Buffalo; The Definition Of Cheugy And Why You Should Keep Ignoring It

There's a saying that makes much more sense now that I'm in my late 40s; youth is wasted on the young. There are times you feel "old" (no matter your age) on your own. Then, there are times when it's not you; instead, it's that other people want you to "see" how old you are. As if you didn't already know or realize.

Enter Tik Tok and the word, 'cheugy' (pronounced chew-gee).
If you don't know what 'cheugy' means, think 'basic' or a little on the generic side of life. Some people say it's not necessarily a negative, but it's definitely not a good thing in the context, I've heard it used. Basically, it's someone who's out of date with their tastes/styles or just trying too hard. AKA, old.

Over the weekend, I had to explain the term to a couple of friends. We were hanging out, having lunch and a couple of drinks on the patio at Casa Di Pizza, downtown on Mohawk and Washington. We were catching up, having not seen one another in over a year. We were out enjoying the day, talking about everything under the warm Western New York sun. Our lives over the past fourteen months, the Bills, what's going to happen with the skyway, and someone threw out a $50 bet to eat a cicada (it might have been me that suggested it. No one took the bait, by the way, no pun intended). That's when we heard it—all three of us. From a table a few feet away, a group of twenty-something women, throwing the word 'cheugy' around like it was going out of style (that's probably a 'cheugy' term).

How do you know if someone is 'cheugy'? Here are a few examples.

- Anything to do with Herbal Essence shampoo. Why? I have no idea. Was it cool at some point?!
- Cheesy Hashtags or Captions - although I would argue what qualifies as "cheesy" comes down to your personal sense of humor. Your results may vary. You may like cheese more than I do.
- You Love Disney As An Adult - OK - "Disney adults" confuse me too.
- Graphic Tees - Apparently, social media as a whole has decided that shirts that say something are 'cheugy'. I wouldn't argue that point. But then, I've never been a graphic T kinda guy.
- Dunder Mifflin anything - If you can buy it at the NBC store, and especially if it is from "The Office" or "Friends."
- And finally, Axe body spray. I don't know about 'cheugy,' but that stuff can clear a room in seconds. Even the thought of getting a whiff makes my eyes water.

Where the word comes from doesn't matter, but if you're interested, it was this 24-year-old from Los Angeles on Tik Tok.

The word, at its core, is part of the same process we've all gone through; growing up. I don't mean that derogatorily either. Think about all the things you did or said when you were younger to show the world (or prove to yourself) that you were different and unique. 'Cheugy' is just another way for Gen Z to distinguish themselves from the pack. The irony is, none of the people using the word realize that in less than ten years, they're going to be considered 'cheugy' themselves, no matter how in touch or stylish they are or think they are today.

They also don't realize the most important thing; at some point, you stop caring what everyone thinks and realize the only opinion that matters is your own, and of the people closest to you. If you're like me, you can just sit back and find amusement in the machinations of the younger generations. That's right Gen Z. You're unique. Just like everyone else...