The 'Mei Lee Drawing in Her Notebook' meme stems from a pivotal scene in Pixar’s 2022 film Turning Red, where the protagonist Mei Lee frantically draws secret fanart of her crush in her sketchbook. Her intense focus, combined with her visible embarrassment and panic when her mother discovers the book, resonated with internet users who relate to having 'unhinged' creative outlets or secret obsessions. The meme is typically used to represent someone working feverishly on a complex theory, a weird project, or an overly detailed plan that they would rather keep hidden. It perfectly captures the frantic energy of hyper-fixation and the fear of being caught in a moment of pure, awkward inspiration.