Breaking the millennial code

Are you sleeping on millennial speak? Here's how you can slay it.

Millennials always seem to be gramming their ootds, going on yolo holidays, hanging out at the latest lit places. Smh... But tbh they’re not that different from the rest of us in the adulting world. Feeling FOMO because you don’t understand what all this means?

Here’s a guide to understanding some millennial slang:

1) Sleeping on:
Not paying attention to.

2) Slay:
To dominate, be successful or be extremely impressive.

3) Gramming:
The act of uploading photos or videos to social media platform Instagram.

4) OOTD:
Outfit of the day - generally used by fashionista-wannabes to show social media followers what they are wearing or worn.

5) YOLO:
You only live once. This term is a little overused, having been picked up in marketing and advertising campaigns. It’s basically become an excuse to do anything, like extreme sports, indulgent purchases, travelling destinations, etc., because, “you only live once”.

6) Lit:
Exciting - Like how you’d describe that concert you went to last night: “it was so lit!”

7) SMH:
Shake my head - because shortening words is just what millennials do.

8) TBH:
To be honest.

9) Adulting:
Being an adult, with all its responsibilities like work, paying bills, and keeping up with household chores.

10) FOMO:
Fear of missing out. Also known as the anxiety you feel when you think something exciting is happening elsewhere — where you’d like to be.

Did you understand most of it? Yaass? (‘Yes’ in an exaggerated way). Or are you shookt? (in shock or shaken up).

If you are not a millennial, these terms are probably Greek to you. Financial institutions, too, often fall into a trap of using terms which most investors do not understand. At Eastspring, we try to cut through the jargon and help you understand markets and investments — minus the lingo. Find out more at www.eastspring.com