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Speak Like a Dartmouth Student: Your Ultimate Guide to Dartmouth's Distinct Terminology and Culture

It's no secret that Dartmouth has a unique culture with the Dartmouth 7, Dartmouth Pong, the homecoming bonfire, and flair. One of our favorite cultural aspects of Dartmouth is the...

It's no secret that Dartmouth has a unique culture with the Dartmouth 7, Dartmouth Pong, the homecoming bonfire, and flair. One of our favorite cultural aspects of Dartmouth is the Dartmouth lingo and terminology. Here is a dictionary of the Dartmouth terminology and vocabulary to get you started.

Social Life & Traditions:

  1. Dartie (noun) - A Dartmouth party or social gathering.
  2. FFB (noun) - First-Year Family Weekend, an annual event inviting families of freshmen to experience campus life.
  3. Green Key (noun) - A spring weekend festival featuring concerts, events, and social gatherings.
  4. Flair - Extravagant, colorful, and often absurd clothing worn to events and parties.
  5. Layup (noun) - An easy course, often taken to balance a challenging academic schedule.
  6. Trippie - Someone you went on freshman trips with.

Communication & Interactions:

  1. Blitz (noun) - An email sent via Dartmouth's email servers.
  2. Flitz (noun) - A flirty blitz, often used to show romantic interest.
  3. @ now (adverb) - Indicates immediacy, e.g., "I need 1 for pong @ now."
  4. Facetimey (adjective) - Describes someone who frequents high-traffic areas to be seen and socialize, often in a superficial manner.
  5. Good sam (verb) - Derived from the Good Samaritan policy, e.g., "He needs to be good sammed."
  6. Narp - Acronym for "non-athletic regular person," referring to non-athletes or clumsy individuals.
  7. Prospie - A prospective student visiting the campus.
  8. Drill Bit (noun) - A term used to describe someone who participates in a high number of extracurricular activities.

Organizations & Clubs:

  1. DOC (noun) - Dartmouth Outing Club, an organization focused on outdoor activities and exploration.
  2. TDX (noun) - Theta Delta Chi, a popular co-ed fraternity on campus.
  3. GDX (noun) - Gamma Delta Chi, another prominent co-ed fraternity at Dartmouth.
  4. Tri-Delt (noun) - Delta Delta Delta, a well-known sorority on campus.
  5. Tabard (noun) - A selective, co-ed undergraduate society at Dartmouth.
  6. HPO - Hanover Police Department.
  7. S&S - Safety and Security (Dartmouth police).

Campus Locations:

  1. BEMA: A small grassy field in the woods behind East Wheelock.
  2. Big Kaf: The off-campus King Arthur Flour Café in Norwich, VT, not to be confused with KAF in the library.
  3. Blobby: The Baker-Berry Library Lobby.
  4. BVAC: The Black Family Visual Arts Center.
  5. Collis: The Collis Center, a hub for student activities and organizations.
  6. Dick's House: Dartmouth College Health Service located at 7 Rope Ferry.
  7. Dirt: Dirt Cowboy Café, a popular coffee shop.
  8. Foco: The 1953 Commons dining facility.
  9. KAF: King Arthur Flour Café in Baker-Berry, the main library on campus.
  10. Parkhurst (noun) - The main administration building at Dartmouth, housing the President's Office and other administrative departments.
  11. Robo: Robinson Hall, mainly used by the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC).
  12. Rocky: Rockefeller Center, a hub for social sciences.
  13. The Hop: The Hopkins Center for the Arts.
  14. Top of the Hop: The upper level of The Hop, offering stunning views of the campus.
  15. The Lodge (noun) - The Moosilauke Ravine Lodge, a popular off-campus destination owned by the college for retreats and outdoor activities.
  16. Dark Side: The Dark Side is the right side of the dining hall when you walk in. It is characterized by its long tables and generally dimmer lighting, providing a more relaxed and intimate atmosphere for students to dine. The Dark Side is often preferred by students looking for quieter conversations or a more low-key dining experience.

Dorms and Housing:

  1. Choates (noun) - A group of six dormitories located near the center of campus.
  2. Fayerweathers (noun) - A cluster of dormitories on the western side of campus.
  3. River Cluster (noun) - A group of dormitories located along the Connecticut River, offering scenic views.

Dining:

  1. Late Night (noun) - A popular time for students to get a meal, often at Collis or the Hop, typically after 9 PM.
  2. Novack (noun) - Novack Café, a popular study spot and snack bar located within the Baker-Berry Library.

Athletics:

  1. Big Green (noun) - A nickname for Dartmouth's athletic teams.
  2. Ledyard (noun) - Ledyard Canoe Club, which offers canoe and kayak rentals as well as river trips and outdoor activities.

Winter Carnival:

  1. Polar Bear Plunge (noun) - A Winter Carnival event in which participants jump into a hole cut into Occom Pond.
  2. Snow Sculpture (noun) - A large snow sculpture created by students as part of the Winter Carnival festivities.

Slang Terms:

  1. DBA (noun) - Declining Balance Account, a type of meal plan currency used at campus dining locations.
  2. P-Rade (noun) - Short for the "parade" during Dartmouth's annual Homecoming weekend, where students march around the Green in celebration.
  3. Woads (noun) - An abbreviation for Wednesday nights out, a popular time for socializing and going to parties.
  4. Hanover Chill (noun) - A phrase used to describe the laid-back, relaxed atmosphere of Hanover, New Hampshire.

Challenges & Traditions:

  1. Cabin and Trail (noun) - A subgroup of the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) that focuses on hiking and maintaining trails.
  2. Keggy (noun) - Dartmouth's unofficial mascot, an anthropomorphic keg.
  3. GDXibles (noun) - A campus-wide series of events hosted by Gamma Delta Chi (GDX) fraternity.

 

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