Academic calendar
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 21, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
- Spring Semester 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 23 of 23 terms
A
- AP
- Alice Paul Hall, a modern dormitory known for its suite-style living.
C
- Crumb
- The Crumb Cafe, a student-run late-night coffee shop and snack bar located in the PPR basement.
D
- Dash
- The 'Midnight Dash,' a tradition where students run through the library during finals week.
- DK
- David Kemp Hall, often paired with Alice Paul as part of the same residential complex.
E
- Essie's
- Essie Mae's, a snack bar and cafe located in Clothier Hall offering grilled items and snacks.
K
- Kohlberg
- The coffee bar located in Kohlberg Hall, popular for morning coffee and pastries.
M
- Mertz
- Mertz Hall, one of the larger dormitories on the north side of campus.
O
- OSE
- Office of Student Engagement, the administrative office that oversees clubs and campus life.
P
- PPR
- The Palmer, Pittenger, and Roberts halls, three connected dorms located near the athletic fields.
Q
- Quaker Matchbox
- A nickname for the college based on the high percentage of alumni who marry each other.
S
- SAC
- Social Affairs Committee, the student-led group responsible for planning campus-wide social events.
- SASS
- Swarthmore African-American Student Society, a long-standing cultural and political organization.
- SBC
- Student Budget Committee, the group that manages and allocates the Student Activities Fee.
- Sci Center Cafe
- The cafe located in the Science Center, often used for quick lunches between classes.
- Screw
- Short for 'Screw Your Roommate,' a tradition where students set their roommates up on blind dates.
- SGO
- Student Government Organization, the primary representative body for the student voice.
- Swattie
- A nickname for a Swarthmore student, often implying a high level of academic intensity.
T
- The Bubble
- The feeling of being isolated from the outside world due to the intense campus environment.
- The Crum
- The Crum Woods, the 200-acre forested area with trails surrounding the campus.
- The DC
- The Dining Center, the main campus dining hall that replaced the old Sharples Dining Hall.
W
- Willets
- Willets Hall, a large dormitory traditionally known for its social atmosphere and loud environment.
- Worth
- Worth Hall, a stone dormitory known for its unique architecture and courtyard.
- WSRN
- The campus radio station (91.5 FM), one of the oldest college radio stations in the country.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Beardsley
- Beardsley Hall, which houses the Art and Art History departments and studios.
- Cash Points
- Declining balance funds on the OneCard used for dining at retail locations like Essie's.
- Clothier
- Clothier Hall, which houses the student center, Essie Mae's, and the bookstore.
- Cornell
- The Cornell Science Library, located within the Science Center complex.
- essie_mae_s
- Essie Mae's
- Garnet Gateway
- The online portal used for course registration, viewing grades, and financial aid.
- kohlberg_coffee_bar
- Kohlberg Coffee Bar
- LPAC
- Lang Performing Arts Center, the main venue for theater, dance, and large lectures.
- McCabe
- McCabe Library, the primary research library on campus.
- OneCard
- The official student ID card used for building access, meal swipes, and library checkouts.
- science_center_cafe
- Science Center Cafe
- Singer
- Maxine Frank Singer '52 Hall, the newest building housing biology, engineering, and psychology.
- Swat Central
- The online room reservation system used to book study spaces and meeting rooms.
- The Media
- The SEPTA Regional Rail line (Media/Wawa) that stops directly at the edge of campus for trips to Philadelphia.
- the_dining_center
- The Dining Center
- Tri-Co
- The consortium of Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, and Haverford colleges, allowing for cross-registration.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 21, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 23 approved campus terms and 16 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.