People are now turning to social media more than ever before now that staying in is the new going out. In particular, social media challenges have been sweeping the world where anything from bouncing Ping-Pong balls off pots and pans for the perfect #TrickShot to turning pillows into D.I.Y. dresses has become the best way to pass your time while in lockdown. Getting creative with challenges may not only help ward off boredom but could earn users a moment of online celebrity staus should their offering go viral. Here is a list of some of the biggest social media challenges currently helping us all get trough lockdown:
This hashtag has gained millions of mentions across various platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Twitter. The aim is to land a shot using a Ping-Pong ball (although sometimes a golf ball, football or basketball) through an often ridiculous and complicated obstacle course. It is easy to see why this one has caught on so much, as silly tasks are often the most entertaining.
Fancy yourself as a fashionista? Well, this one is for you. The likes of Halle Berry, Tracee Ellis Ross and Anne Hathaway as well as millions of others have all posted videos of themselves attempting to turn everyday pillows into high-end quarantine couture. Just grab a belt or customisation item of your choice, fasten it around your waist and boom, you are ready to tag your #pillowchallenge
This one was initially a viral hit on TikTok that eventually made its way onto Instagram. It was inspired by the Drake tune “Nonstop” which has the line “I just flipped the switch” and involves you swapping clothes, poses and sometimes attitudes when the lights are switched off and then back on. Celebs have been getting involved with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez releasing clips of themselves #flippingtheswitch
This is another one inspired by a song and this time it is UK Grime stars Young T & Bugsey. Their hit “Don’t Rush” inspired a 20-year-old college student from Hull to try and beat the boredom by posting a video of her with seven girlfriends changing looks seamlessly while passing around a makeup brush used as a metaphorical baton. 2 Million views later and the #DontRushChallenge is trending with users coming up with their own takes on the challenge. One popular video shows New Orleans police officers passing around their hats however most videos do stick to the original concept using makeup brushes as wands to magically upgrade their look.
One for the creatives, this challenge see's participants using anything from toilet roll to old clothes in order to replicate famous works of art. The thought behind this one is that even though galleries and museums are currently closed, it shouldn't stop creativity flowing and the hashtag is helping to form a living archive of that creativity in isolation.
Another fun one, it seems taking out the rubbish is the new out out! This challenge originated in Australia and aims to make the usually mundane task of wheeling the bins out to the curb into something a little more exciting. A Facebook group called “Bin Isolation Outing” was set up and quickly gained nearly a million followers” and tells it’s members how to participate in the challenge, “So basically the bin goes out more than us so let’s dress up for the occasion! Fancy dress, makeup, tutu … be creative. Post photos to cheer us up, after all, laughter is the best medicine.” The challenge has now been going viral on Twitter and Instagram also.
Your First Move Is Their Last Move
The “Your First Move Is Their Last Move” challenge is most popular on TikTok, where there are hundreds of thousands of videos. This challenge turns family homes into makeshift nightclubs, where everyone gets a turn on the dance floor. Participants need to copy the dance move from the person in front of you, then add your own twist for the person behind you to replicate.