The 'Thank U, Next' meme originates from Ariana Grande's 2018 hit single of the same name, which celebrated self-growth and gratitude after past breakups. The meme took off shortly after the song's release, specifically referencing the lyrics 'One taught me love, one taught me patience, and one taught me pain.' Internet users quickly turned these lines into a versatile format, pairing them with three different images of people, characters, or objects to tell a story of evolution or ironic progression. It further gained traction with the music video's 'Mean Girls' inspired aesthetic, particularly the Burn Book imagery. Today, it is widely used to humorously reflect on personal history or to dismiss things that no longer serve a purpose.