This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Asa Conroy. Find them on Instagram at @asakayconroy. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
We’ve all had our fair share of embarrassing crushes. Whether we want to admit it or not, we’ve all had them. However, the internet has made the perfect trend for anyone who wants to confess their crushes with their friends. “Hear me out” cakes. The new viral way to have your cake and eat it too. But, with everything, there are some dos and don’ts. So, what is a “hear me out” cake? And how can you make one of your own?
What is “Hear me out”
“Hear me out” is a trend that kind of has an unspecified origin. In one way or another, people have asked for years for people to hear them out on their unconventional crushes. This trend more or less solidified it into one question. One of the most famous tweets comes from @themonaleo. The simple question generated a variety of crazy responses. Needless to say, it fulfilled its purpose.
What makes a fictional character or concept into a “hear me out” is the very need to explain your attraction. This category of crushes is humiliating, unusual, and more often that not totally unhinged. So, when thinking of your “hear me out,” focus less on Margot Robbie or Chris Hemsworth and more on something on par with Dragon from Shrek, Shrek, or the number 8. It’s a wide and wild range.
Where does cake factor into this?
The only answer for that is that it’s cake. Who doesn’t want an excuse to eat cake? But birthdays and holidays don’t come every day, and for at least one of those things there are generally rules about how you eat it. A “hear me out” cake is the sweet solution to just wanting to eat cake and have a laugh with your friends. It’s way more delicious than daring your friends to tell you about their new crushes.
Alright, that’s enough explaining. How do I do it?
Luckily, you only need a few things to get started.
- A cake (either store-brought or make one together!)
- Popsicle sticks, toothpicks, or cake sticks
- Paper (for the printed cutouts)
- Tape or glue
- A TikTok account
Each participant prints out pictures of their “hear me out” characters. This is done in secret. No one is supposed to know who is picking who until the final reveal. But before we need to prepare before we get to that point. After you print your pictures, cut if you need to (for spacing reasons) and then tape or glue the pictures to the sticks of your choosing. Ideally, you would also want to keep your characters in a container that hides their identities.
It’s time to gather now that you have all prepared your “hear me out” inserts. Hopefully, you also have a cake at this point, but if you don’t buy it or bake it. When all the pieces are together, set up the camera and you are ready to roll! Technically, you could do this without a camera, but it’s a TikTok trend. That’s kinda the whole point. but do what you want, I can’t stop you.
Dos and Don’ts
Well, I can’t stop you from not posting it, but there are some ground rules that should be followed. Just so everyone has a good time, and no one gets hurt in the process. You might ask how a cake trend could be harmful, but I think we all know social media well enough to know that someone’s gonna ruin it.
DO: Have fun with your friends! It’s literally just getting together, eating cake, and talking about hot fictional characters
DON’T: Be a jerk! Seriously, everyone has different tastes and different reasons for crushing on something. You might think your friends’ tastes are weird or even awful, but they’re not yours. You don’t have to like it.
DO: Leave room for everyone. Weird point to end on, but some people really seem to want their crushes front and center and taking up the whole cake. You have a whole cake to fill up, let everyone have a chance to be heard.
DON’T: Use any regular people. A celebrity is generally okay because they’ll probably never see the cake. It’s really a backhanded compliment to put a regular person on a “hear me out” cake. Like sure, you are calling them attractive but suggesting they’re an unconventional or unhinged choice. Think about it, you’re putting them in the same ranks as Gardevoir from Pokemon. That’s just not a flattering association.
DO: Laugh with someone. Not at someone. This goes hand in hand with the previous one. This isn’t an opportunity to bully your friends. It’s a good time with good cake.
Let me guess, people have a problem following these rules?
You must be psychic. You took the words right out of my mouth. Yeah, people have a problem following these rules. For every “hear me out” cake on TikTok you’ll see, you’ll probably find about 5 lectures on why certain choices are too safe. And maybe they are safe, but it’s not safe to the person choosing.
So yes, while some may choose Lady Dimitrescu in her monster form, others may think her regular vampiric form is intense enough. Choosing Aladdin because he’s a drawing you had a crush on as a kid is a lot for some people. Everyone has different levels of “hinged” and comfort with what they share online. I’ve even seen people call the Progressive Box mascot a “safe option.” Again, the variety this trend offers is wild.
Regardless, I don’t think people have a reason to be nervous. The internet has seen some pretty wild things. If you’re hiding a “worse” crush behind Wreck-It Ralph or Lex Luthor, you don’t have to. Chances are someone has already put them on their cake. Although I hope it’s not because of your friends, because your real friends would be willing to hear you out on just about anyone. Or seeing how this trend has gone, just about anything. Grab a cake, some friends, and some of your “hear me outs” and have a scrumptious time!
What do you think about “hear me out” cakes? Who are some of your “hear me outs?” Let us know in the comment section below!
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