Roving Teen Reporter: Crack the Codes
- Kai Strzelecki | Torrey Pines High School Junior
Every generation has formulated its own language. Whether it is “tubular” from the 1980s or “YOLO” in the 2010s, teenagers have figured out ways to communicate in their own language. Today’s high schoolers are no different; using abbreviations and code words leaves parents and teachers scrambling to keep up.
For teenagers, slang is not just about sounding cool; It’s about belonging. Using the correct words signifies membership in a group, helping teens build quick connections in hallways, classrooms, and on social media. Words change rapidly, but at their core, they reflect identity, humor, and resistance to authority, which unite teenagers together.
Take the word “rizz,” short for “charisma.” Popularized on TikTok, it is a staple for all high schoolers when describing a person’s ability to charm and flirt. Continuing with the love tantric theme, the word “delulu,” meaning “delusional,” has often been used playfully towards friends with unrealistic hopes about a crush. While these words fade by the year, they currently dominate group chats and lunch tables.
“Sometimes we will pick up a word from TikTok and it will spread through the whole school in a week,” said Olina Shi, a junior at La Jolla Country Day School. “By the time teachers figure it out, we’ve already moved to the next thing.”
But slang is not limited to single words. Teens also use phrases as codes. Describing events as “low-key” means it is intentionally chill, while “high-key” indicates the opposite.
“Half the time we do not even notice we are saying it,” said Grace Miller, a junior at Fusion Academy. “It slips out because everyone around you is saying it.”
Some adults worry that slang makes teens less articulate, but in reality, it shows creativity. Many terms come from music, online gaming, or cultural crossovers, proving that language is alive and constantly evolving. Some expressions once dismissed as teen talk, like “cool,” are now permanent parts of American English.
“Slang connects people who would not normally talk,” said Cielo Feig, a junior at Poway High School. “You meet someone new, and by knowing the same phrases, you are on the same team.”
Adults may never crack the code on teen talk, but that is part of the point. Slang thrives on connection and community. Instead of dismissing it, we should see it as a reminder: young people are always inventing new ways to shape culture, one word at a time.