Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

If you've ever stared at the end of an email wondering if "Warm regards" sounded too stiff or if "Best" was just too boring, you're not alone. But Gen Z might have the best solution yet—just make it weird.

A viral TikTok has captured the internet’s attention with a series of unexpected, chaotic, and downright funny email sign-offs from young professionals. Instead of the usual business formalities, these sign-offs include things like “Hehe bye,” “That’s all… mmm… yeah,” and the ever-iconic “Alright, alright, alright.”


"Hehe bye."

— @ninetyeightla

This generation just isn’t into pretending

The sign-offs, shared in a TikTok by a Gen Z-led agency, feel more like group chat energy than traditional office speak. But that’s the point. It’s part of a larger shift: Gen Z is over the idea that professionalism has to mean stiff, outdated rituals.

For many young workers, the performative nature of formal communication just doesn’t reflect who they are—or how they want to show up at work. Why write like a robot when you can sound like yourself?

"Alright, alright, alright."

— @ninetyeightla

The video struck a chord, pulling in over 6.8 million views and 1.4 million likes, with commenters chiming in to share their own unorthodox favorites. One person wrote, “I once got an email with ‘warmest vibes’ as a send-off and I’m stealing it for my own use.”

"Warmest vibes."

— TikTok user

Formality for the sake of formality is fading

Gen Z isn't just tweaking the tone of their emails—they’re questioning why these rituals even exist in the first place. Email, once the hallmark of modern professional communication, has become a symbol of outdated expectations to many younger workers. Between Slack, voice notes, and DMs, formality just doesn’t feel necessary anymore.

“As a millennial, I don't see why we have to be so formal. I love this Gen Z vibe,” one TikTok commenter shared. Another added, “As an elder millennial who spent the last 20 years working under boomers: yessss! Thank you!!!! Welcommeeeeeeeeee, we’ve been waiting for you.”

"I love this Gen Z vibe."

— TikTok user

Professional doesn’t have to mean impersonal

These offbeat sign-offs aren’t about slacking off—they’re about authenticity. They reflect a generation that values transparency, humor, and connection over tradition and pretense.

Sure, you may not want to send “Peace out, nerds” to your VP, but the underlying message is one worth noticing: professionalism should evolve with the people in the workplace. And right now, a lot of those people just want to sound human.

If nothing else, it’s a reminder that maybe—just maybe—we don’t need another email ending in “Sincerely.”

More For You

A mother scolds her child in a dim room.

Parents might be setting their children up for a lifetime of issues without ever realizing it.

Psychologist warns about 'eggshell parenting'—and why its effects last a lifetime

Children thrive in environments where they feel safe, secure, and loved. But when these feelings are unpredictable, it can create lasting emotional harm. Dr. Kim Sage, a licensed psychologist from Newport, California, has popularized the term "eggshell parenting" to describe this dynamic. Through her TikTok channel (@drkimsage), she has shared hundreds of videos explaining how eggshell parenting affects children and their future relationships.

What is eggshell parenting?

Eggshell parenting occurs when a child's emotional environment is dictated by a parent's unpredictable outbursts. Dr. Sage explains that this forces children to be constantly on high alert, suppressing their natural emotions and behaviors to avoid triggering a negative reaction. "Eggshell parenting and emotionally unpredictable, unsafe parenting often creates a lifetime of hypervigilance in us and a deep belief that there’s no such thing as real safety in relationships," she says.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman gets perfect revenge on debt collectors who demanded to speak to her dead dad
Representative photo by Canva

Woman gets perfect revenge on debt collectors who demanded to speak to her dead dad

Handling the debts of a deceased family member can often become a stressful ordeal, particularly when creditors insist on speaking with someone who has passed away. Recently, Reddit user u/georgetgwtbn shared her unusual experience, detailing how she carefully managed almost all of her late father's financial obligations. However, things took a strange turn when a debt collection agency demanded to speak directly to her father—despite him having passed away several years earlier. This peculiar insistence prompted her to grant their request in a uniquely memorable way.


Keep ReadingShow less
Actor James Avery; The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air logo

Uncle Phil, played by actor James Avery, on the sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Kingkongphoto/Wikipedia

Why millennials are saying Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince is the greatest TV dad ever

Sitcoms hit a peak in the 80s and 90s—and most Millennials can claim that they 'grew up' with them. A lot of time it was the father figures in these TV shows who proved to be standout characters, but one dad captured Millennials hearts over all the rest: Uncle Phil, played by actor James Avery in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Uncle Phil was deemed the best sitcom dad by Millennials, and he earned the title from one of his show's most impactful scenes from the episode "Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse" that aired in May 1994.

In it, Will (played by actor Will Smith) spends time with his dad Lou, who has been absent for the past 14 years. Uncle Phil is distrustful of Lou and protective over his nephew Will. So when Lou decides to dip out on a trip he planned with Will, Uncle Phil steps into Will's pain and supports him. It plays out as one of the most emotional scenes Millennials can remember–making Uncle Phil the best TV dad in their eyes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Boyfriend critiques girlfriend’s ‘performance.’ She shut him down instantly.
Representative photo by Canva

Boyfriend critiques girlfriend’s ‘performance.’ She shut him down instantly.

Love isn’t a business transaction, but one boyfriend apparently didn’t get the memo. When one woman shared her story, the internet was left cringing and cheering her on after she dumped her boyfriend for giving her a performance review—just like a boss would with an employee. Instead of talking through relationship concerns like a normal person, he decided to critique her ‘performance’ as a girlfriend, complete with a folder of written notes. The reaction? Exactly what you’d expect.

The relationship audit no one asked for

The couple had been together for three years, living in a modest apartment that worked for them. According to the girlfriend, Mark always had quirks—like folding his socks into little balls and getting upset if she didn’t do it the same way.

Keep ReadingShow less

The Challenger disaster unfolded live on TV. Their last words remain unforgettable.

Space exploration has always carried great risks, but few tragedies have been as devastating as the Challenger disaster. On January 28, 1986, the STS-51L mission took off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying seven crew members who had trained for months for their journey into space.

Just 73 seconds after liftoff, the Challenger shuttle disintegrated, taking the lives of everyone on board. The last recorded words from the crew—spoken in the seconds before the explosion—have since become a chilling part of spaceflight history.

Keep ReadingShow less