Breaking Down the “Bringing Random Items to School” Trend

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Trend expert Shayan Faraz explains everything you need to know about the “bringing random items to school” trend

Co-authored by Bailey Cho Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: February 3, 2026 Fact Checked

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Trend Explained

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Origins

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Funny Reaction Videos

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Examples Items to Bring to School

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More TikTok Trends

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Video

If you’ve been seeing a bunch of kids pulling random items out of their backpacks on TikTok, you’re not alone. It’s part of a viral trend taking over the app, and we’re here to break it down for you! In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the “bringing random items to school” trend, including what it is and examples of random and funny items. We also spoke with trend expert Shayan Faraz to share the funniest reaction videos to it below so you can understand the hype!

What is the “bringing random items to school” trend?

Trend expert Shayan Faraz says “bringing random items to school” is a TikTok trend in which a group of students present random items they’ve snuck into their backpacks. Each student fills their mouth with water, and the goal is to bring an absurd item that makes the other participants laugh and spit out their water.

Section 1 of 5:

“Bringing Random Items to School” Trend Explained

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This trend involves kids bringing random items to school to make their friends laugh. The whole point of the “bringing random items to school” TikTok trend is to pull out “bizarre and out-of-place items,” says Faraz. “Students gather in a group and present their items, and each student in the group has their mouth filled with water.” Students film themselves as they reveal the items one by one, and “the goal is to make other members of the group laugh uncontrollably and spit the water out.”^{[1]
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Shayan Faraz
Trend Expert

Expert Interview}
- It’s basically a version of the “try not to laugh” challenge that just so happens to be exploding on TikTok right now!
- Most people participate in this trend for an entire week, captioning their videos with something like, “Day 5: Bring a Random Item to School.”
- Many students complete this challenge with their friends in their school bathroom, but some adults have adopted it at work or in the classroom as a fun, interactive game.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Shayan Faraz, also known online as Chum, is a trend expert who makes videos that break down the business of creators and cultural trends. He’s amassed 35k followers on TikTok.

Section 2 of 5:

Origins of the Trend

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“While there is no confirmed creator responsible for the trend, there are various creators who have popularized it through their videos going viral,” says Faraz.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Shayan Faraz
Trend Expert

Expert Interview} Here are the most notable examples:
- This TikTok from @789.elham, posted in August 2025, has received 24.3 million views.^{[3]
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  Shayan Faraz
  Trend Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
- This TikTok from @eliblair._, titled “Day 6 of bringing random items to school,” has garnered over 52 million views on TikTok.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Shayan Faraz
  Trend Expert
  
  Expert Interview}

Section 3 of 5:

The Funniest Reaction Videos to the Trend

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There are entire social media accounts dedicated to this trend, like Instagram user @bringingrandomitemstoschool, who just reposts other people’s content and has 109K+ followers. That’s a testament to how viral the trend is! Here are a few links to some viral videos that feature the funniest reactions:
- This TikTok from @justhype shows a group of girls pulling out a mortar and pestle, snacks, and even a full wig head in their school staircase.
- This TikTok from @the._.council shows four guy friends spewing water all over the bathroom. They pull out a slab of rock, an iron, a landline phone, and a panini press.
- This TikTok from @bran.dyyy shows three friends cracking up (and spitting out water) over a windshield wiper, a sponge cleaning tool, and a personalized memorial plaque.
- This TikTok from @page.turner22 shows four teachers bringing random objects from home to work. They laugh over a toilet plunger, a large cat statue, a cutout of someone’s face, and a carrot dog toy.
- This TikTok from @drewg_a shows a classroom of Filipino kids participating in the trend. They pull out a wooden statue, a fluffy keychain, a ponytail extension, a travel brochure, an interactive dog plushie, and a Spider-Man figurine.

Section 4 of 5:

Examples of Random Items to Bring to School

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Bring a niche item you have lying around the house for loads of laughs. The “bringing random items to school” trend is all about using what you have at home. The more random and out-of-pocket the item, the better…as long as it’s school-appropriate, of course! Here are examples of what you could bring to crack everyone up:
- A plant
- A remote
- A single feather
- A rotten banana
- Funny home decor
- A foldable laundry hamper
- An ugly scarf or accessory
- An old photo of someone in the group

Section 5 of 5:

More TikTok Trends

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Here are more popular TikTok trends taking over the platform. New trends and challenges are constantly popping up on the app, and if you want to be in the know, check out our quick trend overview below:
- Potato Bed Trend: This viral sleep hack transforms your normal bedding into a cozy, potato-shaped cocoon.
- Lying Game Challenge: This TikTok trend involves couples trying to guess if their partner is lying about having a hidden object.
- “One Tooth” Challenge: This silly trend involves users pursing their lips together so it looks like they only have one front tooth. Celebrities, like Doja Cat, have increased the popularity of the challenge.
- “Come On Superman Say Your Stupid Line” Trend: In this trend, people are posting TikToks of themselves with the lyric “Come on Superman, say your stupid line” from “The Less I Know the Better” by Tame Impala.
- 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, Release 'Em Trend: “1, 2, 1, 2, 3, release 'em” comes from a TikTok of Neace Robinson performing her song “I Wished That Heaven Had a Phone” at a funeral balloon release. The moment went mega-viral, with users including the audio in their posts.