Thank Goodness It’s Friday! (if you’re an atheist)
Anyone suffering from ‘Monday Blues is someone who would like to celebrate TGIF at the close day of week. The routine that starts on Sunday night and continues through Tuesday is characterized by an WTF period on the calendar, and finally concludes on a positive note. Randomness and metaphors too many? TGIF is the definition ofrandom however, it’s not surprising that it’s been around often!
The TGIF slang is among the most ancient (or likely one of the oldest) words that are active and alive. This is just to demonstrate the extent of the connection people feel in the language. In the case of TGIF there isn’t a generational divide. Many people of different generations have the same feelings but feel the same joy in different ways.
Here’s to another 50 years of complaining until it’s Friday.
Table of Contents
Thank God It’s Friday
TGIF is an expression of Britishism and a phrase that originated and was popularized by Britain. It’s an British concept that spread all over the globe — and, as of today is difficult to determine whether it ever was a Britishism! The expression is not less than 80- ninety years old. The TGIF expression has been used by people TGIF expression since around the 1930s.
The first physical evidence to prove TGIF being a part of our life was in 1941. “Thank God It’s Friday and the abbreviation ‘TGIF was published in the local Ohio paper, The Marion Star ( also known as “Star” back then). The following quote taken from the newspaper has been verified and is included in Green’s Dictionary of Slang by Jonathon Green:
“I believed I’d heard of all kinds of alumni clubs, booster groups associations and such however, the city that is home to Buckeyes football, the Ohio State University Buckeyes, and appropriately referred to as”the Brooklyn of the Football world has created one that is the best of all. This is”the “Thank God It’s Friday” club, made up of students here in Ohio State.”
In addition, the popular misconception about TGIF is rooted in the text mentioned above. Alan Stillman, the man who created the famous TGI Fridays gives insight into the expression’s background. Many, even today believe that the TGIF expression is a result of the renowned and ubiquitous American food chain. However, he has a different story to tell.
After reminiscing about the most heard often resonant and appropriate expression of “Thank God It’s Friday in college!’ times, Stillman decided to rename The Good Tavern on 63rd Street and First Avenue in New York City. TGI Fridays was born in 1965, and was only the beginning of a global revolution in casual eating. The restaurant was subject to a number of modifications throughout its history (including certain branches being permanently closed). Certain TGI Fridays are simply “Fridays” today.
Reasons Behind the Gratitude in TGIF
Although it is among the most well-known and widely used informal expressions, TGIF is a unique expression that isn’t a victim of the category of mediocrity. It’s one of the few internet slangs that specifically focuses on and reflects the particular segment of the population that is people in the middle class. TGIF has no significance without employment (literally speaking) since every day is identical without work.
It could also apply to other segments of the audience such as students, in the event that they too have an educational week lasting five days. Any industry that is busy throughout the week and enjoys two days of a weekend could be considered to be”the “TGIF audience”. But, there could be an additional angle to the slang sectors that start working or are in a full-time mode only on weekends could also be TGIF due to the fact that there is businesses coming in and skills being exhibited during this time.
Professionals from various (and traditional)circles have been excited on Fridays since the early 1900s, but their motivations for being excited differ slightly from the current situation of making use of TGIF. In the early 20th century both employees as well as employers alike were eagerly awaiting Friday to get ready to enjoy the weekend, however there were certain sectors of the workforce that had Friday as a pay day. Certain employees at the time working on a regular basis, waited for Fridays as payment days, and they sure were thrilled when Friday arrived!
Today, TGIF’s usage is predominantly on one reason that is it’s Friday! There aren’t many employers that pay their employees weeklytherefore, that criteria doesn’t work. We enjoy Fridays because it’s the start of the weekend, and the majorityof us take the weekend with a two-day break prior to returning to working on the following Monday.
The current angle on using TGIF could have one reason , however, it has two sides. The positive, and of course the darker side. The positive aspect to TGIF is that we can take the much-needed break from work every week. It can help businesses recover both mentally and physically (depending on the nature and place of work). The darker aspect of TGIF is directly related to the growing discontent we feel with offices, work, and the general working environment.
A look at the Dark Side of TGIF (so to say)
The act of taking on a job with money as an ulterior motive isn’t always the best choice or advance in the most positive of ways. Also, taking on an occupation for reasons that aren’t related to experience (voluntary or interest-driven) is often the cause of an emotional breakdown or breakdown that is usually believed to be a quiet battle.
A lot of employees experience the worst blues of Mondays on a Sunday night and then drag on through the week, and each Friday is an unimportant TGIF moment. The intense desire to get completed with their work week and not just for the sake of satisfaction but rather to avoid having towork is the foundation of what is known as the “dark side” of TGIF. Many people are looking forward to the following Friday, so that they don’t have to be working and could enjoy it guilt-free.
This is a stark reminder of the utterly miserable grind that we go through to survive, regardless of how unhappy or unhappy we might be with our lives. Although it’s good and healthy to look forward to the Friday before heading to a weekend of relaxation to recharge but it’s a bit lethal and unhealthy that we want Fridays the minute it’s Monday.
It’s easy to overlook things like perspectives, contentment and the way we way of working can be the most significant factor in satisfaction at work. They impact our mental health and wellbeing at work and a lack of balance can be more destructive than it fills us up. This method of making use of TGIF could be detrimental!
How to Use TGIF
Every time you’re happy and happy for the fact that Friday is here, you are able to make use of TGIF. This is a good use case for online and offline. You can write it out or type it out, use the TGIF symbol in many personal situations, or even say the word out loud for everyone to see that it’s Friday. Hopefully that they’re equally thrilled about it!
But, TGIF might not be an appropriate choice if yours is a six-day work week — unless you’re really and positively convinced to the fact that it’s the Friday ( but you’re still working on Saturday, and possibly perhaps even the Sunday). However, TGIF could transition from being a workplace-based expression, to a celebration of the entire essence of the Friday. It is also possible to separate the initialization from the work environment and just take in your “Friday essence” with TGIF.
Here are a few examples of the use of TGIF in various situations.
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What’s today?Friday, yo! More like FriYAY
TGIF!!! I am finally able to get for a spa day! -
We present to you our TGIF sale! Everything (well nearly everything) at fifty dollars %!
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TGIF isn’t it What? !
Do you not like working on weekends?
Yes! But, it’s Friday!
Ok..ay. What makes you feel happy. - TGIF? It’s more than TFIF? (Thank F*ck It’s Friday!). I can’t wait to get off here. (or along similar lines. This is the unhealthy, dark and destructive aspect of TGIF (as we’ve have already discussed) -(or in a similar way) If you’re feeling like this, it’s about time to find an opportunity to work.
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TGIF! Let’s get started on the business idea I spoke about with you!
Oh, yeah… on that.
Dude. You’re a complete disappointment. -
TGIF!
Haha! Doesn’t every day seem like Sunday for you?
Stop calling me out on my unemployment each time. This is not nice of you.
Conclusion
TGIF could have originated as an British expression to express gratitude and satisfaction after five days of hard working and (prior) desire for compensation. However, the slang term has evolved into a variety of branches, and some aren’t particularly positive, let alone satisfying. The second one is a reference to deeper workplace issues which need be addressed immediately. In other words, there’s no harm in having a celebration on Friday! If you’re working through your week.