In 2023, student life moved beyond lecture halls and onto TikTok and Reels via "dare entertainment." This genre involves creators approaching strangers—often unsuspecting freshmen—with challenges, awkward questions, or high-stakes dares in exchange for small prizes or social media "clout."

Popular media outlets in 2023 spent significant time analyzing the 2023 Erstie. This group is unique because they are the first cohort to enter university with a fully "post-pandemic" social battery but with digital habits that are more entrenched than ever.

There was a growing sentiment among Ersties that if an event wasn't "content-worthy," it didn't happen. This shift has fundamentally changed how students interact during orientation weeks. The Legacy of 2023