The FDA warns students about the latest social media trend involving boiling chicken in NyQuil
Social media trends and challenges can be fun, creative ways for students to connect and socialize with their friends. Every once-in-a-while, though, a dangerous trend goes viral, like the recent trend encouraging students to cook chicken in NyQuil. The Food and Drug Administration recently addressed concerns about this latest unsafe social media trend gaining traction. Social media challenges may fascinate students, but when they threaten student well-being and health, we have to be proactive in helping students navigate these harmful trends. But how?
Why is the FDA warning students about cooking chicken in NyQuil?
Recently, a video went viral on TikTok of someone cooking chicken in NyQuil, causing the FDA to release a statement warning that “Boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties,” as well as mentioning how these trends targeted at young students “can harm people – and even cause death.”
This is not the first incident where the FDA has stepped in to address dangerous trends. Remember the Tide Pod Challenge of 2018? Or the more recent trend where students tried to induce hallucinations by taking Benadryl?
Dangerous social media challenges targeted at students are not necessarily new, but it reminds us that students still need help navigating social media. Here are some ways to be proactive against these dangerous trends and prevent students from participating in them.
TSI’s take on helping students navigate dangerous social media trends
While we never want to scare and restrict students from using social media, it is important to keep them informed about the dangers of these trends. One of the Seven Social Standards we empower students to live up to is, Handle The Pressure. This means finding your own path, no matter the pressure from others.
Peer pressure and the desire to follow the crowd is nothing new for students. Social media is just another avenue for it. Growing up, many of us were asked, “If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you?”
That might not make a ton of sense to students these days, but it’s still important to talk with your students about avoiding peer pressure, especially in situations that can cause harm to themselves or to others.
Help students navigate social media by encouraging them to paly to their core
Here at The Social Institute, we empower and equip students to Play To Their Core, or reflect their values, character, and interests in their actions. To fit in with the crowd and get more likes and shares, students will take part in viral trends, many of which are harmless. Of course, sometimes a trend like baking chicken in NyQuil or the “Devious Licks” challenge of 2021 will pop up that are dangerous or destructive. In these moments, we can help students navigate social media trends positively.
By having open, ongoing communication with students about technology and social media and encouraging them to play to their core, we can help students make positive, high-character decisions both online and offline.
Dive deeper into strategies you can use to help students navigate social media trends by watching this on-demand webinar, Navigating “Devious Licks” and other social media trends positively as a school community.
It’s important to let students express themselves, connect with others, and have fun online. However, we always want to make sure students are safe while doing so. Check out ways we help students Handle The Pressure, Play To Their Core, and stay safe online with our gamified learning program, #WinAtSocial.
Always stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest trends online by subscribing to our newsletter where we talk about trending tech and social media news weekly! In the meantime, check out our Instagram and TikTok @thesocialinst for tips, trends, and highlights when it comes to social media.
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in understanding student experiences and creator of #WinAtSocial, a gamified, online learning platform that equips students, educators, and families to navigate social experiences — online and offline — in healthy ways. Our unique, student-respected approach incorporates topics like social media, technology use, and current events that have a significant impact on student well-being. Lessons teach life skills for the modern day to inspire high-character decisions that support the health, happiness, and future success of students, while capturing data that provides insights to school leaders to inform school policy and communications, and enable high-impact teaching and a healthy learning environment. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities.