Kendra Explains 2016
It Can Be Difficult to Understand “The Kids”. Still, it’s Worth a Try
I may be a 27-year-old woman on the outside, but my lack of pop-culture expertise often makes me feel as though I am a 40-year-old divorced dad with little knowledge about the modern world. After expressing this to Lucas Quagliata, he challenged me to explain some of 2016’s more popular “things”. Obviously, because even though I am a 40-year-old divorced dad I am still a genius and full of wit, I accepted. Let’s get to it.
Lit
Keeping up with millennial slang is a full-time job. Just when I was getting the hang of describing (literally) everything as “everything” with the perfectly accentuated eyebrow raise/head nod, “lit” comes along and steals the show. What does lit even mean? Apparently, many things. Urban Dictionary defines Lit as “turned up.”
*blank stare*
I must have missed the reign of turned up. Anyway, to further clarify in more 40-year-old divorced dad friendly terms: To be so intoxicated one can only smile — so the face is “lit up”.
Oh.
All in all, this new catch phrase (word) is both a verb and an adjective (neat!) which makes grammar easy and spelling mistakes almost non-existent (thumbs up). With these pros it looks like we’ll be getting lit well into 2017.
Dabbing
Top 5 most iconic prom-esque dance moves:
5: Beyonce Single Ladies Hand Wave
4: Macarena
3: MJ’s moonwalk
2. Harlem Shake
1. DABBIN.
Dabbing tops the charts based on its versatility. Dabbing could be dabbing grease from the top of a pizza with a tissue in a rhythmic fashion, dabbing Bingo cards or, most importantly, smoking extra concentrated hash.
Dabbin’ with the “G” long gone, however, is much more exciting. Here are the steps to doing it successfully.
First: Do something cool.
Second: Place nose in the crook of your bent arm.
Third: Extend the opposite arm.
Fourth: Bow slightly and smirk at how cool you are.
Sure, many people may think you’re sneezing, but hey, who cares, Cam Newton does it.
Thankfully, Cam Newton brought this move to light during the 2015 football season; although according to the internet, it originated from a rap troupe from Georgia.
Or so they say…if you google the proper way to sneeze at a hospital, you may notice some similarities that very likely provided some inspiration. Sneezing with your nose in the crook of your elbow is the most hygienic way to do so. While sneezing, ensure you extend the opposite arm to alert those around you to stay away, preventing transmission of your cold. Later that night, using that same hygienic move on the D-floor? GENIUS.
Donald Glover
PSA: Danny Glover (“I’m too old for this sh!t”, Lethal Weapon) is not the same guy or even related for that matter. Donald Glover/Childish Gambino is my best pop culture discovery of 2016…December 2016 actually. After I started researching him for this article.
Turns out he’s involved in my top TV shows; Girls, Community, and 30 Rock. This guy is a true triple threat: writing, producing, and acting. Glover’s new album, Awaken My Love, is filled with funk and true R&B and to me, has similar vibes to Pink Floyd with its intricate instrumentals and the dramatic build as songs progress (i.e.: Terrified).
Stranger Things
The best way to Netflix and chill without guilt is to hop on the Stranger Things bandwagon. This 8-episode Sci-Fi series is the perfect length to get you the thrill you need all while wasting no more than 24–36 hours- depending on the number of food/pee breaks you take.
If you grew up in the 1980’s-1990’s this is a show for you based on nostalgia alone. The show starts out by bringing us back to a time in America when kids could go off on bike adventures without cell phones, played Dungeon and Dragons without cell phones/computers and used their imagination wholeheartedly. The immense nostalgia is what pulls you in, but the writing is what keeps you glued to the screen.
Stranger Things is so hard to write about without giving too much away, the plot surrounds a group of 4 boys who like nerdy stuff and when one of them goes missing (Will), the other 3 go searching. What they find instead of Will, however, is a telekinetic girl who claims she knows where Will is, which results in one of the boys taking her under his wing. After further investigation, they discover a shady governmental organization experimenting with LSD and a sinister, unseen force. The highly anticipated second season is set to come out in 2017.
Rogue One
Who even knows what Rogue One is. Apparently, it’s not Star Wars, but it kind of is. Honestly, I have never watched the Star Wars movies and my goal is not to. Ever. Just because. After some intense research and empty stares, I found that it’s a story that occurs after Star Wars #3, the rebels steal the plans of the Death Star, and that leads to Star Wars #4, when the death star gets destroyed…or something.
While writing this I not only did research on the web, but also asked my friends and family: “what is Rogue One?” The only answer I got was “something with Star Wars, but then I fell asleep in the theatre, but the popcorn was good”. There you have it: Rogue One described by the rogue one.
(Me…I’m the rogue one).
