Viral Hooks
Trending short videosAttributing inner thoughts to students
M

@michiganstateu

Instagram 路 Carousel

@michiganstateu Each Spartan is having their own unique experiences, both joyful and challenging. Be kind, check in on friends, ask for help if you need it, and remember you aren't alone. 馃挌

View original on Instagram

The edit1 shot 路 18 text
Shots Text

Performance

Views
376.2K
Likes
25.1K
Comments
79
Engagement
6.7%
Outlier
2.9脳

Video #15158 路 Carousel

Attributing inner thoughts to studentsfrom @michiganstateu

[01]

Overview

This is a three-photo carousel post that uses text overlays to project the inner thoughts, struggles, and triumphs onto anonymous students and even ducks on a university campus. The purpose is to evoke a sense of 'sonder'鈥攖he realization that everyone has a complex inner life鈥攁nd to promote empathy and community by highlighting the shared but unseen experiences of student life.

[02]

Simple outline

  1. 1Establish contrasting micro-experiences
  2. 2Escalate the emotional spectrum
  3. 3End on vulnerable truth
  4. 4Resolve with community CTA

[03]

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[04]

Classification

Format
Carousel
Concepts
Showcase Carousel
Elements
Text Overlay
Account
Brand
Topics
LifestyleEducationPsychologyFriendship

[05]

Hook analysis

What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds

Title hook 路 55%

Missing home

Verbal hook 路 30%

Each Spartan is having their own unique experiences, both joyful and challenging. Be kind, check in on friends, ask for help if you need it, and remember you aren't alone. 馃挌

Visual hook 路 15%

The visual hook is the juxtaposition of ordinary, anonymous scenes (a dorm building, a crowd at a bus stop) with deeply personal and specific text overlays. The colorful lights in the dorm windows in the first image also create an immediate point of visual interest and curiosity.

[07]

Hook and payoff

The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back

Hook

Immediately present a mix of highly relatable, contrasting situations to act as an emotional mirror, compelling the viewer to find the specific statement that resonates with their current state.

Payoff

The caption serves as the ultimate resolution, contextualizing the chaotic list of isolated experiences into a unified message of empathy, community support, and a direct call-to-action to check on one another.

[08]

Narrative framework

The structural pattern this video runs on

Framework

The Empathy Collage

A rapid-fire juxtaposition of contrasting micro-experiences (highs, lows, and mundane realities) designed to build community empathy by highlighting the hidden, diverse complexities of everyday people.

  1. 1

    The Relatable Spectrum

    Introduce a rapid-fire list of common, contrasting experiences that establish the core theme: everyone around you is going through something completely different.

  2. 2

    The Emotional Deepening

    Expand the list with higher-stakes contrasts (e.g., major life wins juxtaposed against physical or mental exhaustion) to deepen the emotional resonance and maintain swipe momentum.

  3. 3

    The Vulnerable Anchor

    Conclude the visual sequence with raw, universally understood struggles that strip away pretense, leaving the audience emotionally primed for the core message.

Themes

  • sonder
  • empathy
  • student experience
  • mental health awareness
  • community

Techniques

  • text overlay
  • observational photography
  • night photography
  • environmental portraiture

Trends

  • relatable content
  • storytelling through text
  • mental health normalization

Post caption

Each Spartan is having their own unique experiences, both joyful and challenging. Be kind, check in on friends, ask for help if you need it, and remember you aren't alone. 馃挌

Text overlays

  • contextual 路 photo_0

    Missing home

  • contextual 路 photo_0

    Celebrating a birthday today

  • contextual 路 photo_0

    Made a new friend

  • contextual 路 photo_0

    200 D2L notifications

  • contextual 路 photo_0

    Had a big interview today

  • contextual 路 photo_0

    Crashing out over an exam tomorrow

  • contextual 路 photo_1

    Nervous about graduating

  • contextual 路 photo_1

    Aced their midterm

  • contextual 路 photo_1

    Getting sick

  • contextual 路 photo_1

    Parents visiting this weekend

  • contextual 路 photo_1

    Landed their dream internship

  • contextual 路 photo_1

    Running late

  • contextual 路 photo_1

    Mid-semester slump

  • contextual 路 photo_2

    Has plans with friends tonight

  • contextual 路 photo_2

    Started dating someone new

  • contextual 路 photo_2

    54 unread texts

  • contextual 路 photo_2

    Pulled an all-nighter

  • contextual 路 photo_2

    Just trying to stay afloat

Attributing inner thoughts to students | Viral Hooks