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!