A month ago, when I first came to DePauw as a freshman, I was excited for a new beginning. This year would be filled with a lot of firsts, as I began a new chapter of my life. I would be in a new environment, adjusting to new people and new rules. However, I didn’t realize the new lingo I would have to learn at DePauw.
The first time I heard the terms “Marvin’s” and “Little 5” were before I became a student at DePauw. It was this past April when I came to visit the school. I was touring the Media Center with a current student and we went into The DePauw newsroom. A student began discussing their article about “Little 5.” Immediately, everyone exclaimed how excited they were about the event and told stories from past years but none of them actually explained the event. To be called “Little” 5, it sure did seem like a big deal. One student saw the confused look on my face and explained the whole thing to me. Then I got it, Little Five was a major annual bike race- I’m excited to go this year!
When it started to hit dinnertime, the students started talking about “Marvin’s.” They talked about what they wanted to eat and if they should go to “Marv’s.” I thought to myself, “Wow, this Marv kid must be really popular or he can really cook.” Turns out, they were talking about the popular restaurant Marvin’s and not a really cool kid, although I’m sure Marvin’s owner Marvin Long was a cool dude back in the day.
My next encounter with Marvin’s lingo was one week into classes. It was about 2:00 am on a Saturday when my friend complained how hungry she was and she couldn’t wait to eat her GCB. I stopped and thought, “Excuse me, what are you about to eat?” I had no clue what she was talking about and was too embarrassed to ask so I pretended I knew what she meant. A week later, I found out a GCB was a Garlic Cheeseburger from Marvin’s. I have yet to try it but when I go to Marvin’s, it will be the first thing I get.
There are a lot of “DePauw specific” terms that we students use on campus. Other terms include Boulder runs and Monon, an annual football game against Wabash, fighting to win the Monon Bell. It can be a lot to take in at first trying to remember the terms DePauw students use. If you are too scared to actually ask what they mean, like me, there is a link on the DePauw website, under history and traditions, that describe these terms in detail—although I’m sure there is an upperclassmen that would be more than willing to tell you what each term means.Â