The Winter Arc meme is a TikTok trend wherein users resolve to change their daily routines and habits long before New Year’s. The idea is to lock in a healthier lifestyle before winter arrives to beat the temptation to spend the frigid season under the covers and make it much easier to achieve any New Year’s resolutions.
While some TikTok users have taken on the challenge with gusto, some fans of warm blankets and hot chocolate declared that their version of the Winter Arc is exactly what the first group is trying to avoid.
Winter Arc meme basics:
- Meme Creator: Unknown
- Meme Type: TikTok meme challenge
- First Appearance: Fall 2022
- Origin Source: TikTok
- Used to Convey: Desire for healthy change
- Peak Popularity: Late September / Early October 2024
What is a Winter Arc?
To start, the term “arc” comes from the concept of a character in a piece of fiction changing throughout the story. For example, a villain or anti-hero might have a “redemption arc” and end up as a better person by the end.
A “Winter arc” therefore refers to how a real individual will change over the autumn months and emerge as a somewhat new person by the beginning of winter or the new year. This might mean starting a daily workout routine, committing to waking up earlier each morning, limiting social media use, getting more rest, etc.
What is the ‘Winter Arc Challenge’?
The Winter Arc meme had been mentioned on social media a few times in the past, particularly in 2022. However, the TikTok trend of the Winter Arc Challenge took off in 2024 as fall weather settled in.
TikTok users began creating and posting about their fully outlined plans to form new daily habits, challenging themselves to stick to it and setting goals for the end of the year. This idea went truly viral with the spread of one particular video posted in late September.
Winter arc meme origin and spread
The first dated entry using the term “Winter Arc” rests in the Urban Dictionary. The original definition from September 1, 2022, refers vaguely to the trend but suggests that the meme and the idea of the Winter Arc Challenge wasn’t yet fully formed.
“A time where every man must face the mental and physical challenges of winter,” it reads. “A time to put your head down and get things done.”
There were a few mentions of the term “Winter Arc” on social media prior to 2022 but not in any context associated with the current meme. The exact origins of today’s Winter Arc meme are unknown, but Twitter users appeared to get more specific about the idea two years ago.
Virality
The individual who popularized the Winter Arc Challenge, however, is TikTok user @carlyupgraded, who posted about the trend on September 29, 2024. The post gained over 4.5 million views within a couple weeks.
@carlyupgraded WINTER (ARC) IS COMING ⚔️❄️ you tapping in?? #winterarc #mindset #reinventyourself #realityshifting ♬ original sound – CARLY
From there, videos dedicated to the trend exploded on the platform. As of the middle of October, the term #winterarc has over 346,000 entries under its belt. Some have gone so far as to shave their heads to show their dedication to the trend.
Cultural context
The idea of the New Year’s resolution is a very popular and global phenomenon. Humans love to pick specific dates that feel like a new beginning and use that to inspire them to try forming new habits or create a new version of themselves.
The Winter Arc meme takes this energy to a new level by getting a head start on said resolutions. If a Winter Arc is successful, then completing a New Year’s resolution will be a breeze.
A large portion of the users jumping on this trend also appear to be fitness, wellness, and diet influencers looking to further push their ideas about what health looks like. Remember that good health also requires adequate rest and that self-improvement need not involve physical health changes.
Meme variations
Of course, not everyone is into the idea of New Year’s resolutions, let alone the Winter Arc meme. Some would much rather take the colder months as an opportunity to rest or may not work well with strict or specific plans for self-improvement, preferring to take it slow or simply accept themselves as they are.
This has led to more than a few memes, especially off TikTok, joking that a person’s Winter Arc will consist of a lot of sitting on the couch by the fire under warm blankets and with a hot beverage.
Trend examples
@angie.mmyers Winter acr challenge in full effect!! Hello October 1 👻✨📈🔒🏋🏻♀️⏰❤️💎 #winterarcchallenge #winterarc #weightlosschallenge #gethealthywithme #gethealthy #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Angie 🦩🌺✨
@itslaurensnyder winter arc = leveling tf up. #winterarc #wellnessgoals #health #workout ♬ original sound – sped up songs
@natasha_salgado_ Winter Arc is here…starting October 1st ⏰ There are NO official rules‼️ This is your chance to create your own rules that fit your goals and ambitions ✨ Make this season about you! Keep your head down, focus on you, and embrace the grind 💪🏽 Let’s lock in together 🔒 #postpartumfitness #winterarc #winterarcchallenge #momstrong #fitmomjourney #postpartumjourney #fitnessmotivation #latinafitness #latinainfluencer ♬ original sound – fairiesofthenight
Related memes:
- Watch 100 years of fitness trends in just 100 seconds
- This hot new relationship and fitness trend might not be as safe as it looks
- A years-old clip from ‘The Good Doctor’ is now a TikTok meme
- Paul Ryan’s bicep curl photos get the Internet pumped up
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
