Student Life Archives (2001-2008)

The Washington University in St. Louis Dictionary for the Class of 2009

AC, The:
n. An abbreviation for the “Athletic Complex.” A building at the west end of campus that houses the University’s athletic facilities and is open to all students. Also was the location of the 2004 Presidential Debate.

1. “I’m going to go play basketball at the AC with some guys from my floor, wanna come?”

ArtSci Weekend:
n. A three-day period over the summer, lasting from Thursday through Sunday, during which incoming freshman in the school of Arts and Sciences visit campus, register for classes, meet other freshmen, and get really lost trying to navigate campus for the first time.

1. “That kid looks so familiar…I think he might have been at my ArtSci Weekend.”

BD:
n. 1. An abbreviation for “Bear’s Den.” 2. v. An abbreviation for the phrase “eat at Bear’s Den.” Used less frequently.

1. “I think I’ve developed an addiction to the quesadillas at BD.”

2. “Do you want to BD in half an hour?”

Bear Mart:
n. A food venue on the ground floor of the Wohl Center, resembling a convenience store but containing an abnormally large section of specialty and organic foods.

1. “Anyone need anything? I’m going on a Bear Mart run.”

Bear’s Den:
n. The … la carte dining venue on the bottom floor of Wohl Center on the South Forty.

1. “I could eat the tomato basil mozzarella salad at Bear’s Den every night and be totally satisfied.”

Bosco Sticks:
n. Cheese-filled breadsticks offered by Bear’s Den.

1. “For dinner tonight, I think I’ll have French fries, pasta, and three Bosco Sticks.”

Blue Hill:
n. A restaurant on the Loop popular among students.

1. “It sucks that you have to be 21 to see Chuck Berry play at Blue Hill, or else I would totally go.”

CC:
1. n. An abbreviation for Center Court. A popular location for freshman floor dinners 2. v. An abbreviation for the phrase “eat at Center Court.” Used in the same sense as BD.

1. “They had the best pumpkin pie at CC last night.”

Center Court:
n. The buffet-style dining venue upstairs in the Wohl Center, on the South 40.

1. “I can’t meet up with you, I have a floor dinner at Center Court tonight.”

Clock Tower, The:
n. The tall, standing clock in front of Ursa’s. A common meeting place for students, a popular shuttle stop, and the location where all the cabs line up before breaks.

1. “Do you want to share a cab to the airport with me? It’ll be at the clock tower at 3:30.”

EST:
n. An abbreviation for “Emergency Support Team.” Responds to medical emergencies on campus every day at any hour. Crews providing support consist of three student volunteers, two of whom have Missouri EMT-B licenses.

1. “The guys on EST work crazy hours-my friend was hanging out in their office all Saturday night.”

Facebook, The:
n. A website (www.thefacebook.com) for college students on which individuals post personal profiles and link up with people at Wash. U. and other schools by “friending” them. 2. An online service that allows individuals to see who will be in their classes and stalk that cute guy from E. Comp. 3. v. To look up someone’s profile on the Facebook.

1. “Mary, do you have your profile up on the Facebook yet?”

2. “Did you see that guy in The Amateurs? I’m so going to facebook him when I get back to my room!”

Fall Break:
n. A three-day weekend in October during which students from the surrounding area go home while those a plane flight away spend a good deal of time sleeping.

1. “This campus totally shuts down during fall break. I couldn’t find food anywhere, and I even walked all the way to the Village!”

Forest Park:
n. The park directly across Skinker Boulevard from Wash. U. It is the second largest in the nation and is home to much free entertainment, including the St. Louis Zoo, Muny, Science Center, Art Museum, and History Museum.

1. “The half-hour walk to Forest Park is definitely worth it to see the penguins at the zoo.”

Forty, The:
n. A residential area south of the main Hilltop campus that contains all freshman dormitories. Name derives from the 40 acres of land it occupies.

1. “Are you going to walk all the way to back to the Forty between classes? I don’t think you’ll make it.”

See also: South Forty, The. 40, The.

Fro-yo:
n. An abbreviation for “frozen yogurt,” a soft ice cream-like dessert with self-serve machines in Bear Mart and Center Court.

See also: frogurt, n.

1. Damnit! The fro-yo machine in Bear Mart is broken again!”

Galleria, The:
n. The closest mall to Wash. U. Includes many popular stores, as well as a food court and movie theater.

1. “I’m so sick of Bear’s Den-how about The Cheesecake Factory at the Galleria for dinner?”

Hilltop:
n. 1. The bakery in Mallinckrodt Center. 2. An abbreviation for “Hilltop Campus,” the main campus of the University.

1. “The smoothies at Hilltop are so good. I love the peachy banana one.”

2. “The med school isn’t on the Hilltop.”

IFC:
n. An abbreviation for “Interfraternity Council.” The governing body of the fraternity system.

1. “Sorry, I can’t do anything this weekend. I’m going on an IFC retreat with the whole board.”

J-Prog:
n. An abbreviation for “January Program” or “January Scholar.” A freshman who starts at the University in the spring semester.

1. “These two great J-Progs moved into the room next to mine after winter break.”

Loop, The:
n. 1. A stretch of Delmar Boulevard north of campus that is not actually a loop, but rather a neighborhood containing restaurants, book stores, and music stores. Named for a former streetcar loop that traversed the area. 2. A common walking-distance destination for freshmen.

1. “I found the best bubble tea place on the Loop.”

Panhel:
An abbreviation for “Women’s Panhellenic Association.” The governing body of the sorority system.
1. “I think I’m going to run for a Panhel position next year.”

PF:
n. An abbreviation for “pre-freshman,” one who visits the University as a junior or senior in high school, takes a tour, and most likely spends the night in the dorm room of a current student.

1. “God, I hope the PF staying in our suite tonight doesn’t snore.”

See also: Pre-Frosh.

Pre-O:
n. An abbreviation for “pre-orientation.” These four-day programs for freshmen are run by student groups and occur immediately prior to general orientation to acquaint students with specific campus activities.

1. “I think I met that guy back in the Leadership through Service Pre-O, but I have no idea what his name is.”

RA:
n. An abbreviation for “Residential Advisor.” An upperclassman who lives in and helps supervise University housing. There are two RAs-one female and one male-on each floor in a freshman dormitory.

1. “My RA told me that Human Evolution is a really great class to take.”

RCC:
n. An abbreviation for “Residential Computing Consultant.” A student who oversees a residential college’s computer lab and also as aids students living in that residential college with computer problems.

1. “Do you have the RCC’s number? My computer just froze and this paper is due in half an hour!”

RCD:
n. An abbreviation for “Residential College Director.” An adult who oversees the on-goings of a residential college, as well as supervises the RAs and RCC.

1. “My RCD organized this huge ice cream sundae thing for our res college, it was great!”

Red Alert:
n. A student group that sponsors events to support Wash. U. sports.

1. “Free pizza from Red Alert before the swim meet? I’m so there.”

ResTech:
n. A campus service that provides computer troubleshooting for students. They’re also WU’s Internet service provider.

1. “If you call ResTech, will they tell you how to connect to the Internet?”
Res College:
n. An abbreviation for “Residential College.” A grouping of two or three dormitories that sponsor events together and are unified under a specific theme.

1. “Did you see that hot girl at the res college social? I don’t think she lives in Lee. She must be from Beaumont.”

Quad, The:
n. The quadrangle of grass at the east end of campus bordered by Brookings Hall, Ridgley Hall, Busch Hall, and Cupples I Hall where University students play Frisbee, study outside, bask in the sun, and generally look collegiate for admissions brochures.

1. “I almost got hit by a Frisbee walking through the Quad this afternoon!”

Row, The:
n. Stretch of fraternity houses on the northwest side of campus known as Fraternity Row, or, more colloquially, “Frat Row.”

1. “I heard there’re going to be some wicked parties on the row this weekend.”

Ruby:
n. Abbreviation for “Rubelmann.” One of the South 40’s oldest freshman dormitories.

1. “Dude, I think she’s hooking up with an RA from Ruby!”

SAC:
n. An abbreviation for “Student Admissions Committee,” pronounced “sack.” This is a group of volunteer students who give tours and master the art of backwards walking. An individual member of SAC can be called “a SACer.”

1. “I’m going to the SAC information session later, ’cause I really want to be a tour guide.”

Sexile:
v. To prevent a roommate from entering the shared room on account of sexual activity with a third party.

1. “I have this terrible feeling my roommate is going to sexile me again tonight…”

See also: sexiled, adj.

SLAM:
n. Acronym for “St. Louis Art Museum.” One of a number of free, public museums located in nearby Forest Park.

1. “That exhibit we saw at SLAM was so slammin’, don’t you think?”

Soda:
n. Correct name for sugary, often caffeinated drinks like Coke, Pepsi, and Sprite, sometimes mistakenly referred to as “pop.”
1. “Do they seriously call soda ‘pop’ in Ohio and Illinois?!”

StudLife:
n. 1. An abbreviation for “Student Life,” Washington University’s tri-weekly newspaper, which you’re now reading. 2. Common name for Student Life’s website, www.studlife.com.

1. “Writing for StudLife will make you the coolest new student at Wash. U.”

Sub-Free:
adj. An abbreviation for “substance free,” meaning not allowing any drug or alcohol use. Typically used in reference to specific floors within dormitories, along with the entire Beaumont and Rutledge dormitories.

1. “There’s no use looking for a party in Beaumont-it’s sub-free.”

Swamp, The:
n. Nickname for the recreational field located on the South Forty, which is often a location for pick-up Frisbee, football, and soccer games among students.

1. “Hey Andrew, you know you wanna come play Frisbee on the swamp…”

Thurtene:
n. Annual carnival sponsored by the Thurtene Junior Honorary, at which fraternities and sororities build facades to put on theatrical performances; also a fundraising event that usually caters to the St. Louis community with an outdoor carnival located outside the AC, usually in April.

1. “Kappa Sig’s fa‡ade was easily the best one out there this year at Thurtene.”

Village, The:
n. A residential area on the north side of campus that houses upperclassmen.

1. “I hear that the singles in the Village are massively large.”

Wash Ave:
n. A street north of campus on which many upperclassmen own apartments.

1. “I heard from my roommate’s friend’s RA that there is going to be a great party down on Wash Ave this Saturday.”

WILD:
n. An abbreviation for “Walk In, Lay Down.” A twice-yearly concert, put together by the student group Team 31, that brings well-known musical acts to perform in the Quad amidst couches and much drunken revelry.

1. “I heard a rumor that Nelly is so going to play fall WILD this year.”

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