umichaffirmations
UMichAffirmations is a student-run humorous Instagram account that shares relatable college-life content centered around University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. Inspired by the popular trend of manifestation and affirmations, the account aims to unite the UMich student community, one meme at a time, to an audience of over 14,500 followers.
project type:
project tools:
Brand Design, Creative Direction, Content Strategy, & Social Media Design
Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, Premiere Pro, & Trello
project overview
From 2022–2023, I ran UMichAffirmations, an anonymous meme-style Instagram account focused on bringing humor and connection to the University of Michigan community. As the “Snot Nose Emoji” admin, I created and scheduled content that helped grow the account to over 14.5k followers. The satirical affirmation format drew inspiration from pandemic-era hope-core and manifestation trends, reimagined to fit UMich’s culture and sense of humor.
Through this project, I explored how design, humor, and emotional resonance can work together to create visual storytelling that fosters community.
ideation & posting process
Content creation was collaborative and flexible. Each week, the admin team met on Zoom to brainstorm ideas inspired by campus events and pop culture trends. We aimed to post 3–4 times a week, mainly using 5–10 slide carousel posts.
Between meetings, we stayed connected through an iMessage group chat to share last-minute ideas and react to things in real time. Trello helped us organize ideas by theme, assign posts, and avoid overlap, keeping the workflow fast and fun.
design process
We balanced visual consistency with creative freedom. Each admin brought their own style, but we used a shared Photoshop template to keep borders and effects consistent across posts. This made the feed feel cohesive, even with multiple designers. When a joke called for it, we weren’t afraid to break the template. The memes below show how the team stayed unified while still leaving room for individuality.
content collaborations
During my time running UMichAffirmations, we collaborated with several creators and brands, with standout partnerships including OSUAffirmations, the Michigan Marketing & Advertising Club, and the Michiganensian Yearbook.
osuaffirmations collaboration
As an Ohio native and Big Ten football fan, I saw the Michigan vs. Ohio State rivalry as a chance to drive engagement. I connected with the OSUAffirmations admins, and we launched a playful trash-talk exchange in the weeks leading up to the game.
The back-and-forth sparked a “are they actually beefing?” storyline that kept followers hooked on both sides. On game day, we posted hour-by-hour roasts, which led to some of our highest engagement. Most posts that week reached 3,000 to 5,000+ likes.
michigan marketing & advertising club collaboration
UMichAffirmations has hosted an annual meme scavenger hunt since 2021, and in 2022 we partnered with the Michigan Advertising and Marketing Club to level it up. They connected us with Ann Arbor businesses that donated gift cards, merch, and other prizes, giving students more incentive to participate while spotlighting local shops.
With help from other admins and friends, we spent six hours hiding printed memes across UMich’s 3,200-acre campus. Over 100 students took part, and while we were exhausted by the end, it was an absolute blast.
michiganenisan yearbook collaboration
As UMichAffirmations grew, we received interview requests from several student publications. Since I was on the design staff of the Michiganensian, UMich’s official yearbook, we gave them an exclusive interview that was featured in the 2023 edition.
To stay anonymous, we did the interview over Zoom with cameras off. I leaned into the mystery by wearing a disguise for the photos and designed the full yearbook spread myself, thanks to a friend who was Editor-in-Chief. It was a full-circle moment that blended design, memes, and a bit of fun secrecy.
meme showcase & project reflection
Working on UMichAffirmations was an unexpected but rewarding dive into designing for humor, relatability, and quick engagement. I learned how well-timed, thoughtful content can build community, and the project pushed me to think fast, stay culturally aware, and balance tone with intention, all while making people laugh.
Below are a few of my favorite memes I created. Enjoy!
