Gif

Oh, the GIF. I didn't realize that such a simple concept could encompass so much of our daily lives. I remember it starting out and being this whole phenomenon, at least from what I remember, and now, it's part of the conversations that I have with my friends, memes on Facebook, and I can't remember a time where GIFs weren't just part of the iPhone keyboard. After reading Haider's article about how the GIF won the internet, I understand the point about how GIFs are lingua franca -- anyone can understand a GIF. I think the biggest part of the GIF and why it's so popular is that it just ends up being so relatable. They encapsulate our feelings and thoughts and sum them up better than we probably could ourselves. In fact, so much of literature now is just GIFs, especially with articles on Buzzfeed, like the article that explains how English majors feel, expressed in only GIFs. GIFs are a great way to connect with other people, to form a connection with someone you might not be able to otherwise, and that's what makes them so special. GIFs also are able to go viral so quickly because of the popularity that GIFs have gained. They're available on a multitude of platforms, and can be shared across the world. Like it's own language, it creates a worldwide connection for all of us. In the meantime, enjoy this GIF here that expresses my feelings about week 5.