It’s essentially a universal experience that as a child, you’re going to have to do several extracurriculars that you have zero interest in but that your parents think might benefit you in the long run. For me, it was ballet, violin classes and gymnastics. Unfortunately, unless we continue honing these skills into adulthood, most of us rarely get an opportunity to showcase them. All of this leads us to a current TikTok trend which asks: What if you used those skills to fend off intruders?


@slvt4dm I’ll kick him with my point shoe #ballet #trend #balletdancer #fyp #foryoupage #viral #dc ♬ original sound - ava ‍♀️


In one of the earliest videos posted to the sound, a clip from Jennifer Lopez’s popular song “Let’s Get Loud,” TikToker Amela can be seen doing ballet movements, with the caption, “Mom I want to do box,” “No, you’ll do ballet,” followed by “Me if a man attacks me in the middle of the night:” written above her head.


@.romancaaa Gonna karate kick their legs and hit their stomach or sum, Thanks mom! #boxing #hiphop #dance ♬ original sound - ava ‍♀️


Other examples of the skills people plan on using to fend off attackers include hip-hop dancing, Zumba, Irish dancing, breakdancing, ballroom dancing, playing the violin, public speaking and dribbling a soccer ball. Everybody’s so talented!


@whoyoufoolin still my passion forever tho #fyp #dance #foryou ♬ original sound - ava ‍♀️


The comments across these videos are overwhelmingly positive. In response to one user’s breakdancing video, TikToker Camilla wrote, “If I could break dance that would be my reaction to everything,” which is completely relatable. Who’s going to argue with a guy willing to breakdance in response to every slight disagreement or uncomfortable interaction? Not me.


@rav.ioli18 #speechanddebate #forensincs #nsda #fyp ♬ original sound - ava ‍♀️


Meanwhile, people were less convinced of the usefulness of some others’ skills. Take the public speaker, for example; commenters asked if he planned on debating with the intruders about whether they should leave or not, or if he was going to suggest they discuss the “political and social state the world is facing at the moment.”


The thing is, everybody knows that the actual best way to defeat home invaders is to construct an elaborate series of booby traps à la Kevin McCallister in Home Alone. Get into the Christmas spirit — cover your basement stairs in tar or rig up a blowtorch to burn anyone who comes in through your back door or one of your windows.