Scrolling in the deep is a weekly column that defines internet slang you need to know to operate online. It runs on Wednesdays in the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter—but only our most dedicated readers get it.
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“It’s just Area 51 for crazy, random stuff.” That’s what one student told TikToker and middle school teacher Aaron Makelky was the definition of the now-ubiquitous “Only in Ohio” phrase, which the Daily Dot covered late last year. But the slang has now evolved into a more convoluted meme that’s taken TikTok by storm: “Skibidi Ohio Rizz.”
Ohio is definitely not the first state to be the punchline to jokes (Florida has had that title for decades), but the midwestern state has been lumped into a string of words that seem to make zero sense—much to the confusion of teachers, parents, and basically anyone over the age of 15.
What does ‘Skibidi Ohio Rizz’ mean?
On their own, the terms skibidi, Ohio, and rizz have their own Gen Alpha definitions. Skibidi, of course, is derived from the explosive YouTube series “Skibidi Toilet,” created by user Alexey from the country of Georgia. Teens latched on to the phrase and its popularity skyrocketed when it hit TikTok. Now, it’s used to mean something is either “bad” or “awesome” depending on the context (not confusing at all.)
“Ohio” is the hellscape where all bad things happen, according to Gen Alpha. The teens have taken the Buckeye State to be the catch-all for everything awful, regardless of whether it actually happened in Ohio or not. And when it comes to rizz, short for charisma, the youth use it to mean you’re “good at flirting” or being a smooth-talker.
But what does it mean when you put them all together? Essentially, “skibidi Ohio rizz” means you have terrible flirting skills, or you’re just plain uncool.
TikToker and middle school teacher Mr. Lindsey shared an explainer, stating skibidi Ohio rizz is the “greatest insult” a Gen Alpha can give you. His video racked up 5.3 million views, with thousands of parents expressing their gratitude in the comments section.
@mr_lindsay_sped Replying to @🎷✨Regina✨❤️ We know what #skibidi means, we know what #ohio means, and we know what #rizz means. What does it mean when they’re all together? Watch until the end for my epic fail! #ohio #genalpha #slang #middleschoolslang #teachersoftiktok #teacherfyp #fyp ♬ original sound – Mr. Lindsay
Using ‘Skibidi toilet rizz’ and other Gen Alpha gibberish
Unfortunately, there’s no right way to use this Gen Alpha slang if you happen to be an older netizen. As with any youth slang from time immemorial, I’m afraid trying to “relate” to middle-schooler terminology will, naturally, make you the butt of the joke.
Several parents—and even Gen Zers—found this out the hard way.
In a viral video, a mom tried to relate to her son by bidding him a “skibidi toilet rizz” as she dropped him off at school. His emphatic “no!” was enough to show her bonding attempt went unappreciated. The result? A TikTok sound remixed to show how cringy it is to parrot back the slang our fourth-graders are spewing.
@rayray29910 Trying to hone my middle school lingo skills 😂 I don’t even know what this means 😂 No cap! Have a good day little buddy 🫶🏽😁 #Skibidi #middleschool #SCcoolmom ♬ original sound – Raylin Pinckney
Try as we might, we may never be able to casually slip into their conversations by using their own gibberish, but at least you’ll have some semblance of understanding whenever they dub you the “skibidi Ohio rizz” master.
Ready for a deeper dive into slang? Now you can tune in to ‘Scrolling in the Deep’ on YouTube. Subscribe here for new episodes every week.
If you want to get this column a week before we publish it, subscribe to web_crawlr, where you’ll get the daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.
