If you thought “bae” was a shorthand term for “babe;” if you’ve been really confused why people have been posting pictures of random people at their workplaces; if you didn’t know that people still use Vine and that that’s where half of today’s ghetto, shorthand translations come from, then this article is for you. You think you’re up-to-date on the newest, trendiest terms, that is, until someone says their eyebrows are “on fleek” and you awkwardly check to see what’s wrong with them. So here’s a quick reference for all of you on the struggle bus when it comes to staying in-the-know:
1. Bae
Bae is not a short version of babe. I know that, as a generation, we’re really lazy, but babe is a four-letter word, and I think we can handle keeping it that way. Bae is actually an abbreviation (plot twist!) that means “Before Anyone Else.” Common uses of bae vary from, “Do you got a bae, or nah?” Meaning, “Are you taken, or single?” Or even “______ is bae,” which has recently acquired a broader definition, and can now apply to not only people, but also pizza or a pet.
2. 9+10=21
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “I’ve done the math in my head a million times. There’s no way 9+10 doesn’t equal 19!” Don’t worry, you’re right. People say this in an ironic way to quote that viral Vine of a young child who has yet to learn basic addition. You can watch the adorable clip here.
3. On fleek
I bet this one’s probably really confusing you.
“On fleek? What kind of drugs are you on? Is fleek even a drug?”
No, no drugs involved here. When something is “on fleek” it’s “on point.” Basically, it’s pretty great. This saying can be used for just about anything: an outfit on fleek, hash browns on fleek (which were made famous by, you guessed it, another Vine), eyebrows on fleek. Check out the origins of on fleek here.
4. About a week ago
Remember the good ol’ days when you could have a conversation and say, “Oh, I don’t know, about a week ago,” and people wouldn’t break out into song and dance? Those days are long gone. You can thank the Schmoney dance for that. I would elaborate further, but this video would be a much better point of reference.
5. BRUH
Variations include “BRUH, I’m weak.” Have you ever delivered bad or disappointing news and only gotten back the response, “BRUH?” You were probably wondering if there was more to that word. Well, sorry to disappoint, but not really. “Bruh” is pretty self-sufficient. It really is just “bro” with an accent. Uses include, “Sup Bruh?” or “Bruh, you really gonna do that?” But on its own, “bruh” is just a way of saying “seriously?” or “you’re killing me.” “Bruh, I’m weak” is the male version of the white girls’ anthem “I literally can’t even,” which I will discuss later.
6. Slide into your DMs
The phrase “slide into your DMs” has secretly confused millions in the past few months. Nobody knows the origin, but if I were to guess I’d say it’s a Vine, and I’d also say it’s here to stay. DM is shorthand for direct messages on Twitter and Instagram. It’s like a Facebook inbox message, but somehow much creepier. “Sliding into someone’s DMs” is usually referenced when saying one is hitting on another person.
7. A potato flew around my room before you came
Okay, this one is a little weird. It’s not a new or abbreviated word, just an oddly put together sentence. Origin? Vine. Duh. Frank Ocean has a song “Thinkin Bout You” where he says, “A tornado flew around my room before you came, excuse the mess it made.” A Vine of a child singing the lyrics with “potato” instead of “tornado” has gone viral. Whether it was on accident or on purpose, we may never know. Either way, here’s the audio for you to decide. Thank you Vine.
8. Yeet
This term, usually exclaimed in a loud, throaty tone, is simply an exclamation. Going out? Excited about it? YEET! Let’s go!
9. Alex from Target
So you woke up one day and, all of the sudden, there were pictures of this brunette, Beiber-haired teenager rocking a red Target T-shirt all over your newsfeed. I’m pretty sure we can chalk this one up to the power of teenage girls—and yes— they really are that powerful.Alex Lee went from Target bagboy to internet superstar seemingly overnight; one day he’s bagging miscellaneous items and the next the sixteen-year-old is being interviewed on Ellen and managing a very famous Twitter account. Naturally, the insanity didn’t stop there, as countless fake and parody accounts have popped up on Twitter, trying to compete with Alex’s 241K followers and people all over have taken up the trend of posting pictures of other attractive store workers. *sigh* The power of the internet, I guess.
10. My anaconda don’t
This actually stems from a nice little #TBT, the song “I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie,” from 1992. This line has been overlooked for years until Nicki Minaj resurrected it in her newest hit “Anaconda.” The line “my anaconda don’t” is mentioned over and over in the song, which I guess got stuck in peoples’ heads and made them start constantly saying “my anaconda don’t” to just about everything. I’m not exactly sure what “your anaconda” is referencing, but according to your tweets, it apparently doesn’t want to go to school or study.
11. I literally can’t even
Like I promised, I would refer back to “I literally can’t even.” This has been said by countless white girls throughout time, but to be honest, there is no real explaining the phrase. What can we “not even” do? Try? Deal with a hard situation? I’m not sure. What I do know is that when this is said, the white girl has reached the highest point of distress and has resorted to completely giving up. I’m telling you, in that moment in time, she is totally and completely unable to even.
12. Goals
You’ve definitely heard this a lot. “Relationship goals,” “life goals,” “family goals,” you name it. Recently, Twitter has taken the liberty of shortening this phrase to just “goals,” or #goals, most of the time paired with some cute picture that’s supposed to make you go, “Awhh! I want that too!”
I get it, I mean, I want an adorable family too and pictures of my kids that make people envious, but sometimes this gets taken too far. Can we please chill with these vague goals, people? The one good thing that’s come out of this trend are parody accounts, like my personal favorite, @averagegoal “Average Life Goals”. Pictures of my favorites below: