This one goes out to all the Penn State parents.

Odds are, you had no idea what your kids were saying over break when they used words like “rizz” and “dupe.”

You may be questioning if the thousands of dollars per year you’re paying for college is actually making your child dumber. Fear not. They’re just using common slang for people their age.

To help you communicate with your little Nittany Lion, we compiled some of the common slang terms college-aged people use. To make this new terminology more digestible, we included some Penn State-themed examples of how one would use each term.

Study up, parents. Those little rascals are going to be stunned when you can communicate in Gen Z terms.

Rent-Free

(Adj.) A phrase for any time you can’t stop obsessively thinking about something or someone, particularly something unimportant or someone who isn’t remotely thinking about them in return.

Synonym: continuous, ongoing, nonstop

Examples:

1. “BJC is boomin’” and “What the heck are NFTs?” live rent-free in my head.
2. The fact that I still need three more Interdomain or Linked credits lives rent-free in my head.

Glazing

(Verb) The act of overly obsessing about someone else and constantly praising them. Sucking up to someone extremely hard as if they care.

Synonyms: suck-up, creep, over hype

Examples:

1. Everyone is glazing over Drew Allar so much, but they need to relax. He is just a normal guy like the rest of us.
2. I feel like people glaze Playa Bowls so much. Bowls at East is the same thing but cheaper.

W or L

(Noun) W stands for a win, basically used to represent anything that is good or successful. L stands for a loss, basically used to represent anything that is bad or sucks.

Examples:

1. The fact that I don’t have class on Fridays is such a W for me but an L for my liver.

Side Eye

(Noun) A facial expression that expresses one’s criticism, disapproval, animosity, or scorn of varying levels of intensity towards another person.

(Verb) Displaying one’s disapproval or annoyed disbelief.

Synonyms: eye-rolling, annoyed, disbelief, glare

Examples:

1. Person 1: Yeah man, I got Peachy Paterno and Grilled Stickies in the same cup. They must really love me at the Berkey Creamery.

Person 2: Side eye.

2. Person 1: I made out with so many people at the Den last night, and I don’t even remember their names.

Person 2: Side eye.

Rizz

(Noun) The ability to finesse and sustain a specimen to whom one is attracted to via flirtation.

(Verb) The action of finessing someone with flirtation.

Synonyms: flirt, pull, romantic advances, charisma

Examples:

1. My friend Tobey was rizzing up this girl with Nittany Lion ears over near the cocktagon.

If you’re looking for some Penn State rizz, we got you covered.

Dupe

(Noun) Something that appears to be similar to something else, but in reality, it’s a worse, knock-off version.

Examples:

1. Keegan-Michael Key is so clearly a coach James Franklin dupe.

It’s Giving

(Verb) A manner in which to describe something or someone as feeling like something or someone. Equating two things as basically the same thing.

Synonyms: feels like, appears to be, one-in-the-same

Examples:

1. Penn State wrestling is giving best wrestling program in the country.
2. The weather in State College is giving indecisive.

Nerf

(Verb) To make worse or weaken. To make less potent or powerful.

Synonyms: lessen, weaken, downgrade, demote

Examples:

1. Beaver Stadium nerfs “Mo Bamba” when it plays too much.

Ate And Left No Crumbs

(Verb) Meaning that a person performed extremely well, better than anyone else. Almost as if they took all the talent and skills and did not leave enough in the world for everyone else.

Synonyms: destroyed, win, succeed, execute flawlessly

Examples:

1. The Nittany Lions ate and left no crumbs at the Rose Bowl this year. 
2. Jalen Pickett ate and left no crumbs against Minnesota.

Stan

(Noun) Based on the Eminem song of the same name, it is someone who is overzealous or obsessed with something or someone else. They idolize and approve of this person or thing.

(Verb) Idolizing or being overzealous of something or someone. Also, a way of saying that you approve or like something or someone.

Synonyms: approver, fan, obsess

Examples:

1. It may be unpopular, but I stan the high rises downtown.
2. I will forever be a Sean Clifford stan.

Hits Different

(Verb) When something is significantly better than usual or the norm of what was expected. Saying that something is greater than that which was expected of it.

Synonyms: exceptional, impressive, uncommon

Examples:

1. A late-night chicken basket hits different when you haven’t eaten or sat down for hours at THON.
2. Yallah Taco hits different after a night of throwing back Fireball shots.

GOAT

(Noun) Greatest Of All Time. Something or someone who is better than everything or everyone else.

Synonyms: best, great

Examples:

1. Even though his statue is gone, JoePa is still the GOAT.

On God

(Phrase) Used to exclaim that one is telling the truth. The user believes strongly or agrees. Typically added at the end or beginning of a sentence that the user strongly believes in.

Synonyms: Swear, 100%, truth

Examples:

1. Onward State is significantly better than The Daily Collegian, on God.

Lowkey

(Adverb) Of low strength, used to indicate when something is somewhat a secret or believed to be shameful. Used to describe an action or belief that may not be common among most.

Synonyms: slightly, kinda, not really

Examples:

1. I am going to lowkey miss Duo Mobile when Penn State officially replaces it with Microsoft Authentication.
2. I’m lowkey in love with Katie Feeney.

Slay

(Verb) To succeed in something, to do something well. Honestly, “slay” can be whatever you want it to be.

Synonyms: flourish, prosper, thrive

Examples:

1. If there is anyone who can slay a red hoodie and jeans every day, it’s the Willard Preacher.
2. The Alumni Network is such a slay.

Mid

(Adj.) Labeling something as average, nothing special. Appears like everything else. Occasionally, used to describe things below average, of low or poor quality, as to insult.

Synonyms: average, trash, okay, common, lackluster

Examples:

1. West Commons cookies are insanely delightful, but the cookies everywhere else on campus are so mid.
2. Ohio is such a mid state.

Borg

(Noun) A specially-named gallon container filled with alcohol, water, flavoring, and Liquid I.V., which is short for “blackout rage gallon.”

Synonyms: jug, special drink

Examples:

1. Tonight, I’m naming my borg “Saquon Borgley” after the Penn State football legend.
2. I’m putting Wicked Blue Citrus MiO in my borg so that it matches my gameday outfit.

The Ick

(Noun) The feeling of being severely unflattered by something.

Synonyms: turned off, disgusted, freaked out

Examples:

1. People who eat Canyon religiously give me the ick.
2. Men whose Tinder profile pictures are them posing at the Lion Shrine give me the ick.