What Does the Gen Z Slang “In My Bag” Mean?

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Plus, examples to help you drop this slang into a conversation

Co-authored by Aimee Payne, MFA Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: September 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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Meanings of “In My Bag”

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Using “In My Bag”

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Other Ways to Say “In My Bag"

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Similar Slang Terms

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Where did “in my bag” come from?

Have you heard the phrase “in my bag” on social media and wondered what it means? Well, you’ve come to the right place! “In my bag” is a Gen Z slang term that has a few different meanings. One of the most common ways the phrase is used is to describe having an intense focus on a task. This article covers additional meanings, possible origins, and other ways to say the same thing.

What Does “In My Bag” Mean?

“In my bag” has several different meanings, including being intently focused on something or having sad feelings. The phrase may be connected to the hip-hop slang “secure the bag,” which means “working to meet your goals.”

Section 1 of 5:

Meanings of “In My Bag”

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“In my bag” means to be intently focused on something. It’s connected to the idea that you’re making money or trying really hard to make money by getting a handle on your responsibilities. The term also implies that you’re doing something you’re really good at. ^{[1]
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- The phrase may also give the impression that you’re unstoppable in a specific area.
- Some believe the “bag” in this phrase refers to a money bag.
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An alternate meaning is that you’re feeling sad or emotional. Saying “I’m in my bag” can also imply that you’re feeling upset. You’re in a bad mood or depressed about something, possibly your financial situation.^{[2]
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- Some feel that it means you’re worried about yourself or focused on your problems.

Section 2 of 5:

Using “In My Bag”

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Use “in my bag” to discuss your interests or financial situation. When using this phrase to mean an intense focus, you might be talking about pursuing your interests, working hard to make money, or focusing on your personal goals. Here are a few examples:
- “She can’t come out tonight. She’s rehearsing for the dance recital, so she’s really in her bag right now.”
- “I was in my bag all weekend, studying for this physics exam, so I aced it.”
- “He’s going to Europe at the end of the summer. He’s in his bag all the time, so he’ll have plenty of cash for his trip.”
- “Shellie has a beautiful voice. She’s in her bag every time she walks on stage.”
- “Trent was so in his bag playing that game, it took me 10 minutes to get his attention.”
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Say “in my bag” when referring to your negative feelings. This phrase is used to describe your own feelings or ask about another person’s bad mood. It can also refer to anxiety about money Examples of how to use “in my bag” to refer to feelings are:
- “Corey got dumped this weekend, so he’s really in his bag right now.”
- “Angela’s in her bag. She just found out the concert sold out in 15 minutes, so she can’t go.”
- “I was looking at old pictures of my grandma last night and got all in my bag.”
- “You’ve been moping around a lot lately. You’re really in your bag.”
- “Don’t call Jay. He’s been in his bag all week and needs time to work his way out.”

Section 3 of 5:

Other Ways to Say “In My Bag"

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Several phrases have a similar meaning to “in my bag.” When you want to talk about being focused on your goals, working hard, or feeling sad and depressed, there are several options to choose from, such as:
- Intense Focus & Hard Work
  - “Tunnel vision” - You’re so focused that you only see what’s directly ahead of you.
  - “In your own world” - Your intense focus makes it seem like you’re transported to a different world just for you.
  - “In the zone” - Being in a mental state that lets you work to the best of your abilities.
  - “On your grind” - You’re working hard to achieve a goal.
  - “Locking in” - You’re extremely focused on achieving a goal.
- Sadness & Depression
  - “In your feelings” - This means something is bothering you or causing emotional distress.
  - “Menty B” - This slang term is short for mental breakdown. Some feel this term is insensitive to people with a mental health disorder. Others believe it destigmatizes mental health issues.
  - “Stressy depressy” - You’re both stressed and depressed.
  - “Grippy sock vacation” - This term refers to the socks worn during a stay in a mental health facility. This term is controversial. Some believe it stigmatizes mental illness, while others feel it normalizes mental health issues.
  - “Touch grass” - This term means that you’ve reached an emotional state where you should stop doomscrolling on social media and go outside to breathe fresh air and touch the grass.

Section 4 of 5:

Similar Slang Terms

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“In the Bag” This slang term is still used by older generations to mean a sure thing, as in “This election is in the bag” or “Once he hit that home run, the ball game was pretty much in the bag.”^{[3]
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- The term is also used to refer to being drunk, usually by saying you are “half in the bag.” For example, “I talked to my mom for 20 minutes, and she had no idea I was half in the bag.”
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“That’s My Bag” This slang term is from the 1960s and 1970s and refers to things you like. It was also commonly used to describe what someone doesn’t like or is ambivalent about, as in “That’s not my bag.”^{[4]
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Research source} For example: “I studied ballet for 10 years, so that new movie about ballerinas is totally my bag” or “I saw that new movie about the Vietnam War. I wasn’t my bag.”
- It was also used to describe something you didn’t know anything about or that wasn’t your responsibility. For example, “I don’t even work in the kitchen, so cleaning the grease trap isn’t my bag.”
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“My bag” Another slang term from the 1960s - 1970s, using “my bag” means “that’s my fault.” Many believe it comes from playing basketball. If a player made a mistake, they would say “my bag” to take responsibility for it.
- It was used the same way as the slang “my bad.”

Section 5 of 5:

Where did “in my bag” come from?

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It may be connected to the hip-hop slang “secure the bag.” It’s unknown exactly where this slang term originated, but many believe it came from hip-hop culture. It may be related to the slang term “secure the bag,” meaning that a person was doing what they needed to do to achieve their goals and make money.^{[5]
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- The opposite of “secure the bag” is “fumble the bag,” meaning that you haven’t made the money you wanted or have failed to achieve your goal.
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When referring to feelings, it may be related to emotional baggage. Emotional baggage is slang for bad psychological, emotional, and behavioral habits. It refers to the idea that you carry these bad habits around like heavy luggage that weighs you down emotionally and makes you feel sad or depressed.^{[6]
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- If you’re “in your bag,” you’re sitting in your emotional baggage.