Well folks, in a few days it will officially be fall, and while the cooler weather must be counted as a blessing, it’s hard to deny that this is the time of year when our mental health goes swiftly down the toilet. If you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) or BAD (Bussy Affective Disorder) or even GLAAD, you might currently find yourself wistfully glancing at the falling leaves and thinking about the cycle of life and death the seasons represent.

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Or you might find yourself doomscrolling Twitter/X, hoping against hope to find some relief from this chaotic election cycle. Wherever you find yourself, don’t forget that there’s one bright, shining ray of hope in all of it. I’m of course speaking of Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo and social media sensation who can be seen enjoying wholesome activities like pretending to eat grass, being bathed by her mother, and joyfully biting her handlers.

She’s a bright spot in what has become an endless stream of social media sludge, and we couldn’t be more grateful for him. But we’re even more grateful for the memes.

Somehow, this shiny, impossibly cute baby hippo is all of us right now. Call it vibe dysphoria, call it cringe, it is nonetheless fact. Moo Deng is the best humanity has to offer right now—and she’s a hippo.

She’s so iconic, she’s poised to follow up Patti Lupone’s iconic “Hot Ones” appearance.

She has us dreaming of a better world…

And she might have her haters, but all adventurous women do.

If you’re looking for inspiration in this cold, bleak fall, look no further.

Real ones love her, fake ones can’t STAND her!

But personally? We can’t get enough.

Every needs a pop icon to represent it. We have Chappell Roan, we have Sabrina Carpenter, we have Charli XCX…but more importantly, we have Moo Deng.

Good night, good luck, and may Moo Deng’s dauntless energy carry you through these next few months of seasonal depression.

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