Everyone enjoys a funny video.

On January 24, 2013 a new app rattled the world with a new concept. Vine came to entertain the world of teens that had nothing better to do. The seven second videos were made by everyday people who happened to catch an iconic moment. Vine soon soared and was on just about everyone’s phone. So many people were hooked on the new sensation that videos started to become part of a daily conversation.

Quoting the short videos was so common that some were even able to make a career out of the app. Shawn Mendes, a popular song artist, got his start on Vine singing covers and playing his guitar. The popular Vine stars were even invited to join MagCon (Meet and Greet Convention) and were soon called the MagCon boys. Cameron Dallas, Shawn Mendes, Aaron Nash Grier, Hayes Grier and more, got their starts touring the country to say hello to their fans. As Vine grew so did these boy’s careers, and the pressure to become something more. Shawn Mendes went on to sing the popular songs we know and love now. Jack Gilinsky and Jack Johnson also make music as a duo called Jack & Jack and the rest fell through the cracks making small appearances every few years. Cameron Dallas and Matthew Espinosa went on to star in small movies and Netflix originals.

With careers slowing and Vine becoming less popular than before, the developers decided to remove it from the app store. Understandably, some were upset, but life went on and Vine became a distant memory. memes became more popular and many even forgot Vine had existed in the first place. Junior Krisa Frank, says, “A meme is a picture with words on it.” Often times you will find a joke or a general statement that is accompanied by a picture. These are memes and have been popular since 1976 when Richard Dawkins coined the term. Frank continues, “I lay on my bed and scroll through Instagram looking at memes.” Most teens find themselves using memes as a form of relaxation. Laughter is often the cure found from reading these hilarious memes. Those who remember Vine call these pictures memes but the recent generation has found a small mix up between the two sources of laughter.

Just this year Vine 2 was released January 24th. Many are excited for the prospect of more videos coming out. It has sparked a heavy debate on whether to call it a meme or a Vine. To set things straight, according to Urban Dictionary, “A Vine is a seven second video, posted and made on the Vine app… a meme is a post on a social media account including a pun and picture or gif.” The best way to describe a Vine is put simply as a video. Clearly stated in the definitions a Vine and a meme are two separate things. Lumping them together was only recently started and can just as quickly be stopped.

No matter what you call them, we all still enjoy the laugh we enjoy alone in our dark rooms. Vines and Memes are the hallmark of being a teenager and bring us together as a group. When we hear it around the halls we know that being a teenager is great but is especially great when we have spectacular ways to waste our time.