At the rate these trendy Gen Z expressions are circulating, it's no surprise they've already started seeping into our daily vocabulary. Not all of them are hits—some are downright cringeworthy and should never be uttered out loud again (read: yeet)—but once in a while, a random phrase emerges and somehow finds a way to live rent-free in our heads. Right now, that distinction belongs to the term "Aura Points."
That said, as fun as it is to inject it into conversations, there's a whole generation of people (or two, actually) who have no idea what it's about. What the heck does it mean? Where did it come from? And do we really have to start using it now? (You don't, but we'll award you aura points for learning about it anyway!)
Generally, the "aura" we're familiar with refers to the field of energy that supposedly emanates from a person or object, often linked to their spiritual or emotional state. But in Gen Z pop culture, aura points are a playful way to gauge your level of coolness or personal vibe. Essentially, they serve as a method to rate or describe someone's charisma, style, and overall presence.
To give us more context, Phillip Lindsay, a teacher and content creator, created a video explaining what aura points are and how you can earn or lose them. "So somebody's aura is their presence, right? It's the energy they put off. That's a word we all know," he pointed out. "But with the way that the kids are using it, they're specifically talking about how cool somebody is. What is the cool energy they put off, and what are the things that you could do or not do to 'add' or 'take away' from your aura?"
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For instance, tripping in front of your office crush might result in losing a few hundred aura points. Meanwhile, delivering a clever joke that makes everyone laugh could earn you two thousand aura points. The amount of positive or negative aura you gain depends on how "cool" or "uncool" the incident is, and the level of confidence or embarrassment you felt afterward.
It's something you usually bestow upon yourself, but when done right, the Internet will pretty much do it for you. For example, South Korean athlete Kim Yeji's gold medal-winning performance and overall swag in Olympic Shooting is what gaining a gazillion aura points looks like. No dispute there!
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Where did "aura points" come from?
The concept of "aura points" doesn't have a clear origin or single creator. Like most memes, it's something that emerged organically from Internet culture and social media. However, TikTokers such as @aidan2funny and @jonybrony were among the first to popularize it, posting memes about the concept earlier this year.
From there, it didn't take long for the rest of TikTok, Instagram, and even X (formerly Twitter) to catch up, spawning memes such as "The Most Amount of Aura I've Used on Level 1" or "How Many Aura Points Did I Lose When...", which quickly became trends.
Outside of social media, however, it's a term that can be attributed to the gaming community. In some role-playing games, players might earn aura points for having unique or rare cosmetic items, such as skins, outfits, or accessories, which make their character stand out. Aura points are also awarded for completing difficult achievements, mastering certain skills, or pulling off remarkable in-game feats.
According to Know Your Meme, the Internet has also previously used "aura" to describe someone's coolness in sports like soccer and basketball. In a nutshell, a player who consistently scores highlight-reel goals, makes clutch plays, and celebrates with flair might be said to have a high aura.
As mentioned, no one definitively knows where it came from, but what's apparent is that a myriad of influences helped bring this thing to life, and Gen Z-ers decided to make it a part of their lingo. Because why not, right?
ALSO READ: The Newest Gen Z Slangs We Learned Spending Too Much Time On The Internet
Is "aura points" here to stay?
Our guess would be both yes and no. Trends come and go all the time, so it's likely that the Internet will eventually come up with a new word or expression that could push "aura points" out of the spotlight. But then again, stranger things have happened—remember when "rizz" was officially added to the dictionary? It was even voted Oxford Dictionary Word of the Year in 2023! And while it's not necessarily a term, the once-new Gen Z 0.5 selfies are now a regular thing.
Besides, if "aura points" continues to resonate with people and becomes a beloved part of online culture, there's no reason why it shouldn't stick around for a while. Gamers know it by heart, sports fans use it to describe their favorite players, and social media is certainly having a field day with it.
Let's just say it wouldn't be surprising if we're still using "aura points" years from now. Eventually, it might even become so mainstream that it no longer feels like a mere Gen Z thing.