The term "Ersties"—a German shorthand for Erstsemester (first-semester students)—took on a digital life of its own in 2023. As the first cohort to enter university in a post-pandemic landscape completely dominated by short-form video, the "Ersties 2023" experience was shaped by a unique intersection of , viral content cycles, and a shift in how popular media is consumed. The Rise of Dare Entertainment on Campus
The Ersties of 2023 will be remembered as the generation that fully integrated dare entertainment and hyper-speed popular media into the fabric of university life. By turning the "freshman experience" into a collaborative content piece, they redefined what it means to start a new chapter in the digital age.
For the 2023 cohort, content was the primary way to document the transition to adulthood. The "Get Ready With Me" (GRWM) for the first day of classes and "Day in the Life" vlogs became the standard.
The media landscape for 2023 Ersties was defined by "The Summer of Barbenheimer" and the resurgence of niche aesthetics. Popular media in 2023 didn't just provide entertainment; it provided a visual language for students to signal their identities.
While dare entertainment brought a sense of fun and spontaneity, it also introduced new pressures. The "2023 Erstie" felt the need to be "on" at all times, leading to a freshman year that was as much about digital archiving as it was about academic learning.