DEEP DIVE

Throughout the United States and around the world, the school year is starting for students from pre-K to post-grad. As some schools re-open in-person and others are going partially or fully online, back to school memes for the 2020-2021 school year reflect the variety of experiences that students, teachers, parents, and staff are preparing for during a pandemic.

Back to school memes cover everything from mask mandates to Zoom classes to disinfectant procedures to the chaos of some districts’ plans to reopen. While some memes on the subject are bleak, they serve as a way for people to vent about their experiences returning to school online and IRL.

The subreddit r/teenagers features many memes from young people about their experiences starting up the new school year.

I DON’T WANT TO GO BACKKKK from teenagers

A confused Jonathan Swan meme:

Our actual back to school plan for this year when we get to go back from teenagers

As per usual, The Simpsons provided relevant material for characterizing the present moment:

Back to school from memes

Kids going back to school in September being like from TheSimpsons

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To all teachers starting the year face-to-face… thank you and stay safe! #teachermemes #dailyteachermemes #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teacherlife #teacherproblems #teachersbelike #teacherfun #teachersrock #teacherprobs #teacher #teachers #teacherhumor #zoom

A post shared by Daily Teacher Memes (@daily_teacher_memes) on Aug 6, 2020 at 5:34pm PDT

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It’s been a tough few months, to say the least…. 😂 . . . . . . #teachersofinstagram #teachermemes #teachersfollowteachers #iteachtoo #teacherlife #teacherproblems #teacher #teachertribe #teacherhumor #teachertruth #teachertired #teachermeme #teachersummer #canadianteacher #teachermemesbyben

A post shared by Teacher Memes | 👨‍🏫 | Ben (@teacher_memes_by_ben) on Aug 4, 2020 at 8:42am PDT

Public school teachers next month: pic.twitter.com/Y05bvaNIm7

— Jeremy West (@JeremyWest) July 15, 2020

You’ve heard of Zoom University, now get ready for Bitmoji classrooms.

It’s back to school, so MEME TIME!! pic.twitter.com/Mrfu4X5mlD

— Angel Cesar Carmona (@AngelCesarCarm1) August 10, 2020

Every teacher right now looking at their district’s back-to-school plan pic.twitter.com/VDbYVlajSm

— Your Sub Tomorrow (@SubTomorrow) August 10, 2020

Unsurprisingly, there’s more than one clown meme about going back to school.

Me going back to school knowing we’ll go all online and still have to pay full tuition: pic.twitter.com/QlbZuLhPxO

— Sokrasey Austin Prim (@PrimAustin) August 10, 2020

we really thought we were just getting a extra week of spring break and now it’s august pic.twitter.com/QiVP1kmPEr

— chiquita (@stephmarierios) August 2, 2020

Some students are trying to make the best of a bad situation…

Perk of online classes: you can pin the video of your crush and look at them for the whole class without anyone knowing

— Rosa K-D (@rosa_radrazz) August 7, 2020

My daughter on in-person learning:

"They couldn't keep the bathrooms clean; how are they going to disinfect the whole school daily?"

— Stacey Hopkins (@staceyhopkinsga) July 22, 2020

Big mood: 

I want to go back to school but I'm so so scared to go back to school pic.twitter.com/wmtgTgZ3EP

— Gigi (@Gigintonic_) August 10, 2020

How schools would reopen if Frog TikTok was in charge…

@froggertfresh

our school system is so behind …. 🙁 #frog #school #fyp

♬ A 200 à lhuere instrumental by Francis Lai – shoegremlin