header banner
Default

What on earth is Gen Z talking about when they say, "Do it for the plot"?


‘Do it for the plot’: What the f4 is Gen Z talking about?

Here are six key and cool phrases. Full disclosure: This list will probably be out of date the moment we publish it.

Published Oct 22, 2023  •  Last updated 2 days ago  •  2 minute read
A row of young people stand against a wall looking at their smartphones.
Your kid is smarter than the AI bots that monitor chats. Photo by DisobeyArt /Getty Images/iStockphoto

Gen Z and Gen Alpha have better slang than we do. It’s just fact.

We’re not going to give you a complete guide to decoding their text-speak because they’re savvy enough to keep changing it on us, but here are some of the cooler and more interesting phrases out there.

Do it for the plot. Gen Z might not have grown up on choose-your-own-adventure books, but they are hyperaware they are the protagonists in their stories. And sometimes they do a thing just to make the storyline better. If they need firin’ up for a challenge, their inner monologue or their peers’ encouragement might be: “Do it for the plot.”

F in the chat. “Thoughts and prayers” are left to the boomers and political crowd. When Gen Z wants to offer condolences, they do so with the singular F. The F’s origin story can be found in the video game Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. During a section of game where a player mourns the loss of a colleague, players are prompted to press the F key to pay respects. Dropping an F in the chat is the Gen Z way of showing support and saying: “I see you, that’s sad.” It’s like using the Care emoji on a Facebook post: to indicate someone in the chat needs support, you can say: “F in the chat for [name],” which will lead to a long chain of Fs.

F4. You think your kids can’t use curse words in wholesome games like Roblox? They might already be typing “bish” instead of the -itch word it sounds like, proving your kid is smarter than the AI bots that monitor chats. Now, anonymous sources inside my house tell me, they use the first letter of the swear word followed by the number 4. Don’t jump to conclusions if F4 or B4 pops up in your child’s chat, though: F4 can also mean quitting a game; B4 can stand in for “before.” Context is everything.

Massive L, massive W. This is shorthand for lose or win. A massive L is an impressive fail, either in a game or life.

Rizz. I love this one so much, and it’s popular enough it has made it into the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Becoming mainstream could mean it’s on its way out as teen slang. Rizz is short for “charisma.” It can be used in a romantic context or to describe how your life is going in general. If you’re nailing it, you can boast “mad rizz” or “w rizz.” If you’re having an off day, you might be suffering from “negative riz.”

SOZ. This is a throwaway word for “sorry.” It’s neither a full apology, nor the same as dropping an F in the chat. It’s more like “can’t talk soz.”

Sign up for our awesome parenting and advice newsletter at montrealgazette.com/newsletters.

[email protected]

  1. Have you noticed kids are nostalgic for things they've never experienced?
  2. How does social media make teenagers feel? It's not all bad

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

Sources


Article information

Author: Dalton Weiss

Last Updated: 1698577203

Views: 1002

Rating: 3.6 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dalton Weiss

Birthday: 1946-08-24

Address: 4282 Emily Knolls, Lake Alison, HI 18460

Phone: +4094605806321101

Job: Radiologist

Hobby: Reading, Quilting, Telescope Building, Bird Watching, Chess, Poker, Graphic Design

Introduction: My name is Dalton Weiss, I am a persistent, proficient, cherished, accomplished, venturesome, lively, daring person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.