Have you ever found yourself reeling from the insult of being called a beta? Or maybe you wish you knew what someone meant when instead of answering your question, they just yelled, “Ohio” at your face? Have ever wished you could speak the lingo of a 13-year-old? Or found yourself distraught over the fact that you don’t talk like a chronically online teen, or maybe you were as lost as Mr. Drew during last year’s teacher of the month competitions. Well, this is for you! If you spend enough time on the internet or around teens, you are likely to come across the terms of Brainrot, and it is time you tried to understand them. Well, although this article will not solve all your problems, since I have been told that if you don’t understand Brainrot you never will, as it is not something you can actively study. This will give some helpful tips, or simply make you aware of your fate in this ever-growing media-cultured world we are living in. 

I had the privilege of speaking with experts on the subject of Brainrot, specifically seniors Max Ralph and AJ Lee. I cannot lie; I find myself lost in the complex web that is this absurd side of the internet. But even so, it’s extremely interesting to hear their point of view. 

In simple terms, Brainrot is a broad category that is used to label a unique type of slang that emerged from a niche community of the internet. It is a language that expresses thoughts, opinions, and actions in a way that is completely inconceivable to someone who is not fluent in its guidelines. In a sense, it’s just a big inside joke that only certain chronically online people are in on. And as much as you may try, you cannot use deductive reasoning to figure out Brainrot. 

It is also important to note that although I am attempting to simplify and define these terms and this trend, a major part of Brainrot is its mystique. Once you mainstream the true meanings of these words they are no longer Brainrot, and are now just slang. For instance, “Demure,” which senior Max Ralph claims is “100% not Brainrot.”  Demure has transcended being able to be called Brainrot, even if Ralph claims it never was because it’s too easily understood. Everyone knows when and where to use that term; it’s too straightforward. To be Brainrot there has to be an element of uncertainty, 

While I wish I could lay out definitions for all these words, it is not that straightforward since unfortunately many students are conflicted on the true meanings of these phrases, even though they all use them. If you ask them what they really mean, they seem to all have different views. But some have come forward and explained that Brainrot truly has no definition and once you go looking for it, you lose any hope of ever understanding it. 

The true beauty of this language is that it’s all about chaos. I found this to be increasingly evident in my interviews since basically, every person I talked to had a different opinion of what each word meant. The differences in opinion also translated to different age groups as well, meaning that middle schoolers had a different definition for certain Brainrot terms than high schoolers did. For example, Mrs. Whitt’s sixth-grade advisory graciously provided a list of their favorite terms and the definitions for each of them. Ralph was appalled by the sixth graders’ definition of the word “Skibidi” as “the act of rizz,” and “Sigma” as “good.” Ralph said that this is simply not true, explaining that those definitions are too limited and not what he would use them for in a specific situation. 

Ultimately all of this conflict revealed the truth, this linguistic phenomenon thrives on perplexing the uninitiated; Brainrot might seem like a meaningless string of words, but for students like senior Max Ralph, it’s far more. “Some people call it useless, uninteresting things,” Max explains, “but others see it as a way of life—a lens to look at life and laugh through stupidity and references your friends can easily understand.”​ 

Senior AJ Lee, another self-proclaimed expert, added, “It’s a way of expressing yourself. It connects people who use similar vernacular and builds connections both online and in person.”​ In a sense, Brainrot is a community builder. It allows students to bond and is a crutch for specifically a lot of teenage boys when they have an awkward moment, or simply a boring day. It gives teenagers a way to connect with one another and allows them something to talk about that isn’t so serious or negative. In a chaotic world where there are a lot of sensitive subjects governing discussions, Brainrot gives children something to talk about that allows them to simply just be kids.  

While brain rot evolves constantly, its roots can be traced to specific internet culture milestones. According to Lee, early influences included “2010 YouTube and the ‘Big Chungus’ era in 2019,” marking key moments in its evolution​. Ralph, however, credited platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels as the driving forces. “If teachers want to understand brain rot, they should scroll through TikTok—it’s all there.” 

Although Ralph does acknowledge the importance of the “Big Chungus Era” as he said, “In sixth grade, I made my Quizlet username BigChungusisGod, and did not change it for six years.” Senior Josie Schnieder said, “My favorite era of Brainrot is the 2020 Among Us era.” She said, “A classic phrase like SussyBaka was created, I mean that’s fire.” When asked what that means, Schnieder said, “Sophie Ottke Moore is such a SussyBaka, one might even call her the imposter.” 

To clarify, Among Us was a video game that gained traction in the fall of 2020, it involved working on a ship while a secret player, possibly a friend, was the killer hunting you. You could vote and accuse people of being the killer, or the imposter, and this led to the video game-specific vocab. Ralph strongly disagrees with any Among Us Brainrot terms. He said, “That is NPC Brainrot, that’s Brainrot you regret saying. It is my least favorite era.” 

Additionally, “Fanum tax,” derived from the streamer Fanum, the term refers to the act of humorously taking something from a friend, such as a pencil or food. Ralph said, “It’s a nod to the Stamp Act of the American Revolution but also just a funny way to tease someone.”​  Fanum tax is one of the terms that students believe teachers could incorporate into their classes. For example, if a student does not bring in their homework or forgets their pencil on test day, a teacher might give them a pencil but then take something from them as collateral. 

As the school year progresses it’s clear that Brainrot amuses faculty, but attempts so far to incorporate it into classrooms often fall flat. “If teachers use brain rot incorrectly, students just make fun of them,” Max warned. AJ agreed: “It’s not something you can learn—it has to be authentic. Otherwise, it kills the fun.”​ 

So is Brainrot only Brainrot if you’re young? Despite this earlier criticism, students and experts alike do see value in adults attempting to understand their humor. “It’s not about mastery; it’s about showing interest,” said Ralph. Yet he cautions against overuse: “Once something becomes mainstream, it’s not Brainrot anymore.”​ To me, it seems that in order to appease these chronically online snobs, there is a fine balance that teachers must maintain, one that shows they care and are interested in the students’ lives but aren’t trying to make fun of them.

At the end of the day, for Seven Hills students, Brainrot is more than slang; it’s a shared cultural and generational experience. Its ephemeral nature means terms like “Skibidi” or “Fanum tax” may soon vanish, replaced by new creations. But for now, Brainrot serves as a reminder of how humor, language, and community evolve in the digital age. A sentiment echoed by Oxford University Press, which named it its 2024 Word of the Year, cementing its place in the lexicon of a digitally connected generation.