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Life

The Ultimate Guide to “Dartmouth Lingo”

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Dartmouth chapter.

Dartmouth has a complex culture ranging from running around a gigantic bonfire to jumping into a freezing lake. On top of these, we use many phrases that you probably have never heard of. Her Campus Dartmouth has your complete guide to learning the lingo, so you do not have to walk around like a clueless Freshmen and ask what “Foco” is (no worries, we have all been there!).

 

Locations

BEMA: The Big Empty Meeting Area which is in the woods behind East Wheelock

Blobby: Baker-Berry Lobby

BVAC: Black Family Visual Arts Center  

Collis: This is “Collis Center” but once again, if you hear people say that they are grabbing lunch at Collis, it is really the dining location inside Collis Center. 

Dark Side versus Light Side: This refers to the right and left side inside Foco, respectively.

Dick’s House: Our on-campus pharmacy and Health Services 

Dirt: Dirt Cowboy Café on Main Street 

FFB, 2FB, 3FB, 4FB: First-Floor Berry, Second-Floor Berry and so on. The floors get quieter as you go up. 

Foco: “The 1953 Commons” aka our Dining Hall

KAF: “King Arthur Flour Café” in Baker-Berry, which is our main library

Robo: Robinson Hall, which is next to College. It has our Dartmouth Outing Club (they organize all kinds of outdoor events) and “The Dartmouth” (our student-newspaper) in it. 

Rocky: Rockefeller Center

The Hop:  This is “Hopkins Center” but you will often hear people say, “I will grab food at the Hop”, which is really “Courtyard Café” in the Hop 

 

Academics

Drill: A fifty-minute session taught by a student that is required for the first three levels of languages in addition to classes taken with the professors. 

DSP: Domestic Study Program 

FSP: Foreign Study Program 

LSA: Language Study Abroad

 

Safety 

H-PO: Hanover Police

Blue Lights: These can be found all around campus and you can press them if you feel unsafe. 

Good Sam: A policy that allows someone to call S&S to help with an intoxicated friend. Under this policy, students will not be subject to disciplinary action regarding the drug and alcohol policy 

S&S: Safety And Security (basically Dartmouth’s police) 

 

Additional Words 

’19, ’20, ’21, ’22 etc.: This refers to your class year. You don’t introduce yourself as a “freshmen” but as a “22”. 

@now: basically, it just means right now. We will use this mostly in texting.

Blitz: This is one of the most important words to know! It refers to our email system. This word can be used as a noun (“I will send you a Blitz”) or as a verb “I will blitz you”). 

Facetimey: When you like to be seen. For example, when you hang out on FFB, people will call you “Facetimey”, because this is a very busy area. 

Flitz: This is a flirty blitz.

Lou’s Challenge: Staying up all night to then go to “Lou’s Diner” first thing in the morning. 

NARP: Non-athletic regular person

Prospie: A prospective Dartmouth Student 

Shmob: A “Freshmen” mob meaning a large group of freshmen

Tripee: Someone who you go on trips with during your First-Year Trips

 

Dining

DBA: It stands for “declining balance account” and it is basically our dining dollars. It can be used at any location. (At KAF, you can only use DBA!)

DDS: Dartmouth Dining Services 

 

These are the most important words! No worries, after a while, these will become second nature and you will go home and tell your little brother to stop being so “facetimey” and he will just stare at you in confusion. That’s when you know you have internalized our language. Until then, have fun studying vocab! 

Paula is the Social Media manager for Her Campus at Dartmouth College. In addition to managing the social media platforms, she enjoys writing about Health, Beauty and Food. Paula is originally from Germany, but lived in London during 8th Grade, attended High School in New York City and has now been attending Dartmouth College for the last 2 years. She is extremely passionate about her YouTube Channel (Paula Joline) and her Instagram account (@paula.joline_nyc), where she enjoys telling people in Germany about life in America and people in the United States about what it is like to go to college.