I was standing in line in South Dining Hall when I overheard a conversation between two girls in which the topic was nothing short of puzzling. The content of the discussion was not all that unusual; however, I began to really focus on the phrases being used. For some reason, the unusual things that we – as smart, college girls – say on a regular basis, stuck out to me. Some of these words simply do not make any sense at all, but to us, they are just a part of our daily language:
1. “I just can’t.”
Can’t what? What can you not do? You can’t stand in this sandwich line? You can’t possibly fathom how much longer you can handle being in the dining hall? Why are you soooo incredibly exasperated? “I just can’t” is probably one of the most-used phrases at ND/SMC and despite how much I am critiquing it now, I use it all the time. Whenever I am frustrated or at all put out in any way, I let out a big sigh just like every other exasperated girl because I just simply can’t. Makes sense right?
2. “That’s a thing.”
What is? Huh? I’m sorry, but since when did we replace a noun where it is called for an adjective? Why do we have such an issue using our words properly? We are educated and intellectual students here, what is wrong with us? Example: Girl 1: “Oh my gosh this snow is so cold! I just can’t!” Girl 2: “Oh yeah, that’s totally a thing here in the Midwest.”
3. “She is killin’ it.”
This one really gets me. Killin’ it? (God forbid…do not add the “G”) But what are you killing? An animal? Like are you actually killing something? No, you’re not. You’re just doing something really well. Rather than saying, “Wow, you’re really doing well!” or “Wow! way to go! You’re killin’ it” is obviously much more accurate. (Exhibit A: Blair Waldorf ALWAYS kills it.)
4. “That’s aggressive.”
Is it, though, is it really THAT intense and aggressive? Is what you’re going to do or what your friend is about to do really all that crazy and obscene? Maybe it’s very forward, or maybe it’s very unusual, but is everything really that aggressive? I think not. “Aggressive” looks like a little something like this.
5. “Wait, I totally know what you mean.”
Why am I waiting? What am I waiting for? This makes no sense whatsoever and the only person who ever reprimands me on this horrid habit is my mother. Honestly, we have to stop saying this. I have to stop saying this. You are right, mom. (Wait…what? Did I just say my mother was right…wait.)
6. “She can hang.”
Hang what? Hang a towel on the towel rack? Hang a string of lights on the wall? Hang out of a tree? What on earth does this mean, really? It means “she can fit in.” Example: “So and so can eat three cheeseburgers in one sitting so…she can hang.” K? “That one…right there…she can totally hang.”
7. “Literally.”
This is just so overused and insignificant. It is just thrown into sentences nowadays to fill in for adjectives we somehow can’t find. Imagine this: You’re standing around and your hear someone say out loud, “Like literally… I am just so exasperated that I ACTUALLY have no other way to explain how this really a thing.” I’m sorry…what? Does this even make sense? Nope, nope it does not.
The funny thing about these 7 phrases is that I actually understand and say all of them and on a regular basis. When a friend tells me they can’t or informs me that wearing a parka in the winter here is in fact, a thing, I know what they’re talking about. I say it myself, and I understand it without thinking twice about it. But when I do actually think about, I literally CANNOT make sense of why these ways of speaking are “a thing.” Welcome to the 21st century world of 20-year old female collegiates, I guess!