A couple months ago, the New York Times published an article discussing Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang. “Are you a ‘sigma’? Do you have ‘rizz’? The youngest generation is bamboozling its elders with terms all their own,” wrote Madison Malone Kircher. The article was certainly unique, but it left me curious: How well do Lincoln teachers understand the terms their students use? Here’s how teachers used six Gen Z and Gen Alpha words (some silly, some serious).

Cooked, Someone cooked here
To do something well, usually because of experience.

Mr. Bubb: “Man, my computer broke, we’re cooked here”

Ms. Montgomery: “Last night the Huskies did not cook”

Rizz

Charisma, you have game.

Mr. Culpepper: “Man, see him do that math problem?? He has so much rizz”

Mr. Snyder: “Jonah’s got so much rizz” (I cut him off after this)

Skibidi Toilet

Referencing a popular Gen Alpha video series featuring a head in a toilet. Mainly used by toddlers.

Mr. Bubb: “Hey guys I’ve gotta start class in a second I’ve gotta run to the skibidi toilet”

Ms. Montgomery: “I don’t know what that means. I don’t know, I’m sorry”

Fanum Tax
The tern Fanum Tax comes from the streamer Fanum, used when he steals food from his friends as a

“tax.”

Mr. Reed: “Phantom tax is when your friends don’t pay you back so it becomes a tax and you would say like, “Wow, they are leaving a lot of phantom tax””

Mr. Snyder: “People thought that the dinosaurs were extinct because of the asteroid but actually it was Fanum Tax.

It’s giving

Short for “it’s giving ___ vibes;” when situations remind you of something.

Mr. Culpepper: “That math problem is giving me good vibes”

Mr. Reed: “When you’re too fat for your pants and your belt starts to break, and you say “Oh it’s giving, my pants are gonna rip”

Girl Math

Math used mostly in shopping, to make someone feel better about buying an expensive thing.

Mr. Culpepper: “Man that problem was so good it must’ve been girlmath”

Mr. Reed: “Wow, you’re so good at girl math”

Some teachers are very in touch with student vernacular, while others pay less attention. “You’ve made me feel so old, I can’t tell if I’m really sad or really happy that I can’t define these,” said Mr. Noyes, who knew none of the words. Clearly, he’s not sticking out his gyatt for the rizzler.