Academic calendar
School Year 2025-2026 runs Sep 15, 2025 – Sep 14, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- School Year 2025-2026Relevant now
- School Year 2026-2027
Campus language
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Showing 109 of 109 terms
1
- 100 Bay State
- Marciano Commons, the primary dining hall for East Campus located at 100 Bay State Road.
- 100 BSR
- Marciano Commons, the primary dining hall located at 100 Bay State Road.
- 140
- A term used in music circles to distinguish classic/UK-influenced dubstep (140 BPM).
A
- Alpine
- Alpine Bagel, a popular cafe located in the Student Union.
- Altgeld Chimes
- The bell performances from Altgeld Hall that play music throughout the day.
- ARC
- Activities and Recreation Center, one of the primary fitness and gym facilities.
- ASUC
- Associated Students of the University of California (historical reference to student government interactions).
B
- Bay State
- Common shorthand for the Marciano Commons dining hall.
- Bay State Underground
- A dining location on Bay State Road that hosts Late Nite options.
- Blue 41
- A specific retail dining location or menu theme often associated with campus cafes.
- Blue Book
- A small, lined booklet required for written essay exams in many public university courses.
- BU Bubble
- The feeling of being isolated within the campus community despite being in the middle of Boston.
- Busey-Evans
- A common shorthand for the Busey and Evans residence halls, which are traditionally all-female.
- Bussing
- Slang used by students to describe food that is exceptionally good.
C
- CAA
- Carolina Athletic Association, the student group that manages ticket distribution.
- CAB
- Campus Activities Board; the organization responsible for planning major campus events like concerts and festivals.
- Cafe ala Carte
- A retail dining option often found in academic buildings for quick grab-and-go meals.
- CAS
- The College of Arts & Sciences.
- CFA
- The College of Fine Arts.
- Chase
- Chase Dining Hall, the primary dining hall for students living on South Campus.
- COB
- Continuous Open Bidding, an informal recruitment process for sororities.
- COM
- The College of Communication.
- Comm Ave
- Commonwealth Avenue, the main thoroughfare that runs through the center of the urban campus.
- Cooked
- Slang for being extremely tired, overwhelmed, or defeated by schoolwork.
- Cornfield
- A humorous reference to the university's location surrounded by agricultural land.
- Craige
- Craige Residence Hall, often associated with the 'Craige Deck' parking area.
- CUAB
- Carolina Union Activities Board, responsible for campus-wide events and programming.
D
- DEI
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; often used to refer to the campus office or student organizations focused on social justice.
- Di and Phi
- The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, the oldest student organizations at UNC.
- Dining Credits
- The currency used in the university meal plan system to purchase food at non-buffet locations.
- Dining Dollars
- A declining balance account used for purchasing meals and snacks on campus.
- Dining Points
- The currency used on student ID cards for purchasing food at non-dining hall locations like Starbucks or the GSU.
E
- E-Haus
- Ehringhaus Residence Hall, a popular south campus dorm.
- ENG
- The College of Engineering.
F
- FAME
- Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education, a work-study program chapter.
- FAR/PAR
- Florida Avenue Residence and Pennsylvania Avenue Residence halls, often grouped together due to their proximity.
- FitRec
- The Fitness & Recreation Center, the primary gym and athletic facility for students.
- Franklin
- Franklin Street, the main social and commercial thoroughfare bordering campus.
G
- GDTBATH
- Acronym for 'Great Day To Be A Tar Heel,' a common celebratory phrase.
- GSU
- The George Sherman Union, the central student hub containing a large food court with various retail brands.
H
- He's Not
- He's Not Here, a legendary local bar famous for its 'Blue Cups'.
- HoJo
- 575 Commonwealth Avenue, a large dormitory that was formerly a Howard Johnson hotel.
- Hundo
- A student nickname for the Marciano Commons dining hall at 100 Bay State Road.
I
- I-L-L
- The first half of the campus chant; the correct response is 'I-N-I'.
- Ike Dining
- The large, central dining hall located within the Ikenberry Commons.
- ISG
- Illinois Student Government, the primary student representative body on campus.
- ISR
- Illinois Street Residence Halls, a popular dorm complex located near the engineering campus.
J
- Journos
- Slang for journalists or students in the journalism program (often associated with 140journos).
K
- KHC
- Kilachand Honors College.
- Kilachand
- Kilachand Hall (formerly Shelton Hall), located at 91 Bay State Road.
L
- Late Night
- A specific dining service period (usually 8 PM to midnight) offering snacks and fast food at select locations.
- Late Nite
- Late-night dining service offered at various campus dining halls, often featuring comfort foods like wings and milkshakes.
- Lenoir
- Lenoir Dining Hall, the main central campus dining facility.
M
- Marciano
- The Marciano Commons dining hall located at 100 Bay State Road in East Campus.
- Meal Swipes
- The standard term for the currency used in campus dining plans to access all-you-care-to-eat facilities.
N
- NPHC
- National Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing body for historically Black Greek-letter organizations.
O
- Office Hours
- Designated times when professors are available in their offices for student walk-ins or appointments.
- OSC
- Office of Student Conflict Resolution, the department handling disciplinary and conduct issues.
P
- Parker
- Parker Residence Hall, known for its central location near the stadium.
- Points
- Dining Points, the currency used for food purchases outside of meal swipes.
Q
- QST
- Questrom School of Business.
R
- RHA
- Residence Hall Association, the governing body for students living on campus.
- Rhett
- The Boston Terrier mascot of the university.
- RSO
- Registered Student Organization, the official designation for any student-run club.
S
- SAB
- Student Activities Board, responsible for campus-wide event programming.
- SAR
- Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
- SBP
- Student Body President.
- SEC
- Student Engineering Council, the umbrella organization for engineering-related clubs.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the primary student representative body.
- SOAR
- Student Orientation, Advisement and Registration, the new student orientation program.
- South
- South Campus, a residential area consisting primarily of brownstone apartments.
- StuVi
- Student Village, specifically referring to the high-rise apartment-style dorms (StuVi 1 and StuVi 2).
- StuVi 1
- Student Village 1, a high-rise residence hall on West Campus.
- StuVi 2
- Student Village 2, a luxury high-rise residence hall known for its views.
- StuVi1
- Student Village Phase I, a high-rise apartment-style residence hall.
- StuVi2
- Student Village Phase II, a high-rise residence hall known for its views.
- Syllabus Week
- The first week of the semester, perceived as having a lighter workload before major assignments begin.
T
- Terrier
- The mascot and collective identity for students at Boston University.
- Terrier Nation
- The collective community and spirit of the student body.
- The 140
- A common shorthand for the 140-student capacity residential units or specific dorm clusters in various public school systems, often used to denote a close-knit living community.
- The Alma
- Refers to the 'Alma Mater' statue, a popular meeting spot and photo location.
- The Bay State
- Bay State Road, a street lined with brownstone-style specialty housing and smaller dorms.
- The Beach
- The BU Beach, a grassy area behind Marsh Chapel where students lounge; the sound of traffic on Storrow Drive is said to mimic ocean waves.
- The Big Dick
- A historical nickname for Clara Dickson Hall (Cornell), sometimes referenced in broader collegiate lore.
- The Bottom
- The lower level of Lenoir Hall, featuring retail food options like Chick-fil-A.
- The Caf
- Universal student shorthand for the main campus cafeteria or dining hall.
- The Curve
- The practice of adjusting grades based on the overall performance of the class.
- The GSU
- The George Sherman Union, the central food court and student hub on campus.
- The High-Rise
- A nickname for taller, apartment-style dormitories that stand out from traditional low-rise housing.
- The Hill
- Chapel Hill, the town and campus community.
- The Hyatt
- A nickname for the Hyatt Regency Cambridge, which has occasionally been used as overflow student housing.
- The Ike
- The Ikenberry Commons residential area, formerly known as the 'Six Pack' due to its original layout.
- The Quad
- A central residential area where multiple dormitories face a common courtyard, frequently used as a social hub.
- The Six Pack
- A legacy nickname for the Ikenberry Commons dorms, referring to the original six-building configuration.
- The Suites
- Refers to suite-style living arrangements where students share a common area and bathroom within a smaller group.
- The T
- The MBTA Green Line light rail that runs directly through the center of campus.
- The Towers
- Warren Towers, a large freshman-heavy dormitory located in East Campus.
- The Wigwam
- A student center and dining area (historical/local context for community colleges).
- Tits
- Tavern in the Square, a popular local bar in the Allston area frequented by students.
- Tits
- Tavern in the Square, a popular local bar and restaurant in the Allston area frequently visited by students.
- Towers
- The Towers residence hall, located at 140 Bay State Road.
- Tweet
- A public message originally limited to 140 characters on the Twitter platform.
U
- Ujamaa
- A program house focused on Black heritage and culture, housing approximately 140 students.
- Unofficial
- Short for 'Unofficial St. Patrick's Day,' a massive, non-university-sanctioned drinking event.
W
- Warren
- Warren Towers, a major residence hall located at 700 Commonwealth Avenue.
- West
- West Campus, a residential area containing Claflin, Rich, and Sleeper Halls.
- West
- The West Campus Dining Hall, located within the Claflin, Sleeper, and Rich Hall complex.
- West Dining
- The dining hall located in the West Campus residential area.
Z
- Zombies
- News industry and student slang for digital subscribers or users who do not actively engage with content.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- 140 Rule
- A historical reference to a specific voting or administrative threshold (e.g., the 140-25 vote regarding leadership).
- ACCESS
- The official name for the campus ID card, used for dining, library, and building access.
- Add/Drop
- The designated period at the start of the semester when students can change their course schedules without penalty.
- Agganis
- Agganis Arena, the multipurpose sports and entertainment center.
- Alert Carolina
- The emergency notification system used for campus safety warnings.
- Brown Center
- The George Garvin Brown Center, which houses dining and administrative spaces.
- BU Beach
- A grassy area along Commonwealth Avenue that sounds like a beach due to traffic noise.
- BU Bridge
- The bridge over the Charles River that serves as the dividing line between the Main Campus and West Campus.
- BU Bus
- The free campus shuttle service (The BUS) that connects the Charles River and Medical campuses.
- Campus Shuttle
- The local transit system provided by the school to move students between distant campus locations.
- Canvas
- The primary Learning Management System (LMS) used for assignments and course communication.
- CCI
- Carolina Computing Initiative, the program providing standardized laptops and tech support.
- Convenience Points
- A form of campus currency used for laundry, vending machines, and non-dining hall food purchases.
- Davis
- Walter Royal Davis Library, the main research library on campus.
- Dining Points
- Currency included with meal plans specifically for use at on-campus retail dining locations.
- DRES
- Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services, providing accommodations for students.
- FitRec
- The Fitness and Recreation Center, the primary gym and athletic facility for students.
- FitRec Swipe
- The process of using a student ID to gain entry to the gym facilities.
- Foellinger
- Foellinger Auditorium, a massive lecture hall and performance venue on the south end of the Quad.
- Grainger
- The Grainger Engineering Library, known for being a high-intensity study spot for STEM students.
- Green Line
- The 'B' branch of the MBTA Green Line which has multiple stops along the BU campus.
- Green Line B
- The specific branch of the 'T' that services the length of Commonwealth Avenue.
- GSU
- George Sherman Union, the central student hub containing the food court and study spaces.
- i-card
- The official university identification card used for building access, meal plans, and bus fare.
- ISEC
- Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, a prominent modern research building.
- Jenga Building
- The Center for Computing & Data Sciences, nicknamed for its unique stacked-block architecture.
- Late Start
- A convention where classes or services begin later than the standard time (e.g., 8:55 AM).
- Main Hall
- Often the oldest or most central administrative building on a public school campus.
- Marciano Commons
- The formal name for the dining and student services building at 100 Bay State Road.
- Marsh
- Marsh Chapel, the central landmark and religious center on campus.
- MTD
- The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, the bus system that is free for students with an i-card.
- Mugar
- Mugar Memorial Library, the main research library on campus.
- NetID
- The unique alphanumeric username used to log into all university digital services.
- OneCard
- The official multi-purpose student identification card used for building access and meal plans.
- Orientation Leaders
- Students who guide new arrivals through campus geography and local terminology.
- P2P
- Point-to-Point, the campus shuttle service that runs late at night for student safety.
- ParentVUE
- A portal used for accessing student grades, schedules, and school announcements.
- Questrom
- The Questrom School of Business building.
- SafeWalks
- A student-run service providing walking escorts for those traveling across campus at night.
- SCI
- The Metcalf Center for Science and Engineering.
- Siebel
- The Siebel Center for Computer Science, a modern building housing the CS department.
- SLU Ride
- A free van transport service for students and staff during evening hours.
- Student ID
- The multi-purpose card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- Student Link
- The online portal used for registration, checking grades, and managing student accounts.
- Symposium Hall
- A tiered 140-seat room within the Innovative Technologies Complex.
- Terrier Card
- The official student identification card used for building access, dining, and transit.
- The Beach
- A grassy lounge area behind Marsh Chapel where traffic noise from Storrow Drive mimics the sound of waves.
- The BUS
- The BU Shuttle, a free transit service that connects the Charles River and Medical campuses.
- The Carillon
- A 140-foot bell tower that chimes every 15 minutes.
- The Castle
- The Dahod Family Alumni Center, a Tudor Revival mansion used for events and alumni services.
- The Jenga Building
- The Center for Computing & Data Sciences, known for its unique cantilevered architecture resembling a stack of books or Jenga blocks.
- The Lib
- Common shorthand for the main campus library.
- The Old Well
- The iconic rotunda and water fountain that serves as the university's primary symbol.
- The Pit
- The sunken brick courtyard between the Student Union and Lenoir Hall, the hub of student activity.
- The Quad
- The Main Quad, the iconic grassy center of campus surrounded by historic academic buildings.
- The Rec
- The campus recreation or fitness center.
- The T
- The MBTA subway system, specifically the Green Line (B branch) which runs directly through campus.
- The Towers
- The residence hall located at 140 Bay State Road.
- The Union
- The Illini Union, the central hub for student activities, food, and study spaces.
- UL
- The Robert B. House Undergraduate Library.
- Warren Towers
- The large dormitory complex at 700 Commonwealth Avenue.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- School Year 2025-2026 runs Sep 15, 2025 – Sep 14, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 109 approved campus terms and 61 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.