The Instagram page wurmemes has racked up over 4000 followers in no time with memes – for older readers: internet jokes – about student societies, Wageningen campus and student life in general. Some reels have been viewed millions of times. The creator of the page wants to remain anonymous but is prepared to reveal a few things to Resource under strict conditions.
How did wurmemes start?
‘I often think of jokes about things that happen around me, during class or when I’m somewhere with friends. I had been thinking about making a meme page as somewhere to dump those jokes. When a friend of mine said that I’m actually not that funny, I felt insulted. What do you mean I’m not funny? So I had to make that Instagram page just to prove them wrong. I had just finished my exams, and the first meme I made was about how I forgot my laptop during a BYOD exam (Bring Your Own Device, ed.).’
And there you are with that one meme. How did things go from there?
‘After that first one, I immediately made about five more memes so people could see what the page is about. I started following some people I knew through others. I didn’t really know what I was doing, I didn’t have any experience with social media management, and I didn’t know how to edit pictures. But you can google everything. And then it suddenly started to grow very quickly. People found it funny and the whole thing took off.’
How much time do you spend on wurmemes?
‘Too much! Some days or weeks I do almost nothing, but if I want to try something new I can easily spend a few hours on it. The ideas pop into my head pretty randomly when I experience something, or someone tells me something. I keep track of all the ideas in a notes app and work them out later. And the more followers I have, the more input I get. Like that fire in Forum: as soon as it happened, someone sent me a photo. Then I just can’t help but do something with it right away. I also found out that a lot of people consider wurmemes like a sort of Wageningen news site.’
Why is it so important to remain anonymous?
‘I think if people knew who I was, it would take the fun out of it. I’m just an average student who experiences all sorts of things at uni and it’s better if as few people as possible know who I am. Of course, sometimes it gets leaked. Some friends sometimes say “it has to be you doing this”, but so far I’ve managed to keep it a secret. But you can guess from my memes that I’m an international Bachelor’s student.’
What makes a meme a good meme?
‘A good meme is a little bit insulting. A sort of cheeky joke that no one dares to make. “Everybody is thinking it but nobody is saying it”; that category. And it has to be relatable for a lot of people. And the template, so the picture or the video you use, has to be recent.’
Are there things you would never make a joke about?
‘No sexism or racism, that’s not funny. I get a lot of DMs about the camp on the bridge, but I’m not going to touch that. The subject is too controversial and I don’t think it’s my job to make jokes about it.’
Do you get a lot of reactions?
‘I do. Mainly online. Sometimes I think that people are a bit reluctant to send me something because they’re afraid I’ll turn it into a meme. I don’t just do it without asking, and if I do use someone’s input it’s always anonymous. When I walk around campus, I hear a lot of people talk about wurmemes. It’s pretty strange because I have to pretend like I know nothing about it. My poker face is bad, so I usually keep to myself when people are talking about wurmemes. Fortunately, I never get really negative reactions. Of course, some people don’t agree with what I’m saying, but I never get personal hate.’
Do your parents know about the page?
‘Yes, they also check it out. At first, my mother was mainly scared of the negative consequences. She said: won’t you be in trouble with the university? She really thought my teachers would start hating me, ha-ha. Now they put on their reading glasses and look at the meme and ask me what it means. I then have to explain the joke, which immediately makes it not funny.’
You’re here for your Bachelor’s. What happens when you graduate?
‘I don’t really know yet. It would be nice if someone else takes over the page when I leave Wageningen, but who? I think I personally wouldn’t have picked myself if I’d applied as a wurmemes administrator, because I’m not that extrovert. How do you know if someone is good at this? So maybe the page will just stop. Or it’ll take a break, and I’ll start again if I decide to do a Master’s in Wageningen as well.’
