Main Text: 

“[talking about bland crackers] Bland cracker? That’s what they called me in middle school” Additional follow up: “That’s what we’ll call you in college” [can be elementary school, highschool etc.]

Context:

Informant first heard this from some friend in highschool. Was part of a friend group’s general language. Resurgence in college after a housemate said the joke again – has become part of college friend group language now. When asked when the joke is told: “The joke is usually told around close friends, but if there are other people in the vicinity who get caught in the crossfire, that’s on them.”

Thought:

My conversations with this informant are plagued by this joke. It is horrible.

The informant noted that there are sometimes people who get caught in the crossfire who, after hearing the joke for the first time, will then immediately use it in conversation. Alternatively, some new people who have heard the joke before will complete it, which serves as a quick way to find common ground.

Main Text:

“Joker? I hardly know her!” Alternative: “Yummy? I hardly know-y” Alternative: [hands over water bottle] “Can you fill her up?” Fill her? I hardly know her” [removes any vague attempt at humor in the first place which itself is funny]

Context:

Any word ending in “er” followed up by I hardly know her. This joke has been repeated so much in our friend group, that any word or phrase can be turned into this joke i.e. “Free-lyft-ends-at-2am? I hardly know her”

Informant initially learned from dad in relation to playing Poker.

Thoughts:

Informant noted that in college this has become a staple for their friend group, but that it has become increasingly hard to say and hear which adds to the humour. The variations noted have breathed new life into the joke as some truly humorous alternatives have come by (allegedly). This is one of those jokes that’s super stupid but funny and easy to make. More often than not someone in the room might not have heard it which gets a single good laugh among a sea of groans which is a fantastic brand of humour (I hardly know’our)

Main Text:

“Socks and sandals. Those really are the two genders.” Variation for follow up: “Damn call me non-binary then”

Context:

Two related things are brought up and presented as being “the two genders”. First saw this as a tumblr meme – cannot remember the original. Originally the “two genders” notion was from some right-wing conservative person trying to invalidate queer people, but the argument has been reappropriated to be humorous.

Thought:

This joke is usually told within queer circles where the notion that there are only two genders is already funny. Usually the two things being distinguished are part of a similar subculture or part of adjacent subcultures. Alternatively, the two genders are almost identical things which can start some heated arguments or spiral the conversation into unexpected directions. The current [2022] college generation age, within a liberal arts setting, also uses the word “vibe” quite a bit, and the two genders joke is often used in conjunction with establishing and identifying vibes. When this joke lands in a crowd, it is quickly designated as a safer space for anyone queer, which more often than not brings about good vibes (safe vibes are good vibes). It’s also a way to tell if you need to leave the room because the people in it might be intolerant to the point where you [a queer individual] might prefer to be elsewhere.

Main Text:

“Ice out” when the ice thaws out far enough to jump into a lake – you jump into the lake.

Context:

Family/New England tradition. Within family – a nude tradition. Repeated every year. Was on some level a “Oh haha look the cold doesn’t bother me thing”.

Thought:

Some nude-related family traditions are usually remembered as bonding moments as this in hindsight is usually quite a vulnerable memory. Informant noted that this has been a thing for as long as they can remember. There’s also the pressure that comes, especially as a child, to prove to your parents that you can handle yourself. In the case, cold is the thing to be handled, and the child can reasonably establish that they are willing to deal with some physical discomfort for the sake of social bonding – not that it is necessarily such an explicit thought process.

Main Text:

Whenever you eat rice, don’t leave rice in the bowl; otherwise, every single rice from your bowl will be a zit on your face. 

Context:

Informant’s mom “made stuff up” so that she would finish rice. The informant also noted that she thinks that leaving rice in the bowl is bad overall (in China). In Japan rice is also sacred, so it’s bad to leave anything behind. Usually only said at home or around family. Half the bowl is fine because she’s not hungry, but if it’s not cleaned up after a meal this will be said

Thought: 

When asked about where this comes from the informant noted that she thinks that’s t’s fairly regular thing in Asian household to make up things to get children to clean their plates. She also noted that it is something she has seen with variations in media. The superficial value of this is to not waste food and to be economic with resources; however, the informant seemed aware of some deeper meaning or superstition that simply hasn’t been disclosed to her. There is likely some important commentary to be made on beauty standards, as this is the threat that was brought up (zits being seen as not beautiful), but the informant said that this was probably not an intentional thing, despite it bearing relevance on how she has interacted with the main text.