The kids are talking and you feel lost? The dictionary for the beginner boomer

"Wait, what did you just say?" If once parents had to know words like "sababa", "achi" and "keta", today the language of teenagers changes at a pace that is hard to keep up with. Glow up, rizz, cringe, pick me, simp, real, and countless other words and abbreviations enter the conversations, messages, and videos they consume daily. So if you also find yourself nodding in front of the kids and trying to understand what they said while trying your hardest not to come off as a boomer, it's time to get organized.

Take out notebooks and pens, we are starting.

Glow Up — a significant change for the better: in appearance, style, self-confidence, or life in general.

Glow Down — the opposite of a glow up: a change perceived as a decline in appearance, style, or general state.

Boomer — probably, if you are reading this article now, you fit the definition. A nickname for an older or old-fashioned person, and especially for someone who does not understand the language or culture of the young.

Peak — the moment when something is at its best or most successful point. "He is at his peak".

Normalize — to make something more acceptable or to present it as something natural and normal. "Let's normalize this".

Normalization — a derivative of normalize, the process by which something becomes more acceptable, natural, or legitimate.

Real — true / correct. The word is used to express identification with something, or to say that someone said something true. For example: "Real, I feel that way too".

Rizz — charisma or the ability to attract someone. "He has rizz".

Simp — a person who shows excessive affection, admiration, or investment in someone they are interested in, sometimes while excessively giving up on themselves.

Pick Me — a person who tries to get attention or approval by presenting themselves as "different from others" or as someone who does not behave like the members of their group.

NPC (Non-Player Character) — a character in a computer game not controlled by the player. In slang, it is used to describe a person who behaves in a predictable, automatic way, or as if they are "running on autopilot".

Bro — short for brother. Used as an address to a friend, but also as a reaction to something funny, bizarre, or inconceivable: "Bro, what are you doing?"

Cringe — something embarrassing, but excessive. "My dad is dancing on TikTok? How cringe".

Literally — concentrate, this is a favorite of theirs. It means literally, but in internet language, it is used relatively incorrectly most of the time: "I am literally dying of laughter".

Vibe — the atmosphere or feeling that something or someone radiates. "He has a good vibe".

Red Flag — a warning sign for problematic behavior in a person or in a relationship.

Green Flag — the opposite of a red flag.

Iconic — something unforgettable, prominent, or especially successful.

Flex — something you have that you can show off. It can be a talent, an achievement, a special item, or anything else you are proud of. For example: "My flex is that I can do the splits while doing a headstand".

You are on it.

If you stayed until here, probably the next time the kid throws a "rizz", "real", or "cringe" in the middle of a conversation with you, you won't have to stop and search on Google. Now that you are a speaker of the language, let us give one more small piece of advice — we recommend you not to use these words yourself, but simply enjoy your new superpower and understand them. Otherwise — you will come off as cringe. Good luck, and may the conversation be as fruitful and enriching as possible.