Academic calendar
Summer 2026 runs May 11, 2026 – Aug 16, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026Relevant now
- Fall 2026 - Second 7-Week Session
- Spring 2027 - Regular Session
- Summer 2027 - Regular Session
Campus language
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Showing 105 of 105 terms
A
- ARHS
- Association of Residence Hall Students, representing students living in on-campus housing.
B
- BJC
- The Bryce Jordan Center, the primary venue for THON, basketball games, and major concerts.
- Bloop
- Slang for the 'Blue Loop', a free CATA bus that circles the campus clockwise.
- Blue and White
- The official school colors and the name of the annual spring football scrimmage.
- Blue Band
- The official marching band of Penn State.
- Blue Band
- The Pennsylvania State University Marching Band.
- Blue Chip
- The Blue Chip Bistro, a cafe located in the Business Building.
- Blue-White
- The annual spring football scrimmage and the weekend of festivities surrounding it.
C
- Canyon
- Canyon Pizza, a popular late-night pizza spot known for its inexpensive slices.
- CAS
- College of Arts and Architecture, or often used in reference to the Communication Arts and Sciences major/department.
- Club Pattee
- A nickname for the library during late-night study sessions, particularly during finals week.
D
- Darty
- A day party, typically held on lawns or porches during the spring semester.
- Daylong
- An all-day outdoor party, typically held during the spring semester.
- Dining Dollars
- Funds included with a meal plan specifically for use at on-campus dining locations.
- DUS
- Division of Undergraduate Studies, the academic home for students who have not yet declared a major.
E
- East
- East Halls, the primary residence area for first-year students.
- Edge
- A coffee and snack shop located in North Halls.
F
- Findlay
- The dining commons serving the East Halls residence area.
- Fracket
- A 'bar jacket' or cheap coat worn to parties that a student does not mind losing or getting dirty.
- FTK
- For The Kids, the official slogan and mission of THON.
H
- Happy Valley
- A common nickname for State College and the surrounding University Park area.
- HUB Dining
- The retail food court located inside the Hetzel Union Building.
I
- IFC
- Interfraternity Council, the governing body for many of the university's fraternities.
L
- Late Night
- The evening dining service hours at specific commons, often featuring snacks and social atmosphere.
- LionCash
- A prepaid account on the student ID card used for laundry, printing, and at various off-campus merchants.
M
- Market
- The on-campus convenience stores (e.g., Market East, Market Pollock) where students use LionCash or dining dollars.
- Market East
- The large convenience store and deli located within Findlay Commons.
- MCC
- Multicultural Resource Center, providing support and programming for underrepresented students.
- McElwain
- The dining commons in South Halls known for its buffet-style service and central location.
- Meal Points
- The currency used in the campus dining halls as part of the university meal plan.
N
- Nittany
- Nittany Apartments, on-campus apartment housing for upperclassmen.
- Nittany Apartments
- On-campus apartment complex primarily for upperclassmen.
- North
- North Halls, a smaller residence area consisting primarily of suite-style rooms.
- North
- The Warnock Dining Commons located in North Halls.
- North Commons
- The dining hall serving the North Halls residence area.
- Northlands
- The dining commons located in North Halls.
- Northside
- The dining commons located in North Halls.
P
- PHC
- Panhellenic Council, the governing body for sororities.
- Pokey Sticks
- The signature cheesy breadsticks from Gumby's Pizza, a staple late-night food.
- Pokey Stix
- The signature cheesy garlic breadsticks from Gumby's Pizza, a local late-night staple.
- Pollock
- Pollock Halls, the second-largest residence area on campus.
- Pollock
- The dining commons serving the Pollock Halls residence area.
- Pollock Commons
- The dining hall serving the Pollock and South residence areas.
- Pollock Dining
- The dining commons located in the Pollock Halls area, known for its late-night buffet options.
R
- Redifer
- The dining commons located in South Halls, featuring various food stations.
- Renovated East
- The newly updated residence buildings within East Halls, often preferred for their modern amenities.
S
- S-Zone
- The section of the student bleachers in Beaver Stadium where students wear specific shirts to form an 'S'.
- South
- South Halls, a residence area located close to downtown State College.
- SPA
- Student Programming Association, the organization responsible for bringing free entertainment to campus.
- State
- A shorthand term used by students to refer to Penn State or State College.
- Supplemental
- Large rooms, often converted lounges, used to house multiple students when standard dorms are full.
- Syllabus Week
- The first week of the semester, typically characterized by introductory classes and social events.
- Sylly Week
- Syllabus Week, the first week of the semester known for social events.
T
- The Arb
- The Arboretum at Penn State, a popular botanical garden and park area.
- The Arboretum
- The H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens, a popular spot for walking and outdoor study.
- The Berkey
- The Berkey Creamery, the university's famous on-campus dairy store and ice cream shop.
- The Big Onion
- A pizza and sub shop located within Findlay Commons in East Halls.
- The Bloop
- The Blue Loop, a free CATA bus route that circles the campus and downtown in a clockwise direction.
- The Bricks
- The older, traditional unrenovated brick residence halls in East Halls.
- The Buffet
- Refers to the all-you-care-to-eat dining style found in the various campus commons.
- The Canyon
- Canyon Pizza, a popular late-night pizza destination located downtown.
- The Creamery
- The Berkey Creamery, the university's famous on-campus ice cream shop.
- The Creamery
- The Berkey Creamery, the university's iconic on-campus ice cream shop.
- The Den
- The Lion's Den, a popular student bar and nightclub.
- The Edge
- A convenience store and coffee shop located in South Halls.
- The HUB
- The food court and retail dining area within the HUB-Robeson Center.
- The IM
- The Intramural Building, one of the largest fitness and recreation centers on campus.
- The Lion
- The Nittany Lion Shrine, a popular photo spot on campus.
- The Loop
- The Blue Loop or White Loop, free CATA bus routes that circulate the campus and downtown.
- The Market
- Convenience stores located in each dining commons (e.g., East Market, South Market).
- The Mix
- A late-night convenience store and snack bar located in North Halls.
- The Nat
- McCoy Natatorium, the university's indoor and outdoor swimming facility.
- The Nittany Apartments
- On-campus apartment complex located near the East Halls area.
- The Phyrst
- A legendary local Irish pub and basement bar popular with students.
- The Quad
- The central grassy area surrounded by the buildings of South Halls.
- The Renos
- The newly renovated residence halls within the East Halls complex.
- The Renovateds
- The newly updated and modernized residence halls within the East Halls complex.
- The S-Zone
- A specific section in Beaver Stadium where students wear white and blue shirts to form a giant 'S'.
- The Shrine
- The Nittany Lion Shrine, a famous stone statue and photo spot.
- The Skeller
- The All-American Rathskeller, a historic (now closed) bar often referenced by alumni and older students.
- The Stacks
- The multi-level book storage areas in Pattee Library, often used for quiet study.
- The Suites
- Nittany Apartments and Suites, typically reserved for upperclassmen seeking apartment-style living.
- The Supp
- Supplemental housing, where multiple students are assigned to a large converted common room.
- The Suppes
- Supplemental housing, where students are placed in converted study lounges or larger rooms due to high enrollment.
- The Supps
- Supplemental housing, referring to large converted study lounges used to house multiple students.
- The Towers
- The high-rise residence buildings located within East Halls.
- The Unrenos
- The older, non-renovated residence halls in East Halls.
- The Unrenovateds
- Older dorm buildings in East Halls that lack air conditioning and have traditional communal bathrooms.
- The Valley
- Another shorthand reference to the Happy Valley/State College region.
- The Wall
- The low stone wall outside the HUB-Robeson Center, a popular meeting and sitting spot.
- The Whoop
- The White Loop, a free CATA bus route that circles the campus and downtown in a counter-clockwise direction.
- The Willard Preacher
- A well-known local figure who stands outside the Willard Building to engage students in religious debate.
- The Wloop
- The White Loop, a free CATA bus route that connects campus to the downtown area.
- THON
- The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, a year-long fundraising effort for pediatric cancer.
U
- UPUA
- University Park Undergraduate Association, the primary student government body.
W
- Waring
- The dining commons in West Halls, famous for serving 'West Cookies'.
- Warnock
- Warnock Commons, the dining and social hub for North Halls.
- We Are
- The beginning of the university's most famous chant ('We Are... Penn State!').
- West
- West Halls, known for its traditional brick architecture and proximity to the library.
- West
- The dining commons in West Halls, famous among students for its chocolate chip cookies.
- West Cookies
- The highly popular chocolate chip cookies served at the West Dining Commons.
- West Dining
- The dining commons in West Halls, famous among students for its fresh-baked cookies.
- White Course
- White Course Apartments, housing for upperclassmen, graduate students, and students with families.
- White Out
- The annual football game where the entire stadium wears white to create a home-field advantage.
- Whoop
- Slang for the 'White Loop', a free CATA bus that circles campus and downtown counter-clockwise.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- B-Loop
- The Blue Loop, a free CATA bus route that circles the campus in a clockwise direction.
- Beaver
- Beaver Stadium, the massive football stadium located on the east end of campus.
- Beaver Stadium
- The massive football stadium where the Nittany Lions play.
- BJC
- The Bryce Jordan Center, a large multi-purpose arena used for basketball games, concerts, and THON.
- Bloop
- The Blue Loop, a free CATA bus that runs a circular route around campus and downtown.
- Bloops
- The Blue Loop, a free CATA bus route that circles the campus and downtown.
- Blue Loop
- A free CATA bus route that circulates the campus in a clockwise direction.
- Blue Loop / White Loop
- Free campus bus routes, colloquially known as the 'Bloop' and 'Whoop'.
- Canvas
- The online learning management system where professors post course materials and grades.
- CATA
- Centre Area Transportation Authority, the local bus system serving the campus and town.
- Compressed Schedule
- A logistics term for a delayed campus opening (usually due to snow) where classes start later in the day.
- Delayed Start
- The university's official term for weather-related schedule changes where classes begin later than the standard 8:00 AM start.
- Dining Dollars
- The currency included in meal plans, used specifically at on-campus dining locations.
- east_food_district_buffet
- East Food District Buffet
- east_food_district_findlay_commons
- East Food District (Findlay Commons)
- eLiving
- The online portal used by students to manage housing contracts and meal plans.
- Forum
- The Forum Building, a circular building containing four large wedge-shaped lecture halls.
- grillers
- Grillers
- hub_dining
- HUB Dining
- id+
- The official Penn State identification card used for building access, meal plans, and LionCash.
- id+ Card
- The official Penn State identification card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- IdentiCard
- The official Penn State student identification card used for building access and meal plans.
- IdentiKey
- The digital identity (User ID) used to log into all Penn State online services and Wi-Fi.
- IM Building
- The Intramural Building, a large fitness and recreation center on the east side of campus.
- LionCard
- The official Penn State student identification card.
- LionCash
- A prepaid account linked to the student ID card used for purchases on and off campus.
- LionPATH
- The student information system used for class registration, grades, and financial records.
- Meal Points
- The currency used on the student meal plan for purchasing food at on-campus dining commons.
- north_food_district
- North Food District
- north_food_district_warnock_commons
- North Food District (Warnock Commons)
- Old Main
- The iconic administrative building and lawn at the center of campus.
- Paterno
- The newer, east side of the main library complex, housing various subject-specific libraries.
- Pattee
- Pattee Library, often used to refer to the combined Pattee and Paterno Library complex.
- Pattee/Paterno
- The main university library complex.
- Pegula
- Pegula Ice Arena, the home of Penn State hockey.
- pollock_dining_commons
- Pollock Dining Commons
- Rec Hall
- Recreation Hall, a historic gym used for volleyball, wrestling, and student fitness.
- south_food_district
- South Food District
- south_food_district_redifer_commons
- South Food District (Redifer Commons)
- Starfish
- The academic advising and support platform used to schedule appointments and track academic progress.
- The Arboretum
- The Arboretum at Penn State, a large botanical garden and research space.
- The BJC
- The Bryce Jordan Center, the large arena used for basketball, concerts, and THON.
- The Bloop
- The Blue Loop, a free CATA bus route that circles the campus and downtown Beaver Avenue.
- The Creamery
- Berkey Creamery, the famous on-campus ice cream shop and dairy store.
- The Forum
- The Forum Building, a circular building containing four large wedge-shaped lecture halls.
- The HUB
- The HUB-Robeson Center, the central student union building.
- The IM
- The Intramural Building, a large fitness and recreation center.
- The IM Building
- The Intramural Building, a large modern fitness and indoor sports facility.
- The Library
- Refers to the massive connected complex of the Pattee and Paterno Libraries.
- The Link
- The free campus bus route (Red Link) that connects the east and west sides of campus.
- The Loop
- The free campus bus routes (White Loop and Blue Loop) that circle the university.
- The Nat
- McCoy Natatorium, the campus swimming facility.
- The Pattee
- The Pattee and Paterno Library, the primary research library on campus.
- The Stacks
- The multi-level, narrow shelving areas within Pattee Library, known as a quiet study spot.
- The White Building
- A major student activity center and gym located on the east side of campus near the HUB.
- The Whoop
- The White Loop, a free CATA bus route connecting campus and downtown via College Avenue.
- The Woop
- The White Loop, a free CATA bus route connecting campus and downtown.
- Thomas
- The Thomas Building, a major classroom building housing large lecture halls.
- W-Loop
- The White Loop, a free CATA bus route that connects the campus with the downtown area.
- west_food_district
- West Food District
- west_food_district_waring_commons
- West Food District (Waring Commons)
- White Building
- A major student recreation and fitness center located near the HUB.
- White Loop
- A free CATA bus route that circulates the campus and downtown in a counter-clockwise direction.
- Whoop
- The White Loop, a free CATA bus that follows a different circular route than the Blue Loop.
- Whoops
- The White Loop, a free CATA bus route that connects the campus and downtown in a specific loop.
- Willard
- The Willard Building, a major classroom building famous for the 'Willard Preacher' who stands outside.
- Wloop
- The White Loop, a free CATA bus that runs a counter-clockwise route connecting campus and downtown.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer 2026 runs May 11, 2026 – Aug 16, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 105 approved campus terms and 67 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.