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The striver is an interesting phenomenon that is seen across college campuses. In essence, the striver is an over-achiever who comes from a working or middle class family. He may be an immigrant. He may have been a slacker in HS who was "born again" into an academic wunderkind. Or he may just be an over-achiever who is keeping at it.

The striver is willing to sacrifice his social life at the expense of Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude. The striver is the guy who stays at the library long after you are gone. The striver is the guy who takes 30 credits/semester and considers anything below an A/4.0 failure. The striver doesn't work on campus, he is too busy finding ways to pad his resume instead of working retail or workstudy. The striver lets his grades pay his education by applying to ten scholarships a year.

The striver is a future Soros/Fullbright/Rhodes/Gates/Marshall/etc. fellow. The striver lives to study. For the striver, their fun comes from the rewards they expect to receive in return for their diligence. Be it Law School, B-School, academia, or politics. The striver seeks to find the American Dream through academic success.
Anthony was a striver. He transfered from a TTT to an IVY and graduated in 2 years. He studied his ass off and went to Penn Law. He got a Biglaw offer. But lost it all because of an unmoderated mesasgeboard.

Successful strivers:
- Barack Obama
- Harold Koh
Striver by URM Striver January 3, 2009
Word of the Day on August 15, 2026
My illness was born as being a striver
striver by NaNmetrtainstriver April 13, 2017
Related Words
A word used amongst fighting game players to mock fans of the fighting game Guilty Gear Strive. Gained popularity due to that game's pro players never seeming to stay out of controversy, and the antisocial behavior of the game's fanbase.
"Avoid conversation with the Striver. The Striver will lie about old GG games. The Striver will make excuses for Daisuke’s vision. He will use terms he don't really know. If he gets really desperate, he’ll post a shitty Twitter thread"
-@HandsomeDead on Twitter
striver by SwipeWire June 7, 2026

Dave Strider 

An ironic apple juice hoe.
wow, Dave Strider is such an ironic boy
Detroit slang for a stolen car.
I’m sick they caught doggy in a striker.
Striker by anonymous December 25, 2021

Dave Strider 

"Man, Dave Strider can't think of anything ironic. That's pure irony!"
Dave Strider by Dave Strider. August 19, 2011
Luxary or sports car of high value that was stolen and gets VIN re-registered as a new vehicle.
Yea folks nem got them strikers my mans just got a scat for 30k obd.
Striker by Billebadass April 2, 2022
More from Urban Dictionary
When your wife’s boyfriend let you sleep past 8pm šŸ˜ŽšŸ˜Ž
Wife’s boyfriend: You have 5 more minutes
Me: Poggers!
Poggers by Just_Charles April 14, 2020
Word of the Day on October 26, 2026

Oblication 

A vacation, feeling more like an obligation, that involves visiting or staying with family.
So Joe where are you taking the kids for spring break vacation? We are going on an oblication to Boca to visit my mother-in-law.
Oblication by kimmerr May 5, 2011
Word of the Day on October 25, 2026

Surf Dracula Syndrome 

A phenomenon in film/television series, most notably streaming series, where the main premise is drawn out to such a point that it takes an entire season or more to get the parts of the series the audience is actually interested in seeing.

For example, if a series is titled "Surf Dracula," a majority of viewers would tune in expecting to see Dracula surfing by the first or second episode. However, the entire first season would instead be tedious padding and backstory before finally ending with Dracula surfing in the last five minutes of the season finale.
I watched "Smallville" on Netflix the other day. Dude, it was ten seasons of filler before he finally flew! Major Surf Dracula Syndrome!
Word of the Day on October 24, 2026

Northstarring

Finding your way back to the truth by fixing on one verified fact and working out from there, the way you navigate by the North Star when everything around you is spinning.
Rumours were flying everywhere, so she went northstarring — one checked fact at a time.
Northstarring by Light Bearer October 22, 2026
Word of the Day on October 23, 2026
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