Edited by: Aahana Banerjee
Love is quite a big word, is it not? Sometimes it’s wrapped within the last few words of a conversation before you part with your best friend for a few months. Sometimes it’s the feeling of the warm, but slight murmurs of your heartbeat as you hug someone for the very first time. Sometimes it is watching your screen light up with a message from someone you had been waiting to hear from all day. Sometimes it’s just small, but comfortable silences, with the clacking of your laptops as you both frantically chug caffeine and show each other your essay drafts, peppered with your study-oriented Spotify playlists. For such a big word, love envelopes so much in its expressions that it makes the mundane feel magical, and in its many interpretations, analyses, and iterations, one thing continues to remain constant—this word assumes its own languages. It is only valid and warranted then, to create a possible dictionary of the many, tiny things that people do, to love and to be loved.
- Appreciation Messages /əˌpriːʃɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n ˈmɛsɪʤɪz/
When your friend sends you a really long paragraph/even a short text telling you and reminding you that they appreciate you and that they’re here for you. Can most often make you smile from ear to ear.
- Buying Things That You Like /ˈbaɪɪŋ θɪŋz ðæt juː laɪk/
When you happen to mention that you like something in passing, only to find out that the next time you meet, they’ve bought some for you, particularly because you mentioned it. Bonus points if they hate the thing that you like, but bought some for you anyway. Particularly popular with food items and tiny trinkets.
- Co-Opting Each Other’s Vocabulary /kəʊˈɒptɪŋ iːʧ ˈʌðəz vəʊˈkæbjʊləri/
When you pick up on common phrases/slang that they use, and they pick up on yours. Best accompanied by “aha!” moments between the two of you as you figure out where you got that phrase you’re currently using from, and it’s most probably the other’s person’s fault. You don’t really mind, though.
- Doodling on Each Other’s Hands /ˈduːdlɪŋ ɒn iːʧ ˈʌðəz hændz/
Commonly done when you sit next to someone in class, and they start to use your hand for all sorts of artwork, again, you don’t really mind. After they’re done doodling, both of you admire the craftsmanship and laugh about it.
- Editing /ˈɛdɪtɪŋ/
When you and your friend are severely worried about an assignment and send each other drafts of your essay for editing, and amongst a series of grammatical suggestions, there are supportive comments on the google doc that really provide you with the moral support you need.
- Fruits /fruːts/
When you’re in the middle of a particularly stressful zoom call and can feel your hunger and your parents bring you cut-up fruits just as you can feel your energy level is about to dip further.
- GCal Invites /gcal ɪnˈvaɪts/
When they send you a google calendar invite for your planned movie date soon, sometimes with a “<3” in the title.
- Having Food Delivered /ˈhævɪŋ fuːd dɪˈlɪvəd/
When you unexpectedly receive a zomato/swiggy parcel with your favourite food only to find their text message asking you “I wanted to send you something since you were having a bad day.”
- “I thought of you when doing this” /aɪ θɔːt ɒv juː wɛn ˈdu(ː)ɪŋ ðɪs/
That endearing moment when your friend tells you that they remembered you, even when what they remembered you by is quite mundane and routine. Warmth overload.
- Jar of Compliments /ʤɑːr ɒv ˈkɒmplɪmənts/
When they physically give you a repainted, yet bedazzled old Keventer’s jar that is filled with chits that compliment you, and you hold that jar close any time you feel sad. You look at that jar and the yellowed papers inside that have messages peppered with hand-drawn hearts.
- Kitten, Bunny and Capybara Check-Ins /ˈkɪtn, ˈbʌni ænd ˌkæpɪˈbɑːrə ʧɛk-ɪnz/
Checking in on each other with contextually relevant capybara, bunny and kitten pictures, and a small hopeful message attached. Seeing these can make your day, and really make you feel seen on days where you feel invisible.
- Long Drives /lɒŋ draɪvz/
Being in a car with the people you love, as a mangled mesh of all your playlists hits the background. You pretend like you’re in that scene from Perks of Being a Wallflower, and time stands still.
- Making Food Together /ˈmeɪkɪŋ fuːd təˈgɛðə/
Be it cooking pasta together, or burning water (you didn’t even know that was possible), both of you are side-by-side, just really trying hard to follow the recipe but also revel in each other’s company.
- Nicknames /ˈnɪkneɪmz/
Terms of endearment that can be funny, cute, derogatory, or all three (always in an affectionate manner, of course).
- Obscure Rants /əbˈskjʊə rænts/
When you can rant to them about a very random and obscure fact that you found, and they are extremely invested in the conversation, much to your surprise. You also can’t wait to hear about what they have to say; you love the way their eyes light up when they talk about something they care about.
- Pinterest Boards /pinterest bɔːdz/
Sharing your Pinterest aesthetic board, and planning your outfit inspiration together. Sending each other pins that you think the other person would really appreciate. Looking at something on your feed and telling them that it really fits their aesthetic.
- Quiet Time /ˈkwaɪət taɪm/
Comfortable silences where you can just be. Neither of you needs to say anything to fill up the silence with rushed conversation. It feels peaceful and comforting.
- Roasting Horrible Movies /ˈrəʊstɪŋ ˈhɒrəbl ˈmuːviz /
When you watch B-grade Bollywood movies and poke fun at the loopholes, almost running out of air as you’re trying hard to contain your laughter. Also includes arguing and engaging in “discourse” over the possible meanings of that one plot loophole out of the several ones that exist, that neither of you can seem to agree upon.
- Spotify Playlists /spotify ˈpleɪˌlɪsts/
When they make you a personalized spotify playlist based on music that they felt would be similar to your vibe. You listen to the songs, and have never felt more understood in lyric form.
- Trying Reel Trends /ˈtraɪɪŋ riːl trɛndz/
When your best friend makes a Rosemary edit for you, filled with all your favourite moments being goofy together. Maybe some ugly pictures of you, but you forgive her for it, of course. You visit her edits every time you miss her.
- Ugly Laughing /ˈʌgli ˈlɑːfɪŋ/
Letting out all your snorts, giggles and laughter unabashedly around them. Your laugh makes them laugh, and theirs makes you laugh.
- Voice Notes/Vlogs /vɔɪs nəʊts/Vlogs/
Sending each other voice notes, and even going so far as to vlog the mundane details of your day. Ultra-long messages may otherwise make you feel as though you are being annoying, but with them, none of the mundane things seem mundane at all, and you enjoy your newfound audience.
- Wordle /wordle/
Sending each other your daily wordles, and maybe flaunting a little bit about your word-guessing skills. Sometimes doing it on call, and waiting for them to figure it out without spoiling it for them and revelling in their joy as they finally solve it.
- (E)xistential Crises /(iː)xistential ˈkraɪsiːz /
Having such a connection with your friends that you even schedule your existential crises around the same time. Crying, shaking, throwing up on a call, but it feels cathartic. You know they’re there for you and you’re there for them too.
- “You Do _____” / juː duː /
When someone points out a detail about you that you didn’t even know existed—a verbal tic, the small smile that you give when you make a joke, or how you pepper your sentences with a certain phrase. It makes you feel observed, yet oddly loved.
- Zoom Private Chat / zuːm ˈpraɪvɪt ʧæt /
Even though it makes you as anxious as though you’re auditioning for Fear Factor, getting a small message from them telling you that your smile looks cute the one time you turned on your camera really makes your day.