South Africans fell in love with Riley the moment she unknowingly explained “pomping” in a way that made it sound like the wildest college party ever.
Global (31 December 2025) – Sometimes stories go viral because they are shocking. Sometimes, because they are clever. And sometimes, every now and again, stories (and videos) catch fire simply because a single word crosses a cultural border and causes absolute, delightful, South African, humour-filled chaos.
That is exactly what happened to Riley Meyer, a student at the University of Alabama, whose innocent TikTok about sorority life became an instant South African sensation for reasons she could never have predicted.
It started with a video. Riley, casually filming her house full of students preparing for a sorority event, with added text over the clip explaining the vibe.
“I don’t know how to describe this feeling, but like 100 frat guys and like 150 of the girls in my sorority are all here at the house, all pomping. I walked upstairs, and there is a popcorn machine? There are 4 rooms full of people pomping, eating ice cream and popcorn, and every room has DWTS playing and I feel like weirdly unified like yay so.”
Harmless. Wholesome. A slice of American college life.
Except, in South Africa, “pomping” is slang for sex.
So, to local ears, South Africa’s TikTok users had just been informed that 250 young Americans were collectively… well… not glueing craft supplies for a float, that’s for sure.
@risprivstory #sorority #greeklife #sec #college #bama ♬ tennis court – manon
Comments poured in. Thousands of them. And as usual, South Africans came armed with caffeine-fuelled chaos and the kind of humour that makes the comment section feel like a comedy club.
“Girl I just spat my coffee out. I hate to do this, but where are my South Africans at? This means something verrrrry different here 🇿🇦”
“The way I was like ‘hectic, she’s feeling unified while everyone is pomping??’ HECTIC 🤣🤣🇿🇦”
“I beg your finest pardon? 100 guys and 150 girls pomping? That ratio is insane. Anyway, have fun, I guess.”
“Gurrrrrrl, are you from South Africa?😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pomp hulle almal saam?”
The internet did what the internet does. But this time, it did so with South African heart and a whole lot of humour.
Riley was baffled. And then amused. And then she made a second video to explain that, in America, “pomping” simply means prepping float decorations with tissue paper for sorority and fraternity events. No popcorn-fuelled group activities of another nature. Just arts and crafts. Maybe a little ice cream.
@risprivstory #southafrica #pomping #sorority #sec ♬ original sound – Riley Meyer
When we caught up with Riley, who took time out of the festive season to chat with us, she admitted she had no idea what kind of storm she was walking into.
“When my original video started getting traction and comments from South Africans, I was confused why it was so funny and what it could possibly mean to South Africans!!”
But what could have become awkward instead turned into a wholesome cross-cultural comedy exchange.
“South Africa’s humour is now my favourite lol! I think everyone knew it clearly meant something else here, but to read it in the video from what they thought, I can’t help but die laughing every time. Funny people, and a lot of them follow me and comment on my stuff still, and I get a good laugh with any jokes they make, even unrelated to pomping!!!”
Even after her clarification video, the comments didn’t stop but neither did the laughs.
“The reception has been people still commenting about what pomping is to SA, a lot of them thinking I don’t know what it means to SA, and a lot of them saying their version is more fun. It’s been such a funny way to connect with people so far away!”
Riley, who studies News-Media with a focus on journalism of law, fashion and sports (on a Pre-Law track), is also a TV/film actress, print model, content creator, social media manager and acting instructor back home in Scottsdale, Arizona. In short, she’s used to juggling a lot but even she didn’t expect an educational moment in cross-linguistic slang to be the thing that introduced her to South Africa.
She has never visited our country. But after this… that might change.
“I have never visited South Africa, but after all of this, I think I have to at some point! Everyone seems so inviting and hilarious, it is for sure now on my travel bucket list.”
This whole saga could have been uncomfortable. Instead, it became a reminder of something that often gets overlooked: South Africans are brilliant at finding humour in the harmless, joy in the unexpected and connection in the strangest of places. Even a sorority house. Even a popcorn machine. Even a word that means two very different things, separated by an ocean and united by a comment section.
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