“Rizz” is Oxford’s Word of the Year: How do students feel about the trendy word?
Be sure to check out the suggested Huddle question at the bottom of this article to discuss this important topic with your students in class, if you feel it is appropriate.
Did you know that the Oxford word of the year for 2023 has been declared: “rizz?” The term used to describe someone with stylish, charming, or attractive qualities took social media by storm, particularly among younger students. Twitch streamer Kai Cenat coined the famous term as a replacement for saying someone has “game,” which many took as a shorter way of saying “charisma.”
As educators, understanding new slang is one way to stay connected and current with students and the latest trends. By better understanding our students and huddling with them on topics they care about, our students will have more trust in us. Staying on top of trends also allows educators to identify better what social media topics influence student behavior, like how Kai Cenat influenced students to start saying “rizz.”
Once we know where trends come from, we can identify how they impact student well-being– like whether trends are fun for students or if a trend is stressing them out. After knowing how trends affect students, we can empower them to handle the pressure of trends they may or may not want to participate in, such as this one.
What is “Rizz” and why it is the word of the year
Popularized by influencers like Kai Cenat, “rizz” has become synonymous with how well you can attract a romantic partner. The term has spread like wildfire, especially on TikTok, where #rizz has over 36 billion views. For educators, this trend sheds light on how students communicate and define potential partnerships, emphasizing the changing landscape of social media.
Oxford ultimately decided on “rizz” as its word of the year after weighing the word’s cultural and linguistic weight. With more than 32,000 votes from users on social media and the Oxford Languages website, “rizz” became a clear winner for word of the year. Here are some examples that students shared with us on ways they’re using “rizz” and what it means:
- “I’m about to go rizz her up.”: Used as a verb, this means that this person is about to charm a girl so that she is attracted to him.
- “I don’t know about you, but I have zero rizz.”: Used as a noun, this person is trying to say they believe they are not charismatic and struggle to attract others.
- “Man, you see that guy over there? He’s got mad, rizz.”: Used as a noun, the man is described as charming and good at attracting others romantically.
While many students use “rizz” as fun slang, some still view the word as odd. We talked with our Student Ambassadors here at The Social Institute on “rizz” to see if they use the word, and the majority of them thought it was “a bit cringey” and don’t use it anymore. By understanding the nuances of student trends, educators can better equip their students to navigate them, such as encouraging students to stay away from harmful trends, like drinking Borax, for their health.
While this trend is not nearly as dangerous, if students feel pressured to say “rizz” when they don’t want to, then using the popular slang word can become stressful.
Why social trends matter for educators
While educators don’t have to relate to or participate in student trends, understanding why students are doing these trends or using slang words like “bad take,” “IYKYK (if you know, you know),” or “rizz” is essential.
The reason? Some trends go beyond just words and slang. Participating in these trends is a great way to connect with others with similar interests on social media. However, if students use these trends because they feel pressured by others, the seemingly fun trend can become something that stresses students out.
While peer pressure is nothing new, social media transforms how students experience it. Peer pressure is no longer something that students only deal with through in-person interactions – students can now experience peer pressure online through social media. When you see a word trending with 36 billion views on TikTok, it can be hard to avoid the pressure to use it, even if you don’t want to. We can empower students to handle the pressure of social trends and teach them to use social media in a way that makes them happy.
Here are some ways you can empower your students to handle the pressure of social media:
- Find a way to stay on top of trends: We huddle up with our Student Ambassadors twice a month to get their thoughts on the latest trends and whether they think they’re fun or something that shouldn’t be trending, like the one chip challenge that can hurt students’ health. When you talk with students about trends they are experiencing, you can better understand your students and how you can help them navigate future trends.
- Remind students they don’t have to participate in every trend: As a student, staying on top of every trend may seem cool and even get you more followers. However, trying to join in every trend to gather a reaction from others can be exhausting. Remind students only to participate in fun and safe trends and not to do it just because someone else is doing so.
- Encourage students not to pressure others to participate in trends, especially publicly: Maybe you’ve seen a trendy video that ends with “I challenge ____ to participate in this trend and post,” or maybe you haven’t. However, this is a popular thing that students do when participating in trends online, and it serves as a reminder not to challenge or pressure anybody without their consent to participate.
Meeting students where they are, both academically and socially, establishes a foundation of trust and rapport. When students trust their teachers, it makes it easier to empower them to handle the pressure of trends on social media and make positive decisions, online and off. For more information on the top trends from 2023 and what students thought of them, check out our #WinAtSocial LIVE Lesson, Coaching up and helping adults understand the most memorable student trends in 2023.
#WinAtSocial Huddle Question
Huddle with your students
Every year we see slang, memes, and TikTok sounds come and go. Many of these trends were super fun, but some encouraged risky behavior. Have you ever encountered a trend you felt pressured to participate in but didn’t want to? What are some trends you loved on social media this year?
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.