Connections #1: A list of my favorite Phrases
get a load of this
This summer, I’m doing a short series on joys of human connection.
As I scramble to finalize a thesis, I have been reflecting on how I got here. Though I feel that my dedicated focus toward a hard deadline the past weeks has illustrated a startling level of productivity that is not replicated at any other point throughout my PhD, I know that this pace would have been unsustainable. As a graduate student in a previous lab said in his advice to me before graduate school: “I don’t think YOU’LL have a problem finding work/life balance.” I have always made it a priority to go out, make friends, and have hobbies almost but not quite at a detriment to my work.
I do believe, in fact, that my connections have kept me going through what have been some of the most academically and emotionally challenging years of my life. We all need to be a little less lonely, get off our phones more, get out into the world; and what better time than in the warm months of summer, baby!!!!
So here’s Post #1: some of my favorite phrases:
#1. “Good for you.” Often said to me by a close friend or colleague after I describe putting my foot down, or going for a challenge, or a small win of any other sort. I like to say this to others I find it just so empowering. Like ‘go off’ but less hacky.
#2. “Get a load of this” My Madison friend group and I repeat phrases all the time as part of inside jokes. The story goes that some of our friends went up to a bar in northern wisconsin and the locals turned around, stared at them, and said “Get a load of these fuckers.” Hilarious. In part why I love a phrase is its capacity to become an inside joke / saying very quickly which bonds you to someone. Also turning to someone and being like “get a load of this” is so funny.
#3. “I guess you’re just made of money” A guy said this to me after I opted for the $5 surcharge to add chicken to my quesadilla. The guy is a regular at the grad student bar and is always there and for that I have to admit I judged him. But nothing like someone who you judge turning around and completely owning you.
#4. “Solidarity!” <3 <3 <3 Forever!!
#5. “I’m of two minds” My boyfriend said this once during a game of euchre and my family has not let him live it down we find this so hilarious that you’d use such a fancy phrase in that context hahaha.
#6. “get outta here.” someone says to you after you say/do something a bit crazy / unhinged ahh just the perfect dose of collegiality
#7. “You can take the X out of the Y but you can’t take the Y out of the X”
#8. “Got any good stock tips” I don’t hear this one at all but I want to start using it because I will be very interested to hear what people say in response and also the idea of stock tips is so funny to me
#9. “You can’t take her anywhere.”
#10. “That’s another Christmas/New Year's/Wedding/etc event Shot to Hell.” My uncle says this and I think it’s hilarious. I’ve repeated it several times much to the horror of anyone around me. People are always very taken aback. “That’s another beautiful wedding, shot to hell.” we’ll also say like “It’s shot” meaning it’s over the party’s over.
#11. “Sit back, relax.” Something about this actually makes me so relaxed. It reminds you to just chill, and all you gotta do is enjoy the show.
#12. “It’s flat as Mary Bohr!” My dad said this all the time growing up to the point I thought it was a real phrase so (sensing a theme here) I’d repeat it. But it’s not a real phrase. Mary Bohr was a girl from his high school.
#13. “I’m just going to swab off” My mom says this when she means to take a very quick shower.I also repeated this one and my boyfriend was like wtf are you saying. But really swabbing off makes a lot of sense.
#14. “Get. me. out of here!” This was a running joke phrase we said a lot when I was working at stanford because our friend never wanted to be anywhere or do anything that wasn’t required of him lol
#15. “See you on the other side” I said this to a friend right before receiving the covid vaccine, and before the state supreme court election. I like the transcendence of it - acknowledging that after some big event/shift/news/etc we will be irreversibly changed.
#16. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” a classic
#17. “I call her chandelier. “ - DJ Khaled. We repeat this so often in my apartment. IDK what he was talking about… his watch or something? He is great. Generated many great phrases.
#18. “If I do say so myself.”
#19. “The X called they want their Y back” a burn everytime.
#20. “Good to see you.” You’re supposed to say this in union work instead of “thank you” because of something something they’re not doing u a favor theyre standing up for themselves something jane mcalevey (RIP) but also i think its sweet :)
TikTok artificially creates shared phrases. There are many ~trending~ combinations of words that make it feel like you’re connected when you repeat them. But we’ve all had the experience of someone overusing internet-speak. It just feels off, contrived.
What are your favorite phrases?