What are aura points? Social media trend explained

IF you're not on TikTok, then you might not be completely up-to-date on Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang.

"Cool" is out and "aura points" are in (just like saying something is "in" or "out" is, ironically, out). But what are aura points?

What are aura points?

"Aura" is the latest in Gen Z slang to crop up on TikTok.

The easiest way to think about it is: If you do something good or cool, like making your crush laugh, you gain aura points.

For example, a TikTok might joke that they made their crush laugh and that meant they gained aura points.

But the term is a bit more nuanced than that.

It's less about being cool and more about being "aura".

"Aura" is one of those strange online terms that takes its meaning from the context around it, rather than having any real meaning.

It's more about the feeling or perception of being cool than coolness itself.

Getting over a breakup quickly is good for you and your "vibe", so you'll gain aura points.

It's a lot to get your head around, if you're not keeping up to date with the latest on TikTok.

Can you lose aura points?

Unfortunately, there is no mood ring or magic meter that can tell you how many aura points you have.

After all, they aren't real and shouldn't be taken too seriously.

But, yes, you can "lose" aura points.

If you do something that is ultimately bad for you or embarrassing (such as staying with someone who cheats), then you lose aura points.

Where did the term originate?

The term came from, of all places, online football groups.

Players were assessed on their aura, which was decided on how they played on the field.

Indirectly, Virgil Van Dijik, the Liverpool FC captain and centre-back, is responsible for the term.

He was mentioned in a 2020 New York Times article that said his mistakes on the pitch are often dismissed by fans, because he has "aura".

That popularity of the article introduced a new audience to the term and soon it was unleashed on TikTok.