What is ‘rat girl summer’? New TikTok trend encourages people to be more like rats

One of TikTok’s newest micro trends is “rat girl summer” with encourages young women to “be more like rats” and embrace the “rodent energy”.

The term hot girl summer’ came about in 2019 after rapper Megan Thee Stallion released a song of the same name.

But this summer, Gen Z wants a slightly different vibe. Instead of being ‘hot’ they want to embrace their rat energy.

The hashtag for “rat girl summer” has over 27.2 million views on TikTok and thousands of people are changing their lifestyles to be more like rats.

But what does rat girl summer actually mean? Here’s everything you need to know.

What is the “rat girl summer” trend on TikTok?

“Rat girl summer” is the latest TikTok micro-trend aiming to empower young women to act like a city rat this summer: Lurk about at all hours of the day and night, snack on every little or big treat, and unabashedly live with no alarm, it advises.

“We’re having a rat girl summer, OK?” said TikToker Lola Kolade in a video that’s gone viral with more than 4 million views. “We’re scurrying around the streets, we’re nibbling on our little snacks, and generally finding ourselves in places we have no business being in. Embrace the rodent energy.”

There are four main rat girl summer qualities, she explained in a TikTok she posted a day later: Going outside (“You cannot scurry in bed, she said); allowing yourself to “nibble” or eat any food you’d like; “killing the cringe,” or choosing not to be embarrassed about anything you do; and finally, no overthinking anything.

“You think a rat thinks twice before stealing a slice of pizza?” she asks rhetorically.

Viewers are embracing the new type of lifestyle

People flocked to the comments where they praised Lola for the tips.

“This is actually really inspirational,” one commenter said.

Another commented: “Love this, I’m here for rat girl summer.”

“Finally a summer theme I can do!” a third person wrote.

Another user came up with their own trend. They said: “Counter argument: Cat Girl Summer – a little less scurrying, but nibbling snacks then sleeping in the sun.”

This isn’t the only “girl” trend that has taken TikTok by storm recently. In July, users couldn’t stop talking about the “girl dinner” phenomenon where girls simply showed what they had for dinner.