Over winter break, I received a text message including a word (if you can even call it that) I had never encountered before: lowkenuinely.
Is this supposed to be “lowkey” and “genuinely” condensed into one word? I thought to myself. Is that really necessary?
It seems as though the development of new slang words is accelerating more rapidly than ever before. I, personally, am always down for the adoption of a new term. After all, I claim to have numerous “crashouts” a week and feel that particular expression is actually a really good representation of my moments of crisis. My issue, therefore, lies not with the pithy words that come along and seem to accurately explain emotions we didn’t even know needed to be characterized before their invention, but with unnecessary, cringey slang terms that contribute to our regression as a society.
“Lowkenuinely” isn’t even the worst example of the class of slang I am referring to. Words such as “huzz” and “mid” actively fuel the relaxation of the English language. I don’t want to be a buzzkill — I will fully admit that I often participate in using a trending slang word in my own speech. But when some of these words have implications beyond the occasional usage, it feels wrong not to speak my truth!
This is one of those moments where I question whether it’s really that deep and if I am just too woke (see what I did there). However, there are some slang words that have real implications for the way we talk about and treat our peers. For example, the rise of “she’s mid” needs to be stopped. I know it technically means “average” or “just okay,” but I think men have become way too comfortable with commenting on women in this way. I’d rather not reinforce stereotypes about women’s appearances via a word that is very rarely actually a neutral descriptor. And although the term “huzz” is typically supposed to be a “positive” way to describe women, its objectifying undertones still rub me the wrong way. Bring back romance. Bring back respect.
I think these words, as well as the sneaky reemergence of a “tradwife” culture in the media, have affected the way women speak about themselves as well. Women implying that they’re not capable of tackling challenging tasks by invoking the “I’m just a girl” phrase sets us back at least 50 years. It’s not cute, funny or relatable, especially when misogynistic rhetoric about women spiked on social media in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election and is still pervasive today.
Another problem I’ve observed with slang usage is more campus-specific. I have spoken and collaborated with other students in more formal environments (such as club interview processes or meetings with professors) and witnessed them utilizing some of the most popular phrases in these settings. It physically pains me to hear someone let out a “bruh” in front of a professor. Trust me, I have fallen victim to contributing to a conversation with a disgruntled “bruh,” but strictly in casual, unprofessional environments.
We attend a world-renowned university. Stop the madness. I am genuinely, not “lowkenuinely,” concerned for how some students will conduct themselves in the workforce. I don’t see an end in sight at this moment, given the current strength of Tik Tok and Instagram, but maybe as we grow up, we’ll age out of these words. Wouldn’t a six-sevenless future be nice?
Maia Mehring is a Lifestyle staff writer and a previous Lifestyle co-editor on the 143rd editorial board. She is a junior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations and can be reached at mmehring@cornellsun.com.
