The phrase is bizarre, but builds student-teacher relationships
By Julia Sikora · Contributing Writer
You hear it everywhere — in classrooms, on-line platforms and even among your peers. They are just two numbers, but what does “6-7” really mean?
As a student teacher, I am no stranger to “6-7.” It is undoubtedly the most common phrase in a middle schooler’s vocabulary. Since the beginning of the year, I have been careful in choosing the numbers I use when counting students off into groups. I only provide a maximum of a five-minute reminder and even have to watch how I talk with my hands, in case my actions may be misinterpreted.
The 6-7 trend, often paired with the hand motions of weighing two options, began earlier this year, but picked up significantly with the beginning of a new school year.
“6-7” can be used in a variety of different instances. It can be used as an answer, descriptor, measurement or even a filler word. There is not one particular meaning, which is why it is hard to truly define it.
Based on the 2024 song “Doot Doot” by the artist Skrilla, the lyrics that mention “6-7” have been widely used as a TikTok audio. Even Skrilla himself did not intend to associate any meaning with the two numbers when the song was first released.
NBA player LaMelo Ball, a Charlotte Hornets player, is 6 feet 7 inches tall. Videos with the hand motions of weighing two options, began earlier this year, but picked up significantly with the beginning of 2025 as well. When other prominent users promoted the audio in their videos, it gained traction and was adopted into individuals’ daily vocabulary, even surfacing among kindergarteners as a common phrase.
Shelby Mamajek, a current Grove City College senior who is student teaching in a kindergarten classroom this semester, described her everyday experience with the two numbers as something she “can’t escape.” She “embraced the inevitable and made it an attention grabber … they listened throughout the lesson when I stated the magic word (6-7), and then were silent.”
Mamajek was able to use the trend in her favor, treating it as a reward for listening throughout her lesson. In return, she was met with a “sweet 6-7-less silence,” which she described as music to her ears. By utilizing the kindergarteners’ enthusiasm, Mamajek learned that “teaching is leaning into the world of the student, no matter what you have to sacrifice,” including the sacrifice of giving in to the 6-7 conversation.
One could look at a trend such as “6-7” and see how, with the influence of social media, very few people succeeded in avoiding the nonsensical phrase. Imagine the impact if biblical trends were as far-reaching. As Christians called to spread the gospel, perhaps the rise of “6-7” can serve as inspiration as to how we can better reach others.
Trends have the potential for good, if only we begin to look at them as such. How much influence could Christians have using a trending audio to spread the Good News?
In one instance, an Instagram Reel created by a Christian user asked friends which Bible verse was their favorite. Each individual shared a verse from chapter six, verse seven of different books. However, the popularity of this video, which reached thousands of views, may suggest an alternative approach to utilizing the trend for sharing the Word.
Inevitably, this trend will be replaced by newer ones in the future. As with most fads, as other phrases gain popularity, the prominent ones tend to lose the spotlight. It may only be another six to seven months before we can officially put it to rest.
