TikTok challenges……Okay, so I wasn’t planning to fall down the TikTok rabbit hole again. I swear. I told myself I’d just scroll for a “few minutes” after dinner — you know, to unwind, maybe laugh a little. Next thing I know, it’s 1:42 a.m., my phone’s about to die, and I’m seriously considering whether I should try that “Sleepy Girl Makeup Challenge” even though I can barely draw a straight eyeliner line while fully awake.
But here’s the thing: these TikTok challenges aren’t just videos anymore. They’re like… mini cultural events. One second, you’re laughing at someone dancing with their dog, and the next, your group chat’s like, “We’re doing this tomorrow.” And you’re like, “Wait, what are we doing??”
Anyway. I’ve seen a lot of these challenges this year (don’t judge me, I’m a Queens night owl with unlimited Wi-Fi and zero self-control). So here’s the real rundown — the ones taking over the internet right now. And yes, I may or may not have tried some of them. Badly.
1. The “NPC Livestream Challenge” — AKA, The Weirdest Trend You Can’t Look Away From
You’ve probably seen this. People go live pretending to be NPCs from video games — repeating phrases like, “Yum! Ice cream! So good!” every time someone sends them a gift.
At first, I thought I was hallucinating. Like, what am I watching? But then, after the third “Gang gang!” and “Fire! Wow!”, I was like, okay, this is performance art now.
And then I tried it. For science. Let’s just say… I made $4.72 in ten minutes and developed a mild identity crisis.
But hey, that’s rent money for half a coffee in NYC.
Image idea: Close-up of a person doing the NPC face, ring light reflection in their eyes, pastel room lighting.
Filename: npc-livestream-trend.jpg
2. The “One Bite Sandwich Challenge”
So this one started when a guy on TikTok said he could eat a whole sub sandwich in one bite. (Spoiler: he could not.)
Now everyone’s trying it — and the stitches are chef’s kiss.
People’s cheeks puff out like squirrels, someone always coughs mid-bite, and one lady even snorted lettuce through her nose. I laughed so hard I dropped my phone.
I did try this one, though — half a bagel. Nearly saw the light.
Moral of the story: chew your food, people. Internet fame isn’t worth choking on sesame seeds.
3. “The Reverse Outfit Swap”
Couples (and sometimes roommates) swap outfits — and then recreate a “cool” pose like it’s a Vogue cover. It’s equal parts hilarious and disturbing.
I watched one where this buff gym guy squeezed into his girlfriend’s sparkly dress and heels, and she wore his oversized basketball jersey. The man committed. He strutted like he was on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and honestly? I’ve never respected a stranger more.
I asked my wife if we should try it. She looked at me, raised an eyebrow, and said, “You can’t even fold laundry right. Let’s not.” Fair.
4. “The Subway Serenade Challenge”
This one feels personal because—Queens girl here—I take the subway daily, and if someone starts singing, I’m immediately alert.
But this challenge? Actually kinda wholesome. People pick a random passenger and sing to them like it’s a concert. Sometimes the person joins in! Sometimes they stare like they’re rethinking public transport forever.
There’s this one viral clip where a guy sang “Shallow” to a stranger and she harmonized perfectly. Turns out she was a vocal coach. Instant duet fame.
If someone sang at me though? I’d probably panic and drop my MetroCard.
5. “The ‘Text Your Ex Something Weird’ Challenge”
Ohhh boy. Chaos. Pure chaos.
This one’s simple: people text their ex something random like “Do you still have my spatula?” or “What’s your opinion on soup?” and post the screenshots.
Some of the replies? Brutal. One ex wrote back, “I threw your spatula out like your attitude.” Another said, “Soup’s fine. You weren’t.”
I would try it… but I’m married and not trying to die.
Still, I live for the drama. I refresh those videos like it’s a soap opera.
6. “AI Song Mashup Roulette”
This one’s pure genius. You feed two random artists into an AI — say, Drake and Olivia Rodrigo — and it spits out a new song. Then people dance or lip-sync to the chaos.
Some of these are actually good. Others sound like someone threw a blender at a piano. Either way, they’re addictive.
There’s one mashup called “Bad Blood Hotline” that’s been stuck in my head for a week. My daughter keeps singing it at breakfast. My brain’s like: “Make it stop.” My heart: “But it’s kinda fire.”
7. “The Grocery Cart Glide”
Ah yes, the challenge that’s equal parts funny and potentially lawsuit material.
Basically, people try to glide down grocery store aisles by standing on the edge of a shopping cart. Simple. Until you crash into a cereal display.
One guy did it so smoothly, it looked like a dance. Another? Went straight into a stack of canned beans.
I almost tried it once, but my local store clerk already gives me side-eye when I buy too many snacks. I don’t need that energy.
8. “The Lazy Fit Check”
This one cracked me up. It’s just people showing off their “fit” (outfit, for the uninitiated) — except they don’t move. No posing, no music, nothing. Just standing there looking done with life.
The caption’s always something like: “When your therapist says self-expression is important.”
It’s funny because it’s so relatable. Some days I look in the mirror before leaving home like, “Yep, this is the best we’re doing today.”
TikTok gets it.
9. “The Memory Photo Challenge”
Now this one’s actually sweet. People recreate old childhood photos — same clothes (if they fit), same awkward poses, even same background if possible.
My favorite? Two brothers recreated a 1999 picture of them in a bathtub. Full-grown adults, still in the tub, holding rubber ducks. Zero shame.
I showed it to my son and said we should do one from when he was five. He said, “Only if we can Photoshop it.” Fair enough.
Sometimes the internet gets it right — and this challenge proves it.
10. “The Freeze Frame Prank”
This is the kind of humor that’s so dumb it’s genius.
You tell someone you’re taking a photo, count to three, and instead of snapping it, you freeze mid-pose. The other person panics and starts yelling “Why aren’t you taking it?!”
My daughter tried it on me. I stood there like an idiot for 20 seconds before realizing she was filming.
I laughed so hard I cried. Revenge is coming, though. She doesn’t know when. But it’s coming.
TikTok challenges Has Basically Become the New Saturday Night TV
You know what’s wild? Growing up, my family would gather around the TV for “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Now it’s just… me, my phone, and a million strangers doing weird stuff for clout. And I kinda love it.
The creativity’s insane. People are remixing trends, making parodies, and just being unapologetically silly again. No filters. No fake perfection. Just pure, unhinged fun.
And yeah, some challenges are dumb (like, please don’t eat anything not meant to be eaten), but others? They’re moments. Little bursts of collective joy.
So, Have You Tried Any TikTok challenges?
If you tell me you haven’t at least thought about doing one of these TikTok challenges, I’ll assume you’re lying or you’re my mom.
I’ve tried a few, failed at most, but laughed every time. And honestly? That’s the point. TikTok isn’t just about going viral anymore — it’s about those five minutes where you forget the world’s a mess and just… vibe.
Now excuse me, I gotta go. Someone just tagged me in the “Cereal Bowl Flip” challenge and my kitchen may never recover.
Outbound Link Suggestions:
- BuzzFeed: Hilarious TikTok Trends You Need to See
- KnowYourMeme for the history behind these viral challenges
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