TikTok’s mayhem. The pug is deemed “cheugy”—another Internet term I don’t have the space to explain—but I heartily disagree; Noodle’s predictive powers have not worn out their welcome in my life.
In fact, I think the bones vs. no bones phenomenon is a sign of the times.
Our lives are so uncertain that millions of people essentially rely on a senior dog for a daily horoscope. It sounds silly, but I really feel like Noodle provides a sense of comfort and relatability to so many people.
I actually think the silly nature of it adds to its appeal; it’s funny and adorable, sure, but underneath this charming façade, it feels like a source of validation.
Seeing Noodle crumple back up into bed is cute and relatable because—there’s no denying it—this semester has oftentimes made me feel like I, too, have no bones. Some days I just don’t have it in me to be a functioning human person.
And on the other hand, bones days almost feel like motivation at this point. If this little guy can get out of his cozy bed, I guess I can get up and go to my morning classes, too.
Maybe I’m reading entirely too far into the meme, but I’ll take validation for feeling under the weather some days—or more motivated on others—wherever I can get it.
Regardless, whether you see Noodle’s TikTok presence as a reassuring daily gift or simply just another meme, I think we can all agree on one thing: he is very, very cute.
Emily Davison is a 20-year-old anthropology and English junior from Denham Springs.