Tween words we we need to bring back
Spice up your vocab with these old classics
Booyah (hell yeah)
This has a great punch to it, almost onomatopoeic. Best used with the gesture of throwing a basketball as hard as you can into the ground.
“I may have been too drunk to call and Uber home but I was still able to crush 3 Beyonce songs in a row at Lonnie’s – BOOYAH!”
Lemme open up a can of whoop-ass (I will beat you up right this second)
This phrase will make you seem both fearsome and like a magician all at once. That’s bang for your buck when it comes to slang. Someone cuts in front of you in the Randwich line?
“If you don’t get to the back of the line I will open up a can of whoop-ass on you!”
Crib (Place of residence)
Kissam may be nice as AF, but the rest of housing isn’t exactly royal living. But you can still impress your high school friends or your crush by calling your dorm a swag crib.
“We can host the pregame at my crib, no sweat.”
Bounce (GTFO)
Vanderbilt’s nerds rejoice with this lingo that makes you seem effortlessly cool, like you’re going to some top tier location (such as the library).
“This bar is bitchin’ but I gotta bounce to study for my micro exam tomorrow.
Cancel my subscription, I’m over your issues (I can’t even)
Let’s be real – this is an iconic burn. Way more creative than ICE. Tbt 90’s, this is the only reason I miss you.
“I texted him 7 times and he just responded with a thumbs up. Then I ate 3 bags of Fritos and cried looking at pictures of cats cuddling. Cancel my subscription, I’m over his issues.”
Bitchin’ (Pretty alright)
Use this word for a dual purpose: for females to reclaim the word bitch and to sound extra excited about those special moments in life. For example, free guac is bitchin’.
Eat my shorts (You are the worst)
This is definitely a cleaner insult, which some may say is a disadvantage. Really though, this is a great way to cleverly insult anyone without dire repercussions. Plus, we go to Vanderbilt. People get metaphor. Furthermore, some shorts should be part of insults *cough cough* salmon colored shorts.
“Sorry The Pub closed 4 minutes ago.” “Eat my shorts!”
Scrub (A man with no class)
We’ve all encountered them, mostly when out on the town. If you use this insult, make sure to choreograph an indignant dance routine to the matching song by TLC. If some guy at the bar asks you to do a hot little dance for him, bust out into synchronized girl band moves with your crew.
“What a scrub – tryin’ to holla at me.”
Psych! (Haha joke’s on you!)
Whatever happened to this one? Where did all of the raw teenage All American Rejects angst go? Give your friends a good fake out every once in awhile to keep them on their toes.
“I’ll totally sign-up for the 8am on Commons with you – PSYCH.”
Shiznit (The best ever)
We all either said it or knew someone who said it because their parents wouldn’t let them say shit. Nostalgia is powerful…and funny.
“That free Chik-fil-a in Central is the shiznit! Just what I needed at 10:30pm.”
Step off (Get out of my face)
If this is a good enough phrase for Jack Black to rock out to in School of Rock, shouldn’t it be good enough for us? Plus it perfectly instructs someone to get back and to shut up all in one.
“Your paper needs to be 20 pages minimum and should not use Wikipedia as a source.”
“Step off with those instructions! My paper will be whatever I can whip out the night before.”
What’s crack-a-lackin’ (Hi)
Bottomline, this is just more fun to say than any current colloquialism. Try it. You’ll see. You’ll all see!
Puppy play-date on Alumni Lawn? “What’s crack-a-lackin’ to the true dawgs and heroes out here?!”
Your mom
There just is no modern equivalent. But just kidding. Don’t make “your mom” jokes. That woman birthed you. Show some respect.