The fridge cigarette is the symbol of Gen Z It's almost self-care
In the most creative and niche corners of TikTok, like any self-respecting trend, a new phenomenon has emerged that's taken Gen Z by storm: the "fridge cigarette". Despite what the name might suggest, it’s not an actual cigarette. Instead, it's the original and ultimately harmless way Gen Z refers to the habit of drinking a cold can of Diet Coke (or Coke Zero) to enjoy a moment of pause and relaxation. Picture a smoker who, after a long workday, finally steps out to light a well-earned cigarette break. Now apply that same idea to someone who doesn’t smoke, but still wants that same kind of moment to press pause on the world.
@andrea.varano Cos'è una "fridge cigarette"? Ogni generazione crea i suoi rituali. Per la Gen Z, è la fridge cigarette: una pausa, un reset, un piccolo gesto che ricorda una sigaretta. #marketing #marketingstrategy #brandstrategy #branding suono originale - Andrea Varano
What is a fridge cigarette?
The fridge cigarette is more than just a beverage. It’s a ritual. Just like the traditional "smoke break", this moment is rich with symbolism and marked by specific gestures: opening the fridge, choosing the can, hearing the "click" of the tab, listening to the fizzy crackle of the bubbles, and enjoying that first icy sip. All of this adds up to a brief but intense sensory experience. The can becomes a comforting object, one that marks the shift from anxiety to calm—or simply offers a personal moment in the middle of a chaotic day. It’s a perfect example of how Gen Z reinterprets past practices (in this case, smoking) with a fresh, ironic and arguably healthier twist.
When a break becomes resistance, aesthetics, and performance
In an era where burnout affects not only thirty-somethings but even teens, the fridge cigarette can be seen as a micro self-care strategy. It’s not just an ironic gesture or fleeting fad, it's a small act of daily slow living that lets you catch your breath in an always-on, always-demanding world. Just like "coping mechanisms", the fridge cigarette is one of those modern rituals that allows the mind to dissociate from constant input for just 30 seconds. A low-budget, low-commitment break, with high symbolic power.
@reallyrachelreno time for a crispy ciggy in the summer @Diet Coke #fyp #dietcoke Cruel Summer - Taylor Swift
In TikTok’s hyper-aesthetic language, the fridge cigarette fits seamlessly with trends like the clean girl aesthetic, sad beige life, or cozy core, while flipping them on their head. After all, it’s just a can of soda. Opening it in front of the camera, with the soft glow of the fridge as your only spotlight, isn’t just a functional act: it’s an artistic performance woven into the everyday drama - sad, normal, or joyful - of any given day. A mise en scène of relaxed vulnerability, shareable yet perfectly tailored for the algorithm. And that’s what makes Gen Z’s communication style so unique: turning the personal into content, as long as it’s short, meaningful, and relatable. Every break is a scene. Every gesture could go viral. Sure, this paragraph is packed with recently coined Internet lingo and anglicisms, but you get the point, right?
From trends comes language, and vice versa
Videos of people filming themselves doing absolutely nothing, often captioned with ironic or melancholic text, have birthed a shared language, a niche humor now understood only by the chronically online or proudly unemployed. Here’s another joke in line with that vibe.
@absorb.more Such a slay @Ian Somerhalder The Energy you drank before this really paid off #theabsorptioncompany #cofounder #supplements #genz dance the night away sped - speed..cafex
Every year, Oxford University Press runs a contest to choose the “word of the year.” In 2023, the public was invited to vote from a shortlist of eight, and the winner was “rizz”. The term comes from “charisma” and refers to having game, especially when it comes to flirting. New terms are constantly coined to fit the emerging generation’s experiences and to communicate shared moments. For example, phrases like “the ’rona” and “Zoom fatigue” popped up during COVID-19, while words like “delulu” and “cooked” gained traction on Instagram and TikTok. Fridge cigarette fits neatly into this trend, emerging right when we all need a break from the madness of adulting.
@thebamconnection Replying to @StarWalker Hey @Duolingo you should add “Gen Z” as a new language #genzhumor #corporatehumor #corporategirlies #workplacehumor #workplacetiktok #slang #slangchallenge #genz #genztalk #boomers #genzchallenge #boomer #genxslang Head Empty - Tsundere Twintails
According to Preply, Gen Z uses more slang than any other generation, with 89% of Americans learning these terms online. Slang is like fashion: it never dies. It might go quiet for a while, only to come back every few months with a slightly tweaked meaning or new context.
What if we forget how to speak normally?
It’s not easy keeping up with new terms, but it’s just as hard not to be overwhelmed by them. From using slang in work emails to subtweeting real-life conversations, we’re rapidly forgetting how to communicate without abbreviations and memes. Should we reclaim our vocabulary, or just go with the flow? Maybe both, within reason and context. Millennials, for instance, were the first generation to go to therapy en masse, the first to develop the self-awareness to ditch harmful stereotypes and face mental health struggles. This came with a whole new wave of specific vocabulary, and today, therapy speak is as widespread as TikTok slang. It’s good that these words are accessible, but they shouldn’t be overused or taken out of context. The same goes for slang.
@winnie_thepooj The ultimate superpower #therapy #therapist #comedy #healing #greenscreen Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono - moshimo sound design
Beyond TikTok: slang as a cultural archive
To the skeptics, here’s something to consider: slang is a form of social and cultural archive. It’s not just a trendy way to speak or a generational divide, it’s a tool for capturing how people live, react, and share their stories at a specific moment in time. Words like fridge cigarette, delulu, main character energy, or girl dinner are more than slang. They’re linguistic snapshots of a world in flux, a sharp, ironic, yet honest way of expressing our collective fragilities.
