What is the “6-7” Trend?
The “6-7” (six seven) trend is the latest weird, slightly cheeky phrase turning up all across TikTok and, inevitably, now in Australian classrooms. It’s a phrase that means—well, honestly, almost nothing at all. But that’s kind of the point. Imagine the kind of cryptic in-joke that kids latch onto just to mess with adults, a bit like when everyone suddenly started saying “cheugy” in 2022 and all the parents collectively gave up trying to keep up. “6-7” is like that: a phrase that just sounds cool, is a bit baffling, and sits somewhere between playful, ironic, and, yes, nonsense.
Where Did “6-7” Even Come From?
“6-7” might sound mathematical, but the backstory is much more Gen Z. This whole thing started with a hip-hop track—of course it did—specifically a song called ‘Doot Doot (6 7)’ by Skrilla. In the song, there’s a repeating, hypnotic “6-7” lyric that barely makes sense on its own.
Then there’s basketball: American NBA player LaMelo Ball, who stands at—wait for it—6 feet 7 inches, has become tangled up in the trend because, well, sports fans will meme-ify literally anything. The tipping point though? A high school basketball player named Taylen Kinney in Atlanta was asked (during one of those quick sideline interviews) to rate his Starbucks order and just deadpanned “Six-seven.”
That little clip exploded on social media, somehow becoming code for “mid,” “meh,” or just “average.” And when something mildly absurd comes with a catchy mantra, that’s more than enough fuel for TikTok.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJN0EcRRkxY/?hl=en
How Are Kids Actually Using “6-7”?
Kids—and let’s be real, a few trend-chasing adults—are tossing the phrase “6-7” into group chats, Instagram captions, video comments, and (to the dismay of teachers) actual classroom banter. Sometimes it’s an offhand reaction if someone asks, “What did you think of the math test?” “Uh, 6-7.”
Translation: “Eh, it was okay, I guess.” Other times it’s used to roast a friend’s outfit (“Your shoes? Very 6-7.”), or as a way to downplay something without being mean. In my own circle, my younger cousin uses it as a universal mediocre rating—he even called his grandma’s cake “six-seven” at a family lunch, which sparked a mini-family row. Harsh? Maybe, but even grandma had to laugh (eventually).
Is This Trend Harmless—or Annoying?
On the scale of viral phrases, “6-7” is about as low-stakes as it gets. Unlike some more edgy trends, this one is all in good fun. Sure, teachers are going a little nuts because nobody will tell them what it means, but that’s kind of the whole appeal. If the worst thing students are doing this semester is calling their sandwiches or test scores “six-seven,” things could be much worse. Just don’t call grandma’s cake “six-seven” unless you want to do the dishes for a week.
