Whether you're a longtime parent or a brand-new teacher, you'll be cackling at these back-to-school memes before the big day
40 Back-to-School Memes That’ll Crack You Up
Updated on May 06, 2025
Exhausting
What’s more tiring: going to school or the preparation that goes into going to school? That said, there’s nothing cuter than a dog meme, so this pic should perk you right up!
PB&J again?
The other kids always seem to have better snacks too.
Is this a joke?
You’re making the rest of us look bad. It’s OK—at least you have a stash of the best grammar memes to laugh at while you lesson-plan.
How?
How dirty can one person get?
It’s the thought that counts
We need to appreciate teachers more for trying so hard.
Oh, please
Absolutely fake. (Probably.)
Every year
This will occur through college.
But you actually may miss them
Where did the time go?
Big smile
Oh, yes, my face always looks like this.
Beware
Deep breaths.
True friends
You missed them. That’s why you should send them a few funny friend memes to commemorate the first day.
The true spooky season
Cue the evil laugh track.
Check the calendar
Is it Tuesday or Friday? Regardless, a few teacher quotes might help you get through all those papers you have to grade.
Let freedom ring
It’s like Christmas in September! And we’re sure your kids will come home with a few funny classroom stories about their first day back.
Sunday scaries
Can you believe summer is almost over? Maybe laughing at these “good morning” memes will make waking up for the first day a little easier.
Gobble gobble
Pro tip: If you count the number of days instead of the number of months, it sounds like less time.
Pens, notebooks and highlighters—oh, my!
Who doesn’t love that fresh notebook smell?
When you’d rather not
Maybe you should just do alphabetical order. And when it feels overwhelming, see what school looked like 100 years ago. It’ll make you appreciate the here and now.
High-five!
We made it!
Never let go
Just one more day! Bookmark these happy birthday memes for a student or classmate celebrating their birthday at school.
Proper preparation
It’s an important day.
Moving truck
It’s not that much stuff. This back-to-school meme is just as relatable as a back-to-work meme.
Teachers have homework too
If you stare long enough …
Dress to impress
There’s nothing quite like those fresh back-to-school shoes!
Is this a joke?
I wonder how long it will be before it “breaks.”
Revolutionary
Off to the races!
Get ready
How much homework?
More coffee
Still not enough. Take a sip of our carefully crafted coffee quotes that will make you laugh a latte.
The night before
Honestly, we’re not sure we blame them. Luckily, you can add humor to the school week with Hump Day memes too!
New year, new me
So perfect, you almost don’t want to use them. Almost.
Happy days
Things are looking up.
Relatable
Back to school isn’t only exhausting for the kids. If these back-to-school memes are getting to you, check out these mom memes that will make you double over with laughter.
Come on
I didn’t even know how to do this when I was the student.
School supplies
May the odds be ever in your favor.
Back-to-school expenses
Are you sure you can’t squeeze your feet in the ones you already have? Inflation is the worst … but inflation memes will take the edge off.
Don’t forget those No. 2 pencils
Back to school or the apocalypse?
Let’s get educated!
If anyone can do it, they can.
Crushed it
Now if only I was ready for the second day.
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has been telling jokes for more than 100 years, curated and reviewed over the last 20 years by Senior Features Editor Andy Simmons, a humor editor formerly of National Lampoon and the author of Now That’s Funny. We’ve earned prestigious ASME awards for our humor—including comical quips, pranks, puns, cartoons, one-liners, knock-knock jokes, riddles, memes, tweets and stories in laugh-out-loud magazine columns such as “Life in These United States,” “All in a Day’s Work,” “Laughter, the Best Medicine” and “Humor in Uniform,” as well as online collections such as short jokes, dad jokes and bad jokes so bad, they’re great. You can find a century of humor in our 2022 compendium, Reader’s Digest: Laughter, the Best Medicine. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
