A video showing a woman's attempt to capture a "cute" shot of herself against an ocean backdrop that doesn't go to plan has gone viral on TikTok.
The clip was shared by Cassandra (@cassandra.demotte) and has received almost 3 million views since it was first posted on March 7. Previous posts said the woman is a college student teaching English while studying abroad during spring break in the Dominican Republic.
A message overlaid on the clip reads: "POV [point of view] trying to make a cute video in the ocean but the waves had other plans."
The footage shows a woman standing in ocean waters, smiling while looking away from the camera. As she turns her head around, she is met by a crashing wave striking her in the face and pushing her backwards. With her hair and face drenched, she appears bewildered while looking back at the camera before the clip ends.
@cassandra.demotte just tryna ocean dunk like @nataliezacek #studyabroad #springbreak #oceandunk #thisiscollege #collegelife #travel #beach #collegegirl #collegestudent
♬ Sail - AWOLNATION
The latest footage was shared amid the busy spring-break travel season, which began around March 7 and continues through March 25. Travel volumes expected to be at nearly 6 percent above the figure reported in the same period in 2023, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said on March 5.
A February 2023 survey by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that beach vacations are the most popular among spring breakers, with Florida being the top domestic destination with its beaches, theme parks, and cruise ports.
Other U.S. hotspots for spring break included Hawaii, Las Vegas, New York City, San Francisco and New Orleans.
The resort town of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic was among the top spring-break destinations in the Caribbean, joined by Nassau in the Bahamas, Montego Bay in Jamaica and San Juan, the Puerto Rican capital.
With families making up for lost time during the COVID-19 pandemic, last year saw a spike in international spring-break bookings, Paula Twidale, AAA senior vice president of travel, noted.
"Travelers looking for warm weather are flocking to the Caribbean and Mexico or sailing to tropical destinations while enjoying the amenities of a cruise vacation," Twidale said, with cruise-ship bookings seeing a surge last year.
Air travel is seeing continued strong growth in the post-pandemic era. In November 2023, global air traffic was reported to be at 99.1 percent of November 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels, the International Air Transport Association said in January.
'Shocked'
TikTok users were in stitches over the selfie video gone wrong in the latest viral post.
Kelsey McKee posted, "video took me out like that wave took you out," and @sophiaeuphia wrote: "You were so shocked, that wave was personal lol [laugh out loud]."
Pal_li783 added: "The way the waves literally baptized you."
User lia commented, "JAW DROPPED IMMM DYINGGGGG," and lindsss posted, "the more you watch the funnier it gets."
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
Soo ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
