Overview

The informant is 21 years old and from Long Island, NY. He describes a saying he and his friends use often, which is “send it”. He describes the contexts in which this saying is used, which usually include the moment when someone is making a decision. To “send it” is to go full-speed ahead, to fully commit to a decision, and to ignore the consequences or risks of committing to this decision.

Analysis

I asked the informant about the meaning and origin of this phrase. He said that he and his friends had spoken about it before, and while they’re not sure of the exact origin, it reminds them of the confidence needed to send risky/bold text: you make the choice to send it, and you press send without looking back. 

Thoughts

I’ve heard this phrase a lot throughout high school and university, too. Interestingly, it’s used by every social group I’ve interacted with within my age group, but I’ve never heard someone more than five years older than me use it. I think it’s funny how much discrepancy there is between small age brackets, which we can see in the extreme difference between Gen Z and Millennial lingo. I love using the phrase “send it” because it embodies the spirit of youth, similar to the phrase “YOLO” (You Only Live Once). At this point, I want to live boldly and take risks, so I choose to send it!