A video featuring a Lebanese mother’s first experience with the New York City subway has racked up over 40.9 million views on TikTok. The creator, hayatandoko, shared a series of clips with an in-video caption stating, “editing my high maintenance mom’s first subway experience like it’s a horror movie.” It documents her mother, Hoda, as she navigated the transit system with visible trepidation. The post caption simply noted, “i can’t even make this up.”
The footage captures Hoda first approaching the turnstile with hesitation, clearly unsure of the process until a helpful stranger steps in. As the clips progress, Hoda is seen clinging tightly to her husband, bracing herself against his leg while seated, and carefully placing a paper down on the subway seat before sitting.
