If you were alive in the 1980s, you probably remember the rise of the phrase “shit happens” — it popped up seemingly out of nowhere, and within months, the phrase was everywhere. It was on bumper stickers, t-shirts, and graffiti. When something bad happened, you’d say, “shit happens,” and others would nod knowingly, agreeing that, indeed, sometimes shit just happens.

I was an adolescent when shit happens entered the zeitgeist, and I found using the phrase delicious and fun. To me and others in the 1980s, it wasn’t just a phrase but a cultural moment that seemed to change something fundamental about how we viewed the world.

Where Did “Shit Happens” Come From?

The exact origins of “shit happens” are appropriately messy. While the sentiment surely existed long before, the phrase gained mainstream traction in the early 1980s. Some trace it back to a 1960s dissertation, and others to a 1983 LA Times article. Then there’s Connie Elbe’s University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill English class. For decades, Professor Elbe has asked her students to write down new catchphrases they’ve heard and turn them in on index cards each semester. It’s a fun way for her to keep up with emerging slang. She compiles the submissions into a list and shares the list as “UNC-CH Campus Slang.” Over the years she’s tracked the rise of phrases like “on fleek“, “bae“, and “Netflix and Chill.”

Then there’s “shit happens,” which was turned in by a female student after hearing it from a male friend who used it after finding out he failed a test. Source. Shortly thereafter, the phrase broke into the mainstream, becoming a cultural shorthand for life’s inevitable frustrations. It reached another level of notoriety in 1994, thanks to Forrest Gump, where a scene humorously suggested that Forrest inspired the creation of the “shit happens” bumper sticker. This playful fictionalization cemented the phrase’s status as part of the zeitgeist.

Why Did It Resonate So Deeply?

What made “shit happens” so compelling was its perfect fusion of profanity and pragmatism. At its core, “shit happens” is about accepting the randomness of life. It captures the essence of unpredictability and misfortune with humor and brevity and represents a succinct way to shrug and move forward. The phrase doesn’t demand action or wallow in negativity. It just acknowledges that, well, stuff happens. But on a deeper level, it introduced a lighthearted way to face life’s curveballs. It helps people grapple with the unknown, perhaps even embrace it a little.

To me, as the phrase gained popularity, it seemed to reflect a shift in how people viewed the world. Life isn’t always fair, and bad things can come out of the blue and happen for no apparent reason. But by acknowledging this openly—by literally saying “shit happens”—it allows us to adopt a more relaxed, even humorous, attitude toward life’s chaos. When shit happens we just need to roll with it. Right?

Today, “shit happens” remains a cultural touchstone even though its popularity as the phrase has waned. And for those of us who remember its rise, it’s a little nostalgic too. It reminds us of a time when a phrase could sweep the country, change how we talk, and even shape how we think about the world.