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10 Words You Never Thought Existed That Will Help You Get Through College

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter.

By Isabelle Durso

In life and in college, it is sometimes difficult to find the right words to describe random feelings or thoughts. Along with the help of the following words, you will not only have a broader, more polished, vocabulary, but also the exact right word to describe those feelings like just not wanting to get out of bed.

1. Hobbledehoy

A hobbledehoy is an awkward teenager. A hobbledehoy is the college student at heart—uncertain, self-conscious, with a face full of acne. But we persevere.

2. Phosphenes 

Phosphenes are the stars and colors you see when you’re tired in class and you rub your eyes too hard. Yes, there is a word for that.

3. Fernweh 

Fernweh is an ache for distant places and the craving for travel. Fernweh is the feeling you get when you’re anxiously waiting to see if your study abroad application has been accepted.

4. Rudeneja

Rudeneja describes when nature and the weather start feeling like it’s autumn. Rudeneja is what encourages every college student to wear cozy fall sweaters and buy a pumpkin spice latte on their way to class.

5. Yonderly

Yonderly describes being mentally or emotionally distant. Yonderly is every student at their 8 a.m. class, every student walking down campus with their headphones in, and every student as they attempt to pay attention in lecture.

6. Nyctophilia

Nyctophilia is a love of darkness or night. Nyctophiliacs are probably those people that were obsessed with Twilight when they were a tween and now dress in all black.

7. Sillage

Sillage is the scent that lingers in the air after a person has walked past you. It’s what you smell when a student who hasn’t showered in a week and you feel personally attacked.

8. Ploitering

Ploitering is when you pretend to do work but you’re not. Ploitering is when you have your computer in front of you to do work, but you’re actually watching Game of Thrones very intently.

9. Borborygmi

Borborygmi is the rumbling noise produced by an empty stomach. Borborygmi is that moment when you realize you probably should have made time to eat at the dining hall before a morning class.

10. Dysania

Dysania is the extreme difficulty in waking up and getting out of bed. Doesn’t every college student have dysania before that 8 a.m. class? 

There are many, many more words out in the world that we have yet to discover. But for now, I say that we should all try to deal with our dysania and get up every day to be the best hobbledehoys we can be.

 

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Hi! My name is Isabelle Durso, and I am a sophomore at Boston University studying Journalism and Film & TV at the College of Communication! I am so excited to be a part of this amazing, empowering community of young women.
Writers of the Boston University chapter of Her Campus.