People’s life-altering stories about the time “the rabbit got me” are going viral online. What does it mean?
A new emotional social media trend has users saying “the rabbit got me” to describe the moment their lives completely changed.
TikTokers share videos of themselves smiling or celebrating special occasions with loved ones with captions like, "This is me the day before the rabbit got me." But who, or what, is this rabbit they reference?
This is everything you need to know about the viral TikTok trend.
What does "the rabbit got me" mean?
The rabbit references a picture of the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. The rabbit points to a clock, as in the classic story, he shouts, "I'm late! I'm late!" as he lures Alice into a strange new world. In some versions, the "white rabbit pointing to a clock" meme is either directly referenced or pictured in the story.
On TikTok, the rabbit is a metaphor for a situation dragging someone into a reality so different from the one they were just in.
For example, many say the "rabbit got them" after a loved one passes away unexpectedly, a partner cheats, or they experience another devastating loss. The trend serves as a way for TikTokers to connect with other users over shared experiences and trauma, urging others not to take their current situations for granted.
Creators say the trend is helping people find community in shared pain and can even encourage viewers not to take their current lives for granted.
TikTokers interpret the "rabbit" trend
In one viral example, TikToker @alycia.bryannn posts a clip of her white coat ceremony, a celebration reserved for medical and nursing students as they prepare to enter clinicals.
However, her "rabbit" got her after she was involved in a car accident 48 hours later that resulted in her needing to medically withdraw from her program.
Another user posted a clip of her husband smiling at their baby. That same night, she says, he passed away unexpectedly.
@cassmeyers11 If I had only known I would have never let him go to sleep that night. #rabbit #therabbitgotme #griefjourney #husband #widow ♬ original sound - n1n4603
“This video still haunts me,” her caption reads.
But not all interpretations are tragic. Some are taking a positive spin on the viral trend.
TikToker @evilsnoopi says she "chases" the white rabbit as a way to "chase your wildest dreams instead of the plain life your family has intended for you" or "realize you’re worth more than what you’ve settled for."
Others expressed feelings of gratitude for steering their lives in a different direction.
Whether it’s about grief, transformation, or ambition, TikTokers are using the “rabbit” to capture the exact moment life takes an unexpected turn.
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