The UNC memes Facebook page has been online for less than two weeks, and already has more than 3,000 likes. A few individual memes on the page have amassed more than 300 likes, and it’s gaining more popularity every day.
A meme is an image accompanied by text that is usually meant to be funny. Memes like the Dos Equis man and socially awkward penguin are pretty common and have a certain format.
Sophomore Aaron Lutkowitz is the page’s founder. Though he is at Duke this semester, he swears his allegiance falls completely with UNC. He started the page after he heard about Duke’s memes page.
“I thought it would be awesome if we could do something as good, if not better than Duke’s page,” Lutkowitz said.
When he started the page on Feb. 7, he created five memes and put them on the page. It spread like wildfire from there, he said. Lutkowitz said he now spends the bulk of his day trying to figure out new memes.
Michael Hardison, also a sophomore, is the other admin on the page. He said when Lutkowitz approached him with the idea, he had no idea it would become this popular this fast. He said he and Lutkowitz patrol the page like hawks to make sure no negative memes are published. After the loss to Duke, Hardison said he was up until 4 a.m. deleting and banning users who were insulting UNC.
Hardison said anti-Duke memes are his favorite, specifically one about Dexter Strickland’s relationship with Austin Rivers’ sister. Both Hardison and Lutkowitz say that the site builds community because memes are about problems that we all have and things that we all find funny.
The page recently started enforcing a new rule that a meme must have 15 likes in 24 hours in order to remain on the page. Lutkowitz said that it was done mainly to get the best of the best on the page.
“Some people just really don’t realize how a meme works,” Lutkowitz said. “To be fair, any post by me or Michael has to have 30 likes in 24 hours to remain on the page.”
Lutkowitz has stuck to those rules, even deleting a few of his original five memes.
The idea of moving the page to an independent website has crossed their minds, but they both agree that there is no better way to gain a following than on Facebook.
“Making an independent site would be cool, but everyone uses Facebook,” Hardison said.
Many students have made posts on the memes page. Ethan Butler, a sophomore, has more than 450 likes on one of his posts — but he has received very negative comments.
“People accused me of being a State student and said that I was harming the reputation of UNC,” Butler said. “I just made it personal, just trying to dispel rumors of UNC being uppity.”
Justin Wilson, a sophomore, has more than 300 likes on his post. He said his inspiration came from the truth.
“A lot of people agreed with me, I just thought it would be funny to make a meme out of something many people consider to be true,” Wilson said.
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