Editor's Note: This guide to terminology at Dartmouth is written for humorous purposes and is meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek. While some of these terms may actually be used, this is not meant to be taken as a comprehensive guide.
beast (noun): Cheap, nutritious, socially-inspiring, ecologically-sound nectar of the gods -- found flowing freely from the multitude of kegs located in any fraternity.
Bema (proper noun): Although the name originates from the ancient Greek word for sanctuary, the Bema is known to most students as the Big, empty meeting area, the site for goofy pre-freshman trip bonding activities.
blitz (verb): To send an electronic mail message using the College's BlitzMail computer program. (noun) The actual electronic mail message. You will come to love this verb and noun pair.
boot (verb): Blow chunks, drive the porcelain bus, heave, hurl, hoot, lose your lunch, worship the porcelain god, talk to Ralph on the big white phone, Technicolor yawn, throw up, vomit, etc. More often than not, an aftereffect of chugging a wee bit too much beast. See "rally."
CFSC (noun): The Coed Fraternity Sorority Council., an overarching organization that encompasses all Greek houses except Delta Delta Delta sorority, which seceeded from the organization last spring.
chug (verb): Usually in contest form, this tests your ability to make a cup of beer disappear quicker than your comrades.
circuit (noun): Consists of going, usually in a group, to a series of Greek houses in one night to socialize.
crunchy (adj.): Used to describe the long-haired, wool socks and birkenstocks-clad DOC member often found eating Collis entrees out of a reusable container.
DBA (noun): Your meal plan --a "Declining Balance Account" that pays for all of your food on campus.
The D (noun): You're reading it -- the only source of daily (and pretty much only source) of news at the College. Get a year-long subscription and you're guaranteed mail in your HB (see below) every weekday.
drill (noun): The foundation of the Rassias method of language learning. Drill consists of waking up at 7:45 every morning to have someone snap their fingers at you and demand that you speak in a language you do not yet fully understand.
EBAs (proper noun): Everything But Anchovies, a Hanover culinary institution which delivers pizza, chicken sandwiches and other local delicacies until 2 a.m. every night. The ultimate in performance fuel.
fan (noun): One who enjoys or cares for something. "Do you like EBAs chicken sandwich?" Response: "Definitely! I'm a big fan."
grim (adj.): Disquieting, disgusting, disturbing. Often has a lot to do with a sense of impending doom or irrevocable loss. "Whoa. Looks like someone booted on my stereo! That's grim! (sob)"
grind (verb): To get out on the dance floor and show someone else your affection for him or her. This often involves a lot of physical contact.
gut (noun): In theory, a course that you would feel kind of guilty taking when your parents are paying $30,000 a year for you to come here. Some people like to brag they take guts, but they are usually the ones that are a lot less picky about their GPAs. The fact of the matter is, nearly all courses at Dartmouth necessitate a healthy amount of work to score an A.
Hangover, N.H. (proper noun): A slang term for the town in which Dartmouth is located; the term's origin is unknown, though it may be no coincidence that 'hangover' comes up as the first suggestion when spell-checking 'Hanover.'
HB (proper noun): The abbreviation for Hinman Box, the cubbies in the Hop where students can pick up their mail ... or as is sometimes the case, look for mail, then feel alone and depressed after finding it empty. (Did we mention that subscribing to The D alleviates this problem?)
HTH (noun): "Home Town Honey" -- that special someone you pledged your eternal love to in Smalltown, U.S.A., and who you will forget about by mid-October.
IFC (noun): The Interfraternity council -- an organization comprised of all 13 residential fraternities on campus.
issues (noun): a vague term describing anything that causes you grief from the opposite sex to tons of homework, as in "I'm having some serious issues with him."
LSA (noun): Ten weeks of "studying" in a foreign country, often referred to as an "L.S.Play." Considered a reward after two terms of drill.
mung (noun): Found covering every fraternity basement floor. A combination of beer, boot and other fun things. Tends to stick to shoes and smells for days.
Panhell (noun): The Panhellenic Council -- an organization comprised of the sororities on campus.
Parkhurst (verb) (to get Parkhursted): An interesting leave term option available at Dartmouth named for Parkhurst Hall, the building which houses dozens of domineering Dartmouth deans. To have the administration tell -- not ask -- you to take a bit of a vacation. Not advised.
pong (noun): The drinking game of choice in most fraternity basements. Requires a plywood table, a pair of paddles, a ping pong ball and at least four cups of beer. Serves and returns must be lobbed, and it's bad form to boot too soon; there are several varieties involving different formations and numbers of beers. The most common include two cup, shrub and tree.
rage (verb): To drink and cavort, to socialize and have a good time, all to a higher degree than "to party."
rally (verb): To continue struggling with something, even though it may be physically trying. Often has something to do with sports, or with chugging, in which case the recommended usage goes, "Boot and rally! Boot and rally!," see "boot."
random (adj.): Weird, out-of-place, anachronistic. Can also be used, as a noun, to refer to any non-Dartmouth student who invades the campus on big weekends like Homecoming and Winter Carnival.
S & S (noun): Our friends in green. Short for campus police, otherwise known as Safety and Security, uninvited guests at freshman gatherings. They are often mistaken for EBAs delivery men.
scam (noun): A terribly vague word which can mean anything from making eyes at an attractive member of the opposite sex to doing things with that person that your mother would certainly never approve of.
'shmen (noun): You, at least for the next year!
'shmenu (noun): The "Green Book" cataloguing the photographs and home addresses of the freshmen class. The scammer's bible " allows you to scope without leaving your room.
'shmob (noun): The preferred travel mode of freshmen, 'shmobs consist of 10 to 15 'shmen who may or may not have been previously acquainted with one another, traveling around campus in a group during the first weeks of Fall term.
'tails (noun): A social event serving cocktails, or a shortened name for the drinks themselves. Usually a somewhat more intimate and quiet gathering than raging frat parties.
walk of shame (noun): That long walk across campus following an embarassing hook-up, usually involving excessive alcohol consumption. A downcast shuffle in which the person, disgraced, attempts to avoid being seen as they return to their own dorm.
wasted (adj.): Excessively inebriated.
Example: "I booted and rallied three times last night while chugging beast and playing pong -- my shoes are still covered with mung..." If you understood this sentence you have successfully completed your course in DartSpeak and are prepared for life at the College.
