Y.O.L.O (you only live once) comes from Drake’s song motto featuring Lil’Wayne. Now teens are wearing and saying, “Keep Calm and Carry On.” It seems as if students can’t get enough of these slogans, but some students don’t even know the history behind the catchy sayings. Little do they know “Keep Calm and Carry On” was produced in 1939 according to the http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/, a website about this trendy fashion and the history behind it. The slogan was made in the United Kingdom’s Government during World War II, but was never published. The slogan “Keep Clam and Carry on” was first written by hand by an anonymous civil servant. In 1939, there were obviously no computers or type writers so everything was hand written. Then a very clever man named Keith Bates made a replica of the original format and the slogan was re born. Students seem to think they know where the slogan comes from, but they really don’t.
Kristan Manning, 12th grade, guessed it came from the Beatles. No matter the origin students have their own variation. Angelina Kincy, 12th grade, said, “I think they cute. I can use it for anything I want. I say it sometimes trying to be petty. I didn’t know what it meant, but now since I know it came from war, I think it’s kind of funny how we say it today. If I could make up my own slogan, I would say ‘keep clam and twerk!’” Jenna Jean, 12th grade, said, “Keep calm and carry on means to me have a positive life, but I don’t know what it really means. I just like to say, ‘stay classy.’”
Emily Drake, 9th grade, said, “I do say the slogan to my friends. I tell them to ‘keep calm and carry on’… tell them to chill out.”
Michelle Lam, 12th grade, said, I have a ‘keep calm and carry on’ shirt but mine says ‘keep calm and party on’. I think it makes sense. I use it every now and then, but the main thing I say is ‘don’t stress the less.’”
