Love the drip today. (Translation: love your outfit)
The jalapeno dip smacks – no cap. (Translation: This is really good – no lie.)
Lowkey, this assignment is skibidi. (Skibidi might be paired with “toilet” and can act as an adjective describing something very good or very bad.)
If you have a teenager or spend time on social media, you may have heard some of these words.
We communicate with ALL age groups, and some groups have a vocabulary that is totally foreign to us. Should we adopt these words into our vocabulary? Absolutely not! (That would be totally cringe.) But, it’s helpful to know what they mean, particularly if you are a parent or work with younger age groups!
Slang isn’t new – every generation has had their slang terms.
Slang in the 80s: Bad, Epic, Gag me with a spoon, Bite me, Gnarly, Grody, Psych, and Wicked.
Slang in the 90s: Da Bomb, As if, Fly, Hella, Crib, Booyah, Buggin, My bad, Oh snap, and Phat.
Slang in the 00s: Noob, Bae, Bet, Bling, Wassup, That’s Hot, Rents, Chillax, Scrub, Salty, Peeps, and Lit.
So, let’s learn some new words!
Those jeans are totally cheugy. (Cheugy is used by Gen Z to describe a Millennial trend or habit, e.g., skinny jeans or a side part.)
This bubble gum frap is bussin. (Very good – and often refers to food.)
I’m feinin’ over those spicy tacos. (Fein – addicted to something.)
She fanum-taxed me an entire box of donuts. (Fanum-tax is stealing food.)
“Should we stop him? We’re going to be late.” “No – let him cook.” (Let someone keep doing what they are doing and don’t interfere.)
I’m so sigma – I won every match. (An independent, lone wolf with a strong will.)
“Taylor Swift is amazing. Periodt.” (End of conversation - add a T for emphasis.)
He’s so beta – she is walking all over him. (Someone passive or not assertive.)
And….the acronyms!?!
TFW – That feeling when
TBF – To be fair
NGL – Not gonna lie
FR – For real
IRL – In real life
While we likely won’t ever use these terms, it’s good to know what they mean and fascinating to see how our language evolves.
Riding Shotgun - where did the phrase come from?
During the Wild West Era, stagecoach drivers were often targeted by thieves. Guards armed with shotguns would sit alongside stagecoach drivers to protect the valuable cargo. If you say you are riding shotgun, it means you are sitting in the front passenger seat of a vehicle.
A MUCH-NEEDED LAUGH!
INSPIRATION
It’s not unusual to see Samsung electronics throughout a home. But, did you know the company started as a grocery store? Lee Byung-Chull founded Samsung in 1938 as a grocery trading store. Based out of Korea, the business exported various noodles and other goods to China and its provinces. It eventually grew into an electronics powerhouse, but it didn’t start that way!
IKEA was started in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad. His new business imported things like pens, watches, and nylon stockings. After having issues with import licenses, Ingvar started looking for new opportunities. He decided to focus on furniture in 1948. And, the rest is history! (Fun fact: IKEA comes from the initials of founder Ingvar Kamprad, the farm on which he grew up – Elmtaryd, and the nearby village – Agunnaryd.)
American Express was founded as an express delivery company in 1850. For 70 years, express shipping was its core business. The launch of money orders and "travelers cheques" in the late 19th century paved the way for the transition to financial products and a payments company.
Some of the most successful companies do not provide the same goods or services they originally offered. They had to pivot. So, regardless of what challenges you are facing in your life, remember that it’s never too late to change directions; it’s ok to diverge and take another path.
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy
Thank you so much for reading my newsletter—see you in two weeks!
