Anyone who’s ever interacted with a middle schooler knows that those are just the weird years. Middle schoolers are riding a fine line between still being young enough to enjoy toys and snuggling up with their parents once in a while, and at the same time, establishing some independence, taking an interest in dating, and putting a ton of stock in being “cool.” Gabe Dannenbring, a middle school teacher on TikTok, is sharing videos of the hilariously random things he sees his students do to prove to their peers how “cool” they are, and as ridiculous as they are, they’re sure to bring a smile to your face.
@g_unit24 How to be cool in middle school. Middle schoolers are always fun! Did I miss any? #teachersoftiktok #teacherlife #teacher #middleschool #middleschoolteacher
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First up? Throwing away paper in the classroom.
“It’s not cool just to throw a piece of paper away normally,” Gabe explains. “You gotta do this instead.”
He then demonstrates zigging and zagging across the classroom like an NBA player on the basketball court before dramatically dunking the paper into the trash can. Naturally.
Next? “If you ever get new shoes, it is so uncool to crease your shoes,” he says. He then demonstrates how middle schoolers walk (waddle) with perfectly straight legs to avoid bending their feet and creasing their new shoes. It’s also uncool to wear a coat to school, so he recommends throwing your coat straight into the garbage. And when a middle schooler enters the classroom, it’s very uncool to just walk through the door. Instead, he says, the “cool” ones jump and tap the top of the door frame on their way in.
Related: Why Are Kids ‘Mewing’ in Class?
Finally, he says, “You should never greet your teacher with a, ‘Hi, good morning, or how are you doing?’ You should greet with this instead: ‘Yo, what’s up teach? Dab me up, bro. Yeah, dab me up, bro. Yeah, what’s up teach? What’s up?'”
Makes perfect sense to us.
