Speaking Distress Out of Being: An Exploration of Memes and Expressive Phrases as Jokes and Coping Mechanisms for University Students

dc.contributor.advisorMacdonald, Helen
dc.contributor.authorMathobie, Roxanne
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-31T07:02:57Z
dc.date.available2023-03-31T07:02:57Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.date.updated2023-03-29T12:02:57Z
dc.description.abstractShorthand phrases and meme culture have become rampant among university students when expressing their experiences in institutional spaces. This thesis explores the use of such phrases and memes among students as they navigate the various pressure and stressors of being undergraduate students during the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on the findings of this fieldwork I argue that the use of memes and phrases are central to students coping in this space as it allows for light humor and joking around the often tense and stressful circumstance. This use of humor offers up a release that while not changing the circumstance at hand allows for a suspension of tension just enough to allow students to keep going (pushing and working) through the semester. Aside from being useful as a release and breath through the tense time the use of memes and shorthand phrases has also allowed for the creating of space and community online during a time when many students have been isolated and physically distanced, unable to create new friendships. Overall, this research has found that among the nine participants use of memes and phrases such as ‘in the pits' allows for a distancing of the emotions and personal from the stressful circumstances phased, leaving enough room for light sharing that does not cost the user or listener further strain.
dc.identifier.apacitationMathobie, R. (2022). <i>Speaking Distress Out of Being: An Exploration of Memes and Expressive Phrases as Jokes and Coping Mechanisms for University Students</i>. (). ,Faculty of Humanities ,Social Anthropology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37592en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMathobie, Roxanne. <i>"Speaking Distress Out of Being: An Exploration of Memes and Expressive Phrases as Jokes and Coping Mechanisms for University Students."</i> ., ,Faculty of Humanities ,Social Anthropology, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37592en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMathobie, R. 2022. Speaking Distress Out of Being: An Exploration of Memes and Expressive Phrases as Jokes and Coping Mechanisms for University Students. . ,Faculty of Humanities ,Social Anthropology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37592en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Master Thesis AU - Mathobie, Roxanne AB - Shorthand phrases and meme culture have become rampant among university students when expressing their experiences in institutional spaces. This thesis explores the use of such phrases and memes among students as they navigate the various pressure and stressors of being undergraduate students during the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on the findings of this fieldwork I argue that the use of memes and phrases are central to students coping in this space as it allows for light humor and joking around the often tense and stressful circumstance. This use of humor offers up a release that while not changing the circumstance at hand allows for a suspension of tension just enough to allow students to keep going (pushing and working) through the semester. Aside from being useful as a release and breath through the tense time the use of memes and shorthand phrases has also allowed for the creating of space and community online during a time when many students have been isolated and physically distanced, unable to create new friendships. Overall, this research has found that among the nine participants use of memes and phrases such as ‘in the pits' allows for a distancing of the emotions and personal from the stressful circumstances phased, leaving enough room for light sharing that does not cost the user or listener further strain. DA - 2022_ DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Social Anthropology LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2022 T1 - Speaking Distress Out of Being: An Exploration of Memes and Expressive Phrases as Jokes and Coping Mechanisms for University Students TI - Speaking Distress Out of Being: An Exploration of Memes and Expressive Phrases as Jokes and Coping Mechanisms for University Students UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37592 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/37592
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMathobie R. Speaking Distress Out of Being: An Exploration of Memes and Expressive Phrases as Jokes and Coping Mechanisms for University Students. []. ,Faculty of Humanities ,Social Anthropology, 2022 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37592en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentSocial Anthropology
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.subjectSocial Anthropology
dc.titleSpeaking Distress Out of Being: An Exploration of Memes and Expressive Phrases as Jokes and Coping Mechanisms for University Students
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMSocSci
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_hum_2022_mathobie roxanne.pdf
Size:
1.41 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
0 B
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Collections