Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Sep 8, 2026 – Dec 23, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026Relevant now
- Winter 2027
- Spring 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 41 of 41 terms
B
- Brubakers
- The main food court area located inside the Student Life Centre (SLC).
C
- Cali or Bust
- A phrase describing the high-pressure culture of seeking prestigious co-op placements in California/Silicon Valley.
- CLV
- Columbia Lake Village, a townhouse-style residence community located further from the campus core.
- CMH
- Claudette Millar Hall, the newest residence building located in the UW West Quad.
- CSC
- The Computer Science Club, a student-run organization providing resources and social events for CS students.
D
- DC Bytes
- The food court and cafeteria located within the William G. Davis Computer Research Centre.
E
- EngSoc
- The Engineering Society, representing all undergraduate engineering students.
F
- Feds
- The former name of WUSA (Federation of Students), still frequently used by older students and alumni.
- Feridun
- A reference to the former university president, often used in memes or as a shorthand for the administration.
- Flex Dollars
- The currency on a WatCard used for tax-free food purchases at on-campus outlets.
G
- Geese
- The ubiquitous Canada geese on campus, often joked about as the 'true owners' of the university.
- GSA
- Graduate Student Association, representing the interests of graduate students.
H
- Hell Week
- A period during the term when multiple midterms and major assignments are due simultaneously.
L
- Liquid Assets
- A popular juice and smoothie bar located in the Hagey Hall Hub.
M
- MathSoc
- The Mathematics Society, representing students in the Faculty of Mathematics.
- MKV
- Mackenzie King Village, an apartment-style residence featuring four-bedroom suites.
- ML's
- The coffee shop and deli located in the Modern Languages building.
P
- PD
- Professional Development courses, a series of mandatory online modules for co-op students.
R
- Ranking
- The process during the co-op cycle where students and employers rate each other to determine job matches.
- REV
- Ron Eydt Village, a traditional-style residence known for its social environment and double rooms.
S
- STC Starbucks
- The high-traffic Starbucks location situated in the Science Teaching Complex.
T
- Thank Mr. Goose
- A superstitious phrase used by students to wish for good luck on exams, often accompanied by a picture of a Canada Goose.
- The Flock Stop
- The student-run convenience store and snack bar located in the Student Life Centre.
- The Goose
- A reference to the ubiquitous and sometimes aggressive Canada geese that inhabit the campus.
- The Grad House
- A student-run pub and restaurant located in a historic farmhouse on campus, primarily for graduate students.
- The Grill
- A popular food station within the Student Life Centre (SLC) food court.
- The Liquid Assets
- A cafe located in the Hagey Hall Hub known for coffee and snacks.
- The Pink Tie
- The official mascot of the Faculty of Mathematics, often seen as a giant tie on the MC building.
- The Ring
- Refers to the Iron Ring worn by engineering graduates, a significant symbol of the profession at Waterloo.
- The SLC
- Refers to the food court and vendors located within the Student Life Centre.
- The Tool
- A 60-inch chrome-plated pipe wrench that serves as the official mascot of the Engineering Society.
- The Tunnels
- The network of underground and overhead walkways connecting many campus buildings to avoid the cold.
U
- UWP
- University Waterloo Place, a large apartment-style residence complex located on the edge of campus.
V
- V1
- Village 1, the university's first and largest traditional-style residence.
- V1 Caf
- The main dining hall located in Village 1, popular for its variety of food stations.
- VCF
- Victory Christian Fellowship, a prominent campus faith-based organization.
W
- WaterlooWorks
- The official internal job board and management system for the university's co-op program.
- WEEF
- Waterloo Engineering Endowment Foundation, a student-run fund for improving engineering labs and equipment.
- WiCS
- Women in Computer Science, a group dedicated to supporting women and non-binary students in computing fields.
- Work Term
- The four-month period where a student is employed at a company as part of the co-op program.
- WUSA
- Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, the primary student government body.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- brubakers_food_court
- Brubakers Food Court
- DC
- William G. Davis Computer Research Centre, home to the Davis Centre Library and major computer labs.
- DP
- Dana Porter Library, the primary library for humanities, social sciences, and arts.
- E7
- Engineering 7, a modern building featuring the RoboHub and extensive student design spaces.
- ev3rgreen_caf
- Ev3rgreen Café
- GRT
- Grand River Transit, the local bus service that students access using their WatCard.
- ION
- The Region of Waterloo's light rail transit system, which has two major stops serving the campus.
- LEARN
- The university's web-based learning management system (D2L) for course content and assignments.
- MC
- Mathematics & Computer Building, the central hub for the Faculty of Mathematics.
- mudie_s
- Mudie's
- PAC
- Physical Activities Complex, used for athletics, recreation, and large-scale final exams.
- Portal
- The official University of Waterloo mobile app and website for campus news, schedules, and real-time info.
- QNC
- Quantum Nano Centre, a modern facility dedicated to nanotechnology and quantum computing research.
- Quest
- The self-service student information system used for enrollment, tuition, and viewing grades.
- revelation
- REVelation
- SLC
- Student Life Centre, the main hub for student services, clubs, and the Turnkey Desk.
- STC
- Science Teaching Complex, a central building for science lectures and undergraduate labs.
- The Tunnels
- An extensive network of underground and indoor walkways connecting many buildings to avoid winter weather.
- Turnkey Desk
- A 24/7 service desk in the SLC that provides information, bus tickets, and various student services.
- UPass
- The universal bus pass integrated into the WatCard, providing unlimited access to Grand River Transit (GRT).
- WatCard
- The official student identification card used for transit, meal plans, and building access.
- WaterlooWorks
- The official platform used by students to apply for co-op jobs and manage interviews.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Sep 8, 2026 – Dec 23, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 41 approved campus terms and 22 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.