When words wound: How online slang is shaping school culture

“Words are seeds — they grow into thoughts, habits and the world we live in.”

As a school counsellor, I have observed with concern the rising use of coded slang and mocking expressions among students — terms such as “67,” “skibidi,” “NPC” and other phrases drawn from online culture. The latest in this ‘impossible-to-define-word’ trend is “6’7,” which has even been named ‘Word of the Year’ by Dictionary.com.

What may seem like harmless humour often turns into mockery, ridicule or disrespect — directed at teachers or classmates. Words such as “ratio,” “cringe,” “fanum tax” or “rizz” have become part of speech, often carrying undertones of teasing or judgement disguised as an ‘inside joke’. When this humour crosses into ridicule, it can lead to anxiety, isolation and low self-worth for those targeted.

These expressions, usually borrowed from the internet, reveal not maturity but emotional confusion and peer pressure. Students often use such words to appear “cool,” to gain acceptance or to mask vulnerability. Yet behind every “spoof” or joke lies a gradual erosion of mental and emotional wellbeing. Constant exposure to such language normalises disrespect, dulls empathy and weakens a student’s ability to express feelings in healthy, authentic ways.

Recognising this, ‘The Senior Study II’ is taking steps to nurture respectful communication. Programmes on digital citizenship and emotional literacy help students understand how words influence mental health and relationships. Principal and educator Upasana Mehra has urged teachers to address slang calmly and with awareness, urging reflection rather than fear. Parents, too, are being urged to engage in open, non-judgemental conversations about online culture.

Through counselling, peer mentoring, and value-based education, schools aim to replace ridicule with empathy and slang with sincerity. The latest term, “6’7” — originating from a rap song or TikTok meme and finding its way into the dictionary — shows how language continues to evolve into gestures and interjections rather than fixed definitions.

The goal must be to nurture speech that heals, not harms — where humour uplifts, not humiliates. For language, when guided with care, can become a foundation for emotional strength and mental wellbeing.