AP U.S. History Exam Sees High Schoolers Across America United By The Same Test Memes As 'APUSH' Resurges Online

It’s the first week of May, which means that in high schools across America, teens are sitting down once again to take an exam that is equal parts feared and loved: the Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) exam by the College Board. As always, the annual event has triggered many history memes and test prep memes around the web.

me strutting into the apush exam after watching one 15 minute review video #apush pic.twitter.com/fkuEUiyIiy

— kyle stafford (@kyyylestafford) May 6, 2022

The APUSH exam takes place at 8 a.m. local time on Friday across the country, and its questions (especially the historical documents-based DBQ) are traditionally a reliable source of memes, the APUSH milk memeing of 2019 being an especially prominent example.

Apush LEQ prompt:Evaluate the extent to why you get no bitches?

— Will Damond (@WillDamond14) May 4, 2022

me walking into my apush exam knowing world war 2 was bad and beatlemania happened around the 60’s https://t.co/ods7O2W0s1

— vale (@radishrrabbit) May 5, 2022

Many students dreaded the exam, posting on social media platforms like Twitter about how they didn't have confidence in their teachers and hadn’t studied enough — sending the hashtag "#APUSH" into the trending section.

Me during the apush exam tomorrow after realizing that I’ve left myself 3 minutes to write my entire leq after crafting a horrendously long dbq that’s not even that good pic.twitter.com/VCArzdLeB7

— ¡ Abel ! (@AbelMurph16) May 6, 2022

A great number of those studying at the last second praised figures like John Green and Steve Heimler, a teacher and YouTuber who offers online prep courses and videos for the test and the types of questions it asks.

if you know this man you may be entitled to financial compensation for mental stress #APUSH pic.twitter.com/e7Np25m7jm

— melia • lokis coming home (@deadearbuds) May 5, 2022

When the APUSH exam is tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/YRqw4eptg1

— random thoughts (@my_thoughts_g) May 6, 2022

daddy heimler, please milk the fuck out of my brain cows i have no hope for this apush exam

— venize (@ihateamyschumer) May 1, 2022

After the exam took place (at 8 a.m. this morning) many students grieved and memed that their brain cows did not produce the desired knowledge-milk. While it is technically forbidden to post and share online about the exam, many did — some even renaming their accounts things like “hey college board please don’t come after me.”

moctezuma when hernán cortés and the conquistadors showed up, took him hostage, and demanded to look at all of his gold #apush pic.twitter.com/SQAqgoh7qB

— hey college board, please don’t come after me (@livtob27) May 6, 2022

opening up that shrink wrapped apush exam was like opening up the worst christmas gift ever

— Ace, Duke of Spades (@_aceospades_) May 6, 2022

the girls in the industrial factory watching as the photographer takes a picture of them while they’re eating lunch #apush pic.twitter.com/FtnXEHKyim

— squingle (@NotMeijers) May 6, 2022

Some students took the chance to criticize America for its flaws, particularly on the LEQ (long-essay question) that asks students to write an essay.

me when i find an opportunity to talk about America’s flaws on the essays #apush pic.twitter.com/9aNkcurV6G

— squingle (@NotMeijers) May 6, 2022

me, realizing that the circles on the map were getting smaller because the bison were dying #apush pic.twitter.com/50qFgxVkPe

— hey college board, please don’t come after me (@livtob27) May 6, 2022

The APUSH exam marks a specific social and meme moment that is highly specific, but very general: We’ve all experienced test anxiety, and we’ve all joked about it. All we can wish the students who took the AP U.S. History exam today our well wishes for a good score … hopefully there's some meme history on there as well.