The phrase “brain rot” has become one of the most common jokes among teens. Usually said with a laugh, perhaps following someone saying “67” for unprompted or starts quoting a random TikTok trend. However, behind the humor, many students admit that the constant cycle of scrolling, procrastinating, and zoning out might be doing more than just wasting time. It might be changing the way they think.
Godwin Junior, Nancy Zarei, believes that brain rot comes from being on your phone too much, putting off homework, and never getting enough sleep. “You just can’t focus,” she says, explaining how staying up late on her phone makes it harder to study the next day. For her, brain rot feels less like a joke and more like a bad habit that’s hard to break.
Irini Abdelsayed, a Godwin Sophomore, sees brain rot as something deeper than just distraction. She says social media can make people lose their individuality. “People do things they think others want them to do, not what they actually want,” she explained. “You basically don’t have a personality. You’re just going off what other people do.” Even so, she admits she has her favorite “brain rot” moments. “I like Italian brain rot, like ballerina cappuccina,” she said, smiling. “It reminds me of my little brother, and every time I say it. It makes me laugh.” She also loves the number 67, “It’s just so random that it’s funny,” she added. When she feels overly preoccupied with social media, she resets by going to the gym, doing yoga, or playing volleyball to clear her mind.
The same serious sentiment is not reflected by all, however. Juniors Emy Ghobrial and Lora Saleeb said they see brain rot as more of a joke than a pressing issue. “I think it’s just a joke,” Emmy says while acknowledging that people sometimes take it too far and lose focus during class discussions. Laura agreed, saying that while “brain-rot” humor can be funny, it sometimes impedes completing schoolwork.
Teachers have noticed the effects as well. Ms. Davis, a Godwin librarian, notes that students who spend too much time on screens tend to lose patience when faced with difficult assignments. “They get frustrated more easily,” she explains, admitting even adults can experience it. After sitting through long meetings or hearing the same material repeated, she finds it hard to stay focused herself.
Everyone defines brain rot differently, but most tend to agree that constant screen time affects focus, patience, and motivation. For some, it’s a harmless inside joke filled with nonsense words like ballerina cappuccina and 67. For others, it’s a real problem that makes learning and thinking clearly harder than it would have been in the past.
Whether or not we are on the path to facing a growing issue, one thing is certain. The current generation spends so much time online that it’s becoming difficult to distinguish where jokes end and the detrimental effects begin.
