It's All for the Bit
February 24, 2023
Author: Caroline Tully
Editor: Alexandra Vena
If you know me personally, you know that I love to incorporate inside jokes that I’ve created for myself into every conversation. I’ll give you some examples:
Chipotle forgot to give you the side of guacamole you ordered?
Me: “A case that didn’t sit right with me.”
Your situationship left you on read?
Me: “They’re being drama.”
Your professor scheduled an exam on your birthday?
Me: “That’s so jail. No parole. No bail.”
You lost your game of Euchre?
Me: “Egg on your sleeve.” (I won’t even try to explain that one. It’s just a vibe.)
Regardless, I find such simple joy in using my obscure language. The first time I try out a new bit of mine, it’s typically followed up with a laugh and a “wait, what did you just say?” I’m then prompted to explain the TikTok I watched, the inside joke with my best friend, Brennan, or the idea I created in my head — I essentially use my friends and family as sounding boards. If they like it, I back-pocket it. If they don’t, I crumple it up and toss it out.
As I continue to use my bits in everyday conversation, I “Pavlov’s dog” my way into getting my friends to start saying them, and eventually these phrases become a part of their daily language. I’ll get texts every so often from my friends about how they can’t stop saying fun phrases such as “slaytastic” or “oh oh okay yeah yeah.” Soon, their friends and family start using these random statements too, and I inevitably find that I’ve created a new type of pandemic.
Jokes aside, I have found that my little antics are proof of the power of my voice. The words that I say have an impact on others — so much so that they’re repeating what I say even when I’m not around.
I recently started a podcast for Hopelessly Yellow called Golden Hour (shameless plug), which has granted me a platform to say pretty much whatever I want. Admittedly, I was a bit scared to start the podcast. I know that sometimes my mind races with thoughts and my mouth can’t keep up and I end up spewing a bunch of useless words and incoherent ideas. However, the feedback that I’ve received from my best friends to strangers in class has assured me of the power of my voice and the way it shares my ideas. To know that I’ve helped someone by simply sharing my own experiences with friendship and anxiety has made me feel so fulfilled. Whether it be a quick one-liner or a profound life lesson, I’ve determined that it is always worthwhile to share my ideas.
