A TikTok trend that started in 2022 is now returning with the start of the 2023-2024 school year. If you’ve ever walked into school looking nice and walked out looking gross, you might’ve been one in many students around the U.S. who have fallen victim to school air. School air is the theory that the air around the school makes a person look ugly.

“I don’t believe in it only because if I do my hair and make-up in the morning and go anywhere, I’m not going to look the same by 4 p.m.” says FACS teacher Heather Ball. 

“I mean school is work and if you’re out with your friends you’re usually just in one place. Versus being at school, you can be all over the place. I mean, I’ve been in three different temperatures today and I’m in one room [it’s just based on where you are.]” 

The original TikTok video, creating the term “school air”, came from a student. This video got overwhelming support with more than 5 million views within four months. With the term getting popularized, a variety of students made videos about their experiences and got the same support. While teachers don’t seem to believe in the theory the majority of students do. 

“Yes, I believe in it. It’s facts,” said senior Connor Currence. 

These are the pictures of our interviewees before and after school to test the school air theory. 

Heather Ball before and after

Connor Currence before and after

While this theory hasn’t been proven to be real or accurate, the number of views with the #schoolair is currently standing at 431.9 million.