![I Studied the Blade I Studied the Blade meme.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/023/465/blade.jpg)
I Studied the Blade
Part of a series on Katana. [View Related Entries]
Featured Episode
About
“I Studied the Blade” is a catchphrase based on the expression "While You Were Partying, I Studied the Blade." The phrase is used in copypastas accompanied by photographs of men wielding katanas meant mock peers for attending social gatherings while they train sword fighting. As the meme spread over the following years, it also became a phrasal template using the format "While You Were X, I Studied the Blade."
Origin
On January 26th, 2016, a Redditor submitted an image macro captioned with the phrase to /r/justneckbeardthings[3] (shown below). The post received more than 6,600 points (94% upvoted), and when posted to imgur, the image received more than 1,400 points and 1.7 million views. The image featured a man with his head bowed, clutching a katana. It included the text:
When you were partying, I studied the blade. When you were having premarital sex, I mastered the blockchain. While you wasted your days at the gym in pursuit of vanity, I cultivated inner strength. And now that the world is on fire and the barbarians are at the gate you have the audacity to come to me for help.
![When You Were Partying I Studied The Blade When You were partying I studied The Blade When you were having premarital sex I mastered THE BLOCKCHA While you wasted your days at the gym in pursuit o vanity I cultivated In lnge Strength And now that the world is on fire and the barbarians are at the gate you have the audacity to come to me for help?](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/749/286.jpg)
Spread
On June 3rd, Redditor graysjsnake posted a screenshot of a Facebook post featuring a variation of the copypasta to /r/justneckbeardthings[2] (shown below, left). In this post, a man in a leather duster stands with a katana.
Three months later, on September 12th, Redditor pinky0926[5] posted a screenshot from Facebook featuring of man in a hat and rope, holding a knife, with the caption "white you slept, I studied the blade." The post (shown below, right) received more than 8,200 points (87% upvoted) and 220 comments. On Tumblr, the post received more than 9,000 notes.[6]
![While you were doing drugs I sstudied the blade Jon 7 hrs While you were doing drugs I studied the blade While you were engaged in premarital sex I practised the blade While you spent months at the gym for the sake of vanity I used the blade Now that the demons are here you're all unprepared. Except for me. For I studied the biade](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/761/07d.jpg)
![While you slept I studied the blade 10 mins . While you slept..I studied the blade Like Comment →Share You and 1 other you f------ dweeb did you seriously like your own post. s that how this is going to be .Like Reply 8 mins Like Reply- 7 mins .Like Reply 7 mins Like Reply-7 mins .Like Reply 6 mins " ile you typed up those 3 comments, I studied the blade why do i tolerate this Friends with like this photo Unlike Reply 01-6 mins ont encourage him jesus christ .Like Reply 4 mins](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/778/2ee.png)
On April 22nd 2017, streamer Imaqtpie posted on his Instagram account @imaqtpielol an image of himself holding two umbrellas,[4] captioning it with "While you were playing video games, I studied the blade." The post (shown below, left) received more than 18,000 likes in three months.
![While you were playing video games, I studied the blade](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/773/808.png)
Various Examples
![While you played fetch, I studied the blade While you played fetclh 807 T I studied the Blade](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/780/4f0.jpg)
![While you were out partying I studied the blade](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/782/ef2.jpg)
![While you sheep were fetching the ball, I studied the blade While you sheep were fetching the ball, I studied the blade](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/783/817.png)
![When you were digging the trenches, I studied the blade Alexander 2hrs . While you were digging trenches, I studied The Blade While you were engaged in gas attacks, I practiced The Blade While you spent months in the front lines for the sake of the Kaiser, I used the Blade Now that the British are here you're all unprepared. Except for me For I studied the blade. am preparea](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/784/56e.jpg)
![When you were capturing command bases When You were capturing command posts /studied The 3lade When you were making them watch those rockets I mastered The vent Ars While you wasted your days losing reinforcements I cultivated the Dark Side And now that the world is on fire and he Republic is at the gate you have the audacity to come to me for help](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/785/e31.png)
![Trump I studied the blade WHEN YOU WERE PARTYING I STUDIED The Blade WHEN YOU WERE HAVING PREMARITAL SEX,I MASTERED Block Chain WHILE YOU WASTED YOUR DAYS AT THE GYM IN PURSUIT OF VANITYI CULTIVATED Inner Strenght AND NOW THAT THE WORLD IS ON FIRE AND THE BARBARIANS ARE AT THE GATE YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO COME TO ME FOR HELP?](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/276/786/c28.png)
Search Interest
External References
[1] Reddit – When you were partying I studied the blade…
[2] Reddit – The amazing study of the blade
[3] Reddit – While you were partying, I studied the blade
[4] Instagram – @imaqtpielol's Post
[5] Reddit – My girlfriend is so hot for me right now.
[6] Tumblr – While you slept
Top Comments
No
Jul 20, 2017 at 01:50PM EDT
Aramaki_1917
Jul 24, 2017 at 04:04PM EDT