Stanford Speak
Learn the lingo, catch-phrases and acronyms that Stanford community members use in everyday conversation:
- AA
- Academic Advisor. An academic mentor for undergraduates; the person who helps students make academic decisions.
- All Nighter (to pull an…)
- A common phenomenon, especially when it's time for final exams.
- ASSU
- Associated Students of Stanford University. The student government.
- Axe
- The symbol of rivalry between Stanford University and our traditional rival, U.C. Berkeley (Cal). The Axe is awarded each year to the school winning the Big Game.
- Axess
- The student information system for registering, reviewing grades, changing addresses and other administrative tasks.
- BART
- Bay Area Rapid Transit. A subway system which carries passengers throughout the San Francisco area.
- Big Game
- The annual football matchup against rival Berkeley. Traditionally it's the last, most highly anticipated football game of the season.
- Caltrain
- A commuter rail system running between San Francisco and San Jose. Don't have a car? This is your best bet to get to "the City".
- Cardinal
- Stanford's mascot: The color, not the bird!
- The City
- Known as San Francisco to non-Bay Area residents, it's the cultural center of the Bay Area and popular with students when they want to get off campus.
- The Claw
- Nickname for the fountain in White Plaza, between the Bookstore and Old Union.
- The Daily
- Stanford students' independent newspaper.
- Dead Week
- The week immediately preceding finals week. It is intended that students study feverishly during this week.
- Dink
- Dinkelspiel Auditorium. Located between Tresidder Union and the Braun Music Center, this is a popular venue for musical events and other performances.
- The Dish
- The largest of the radio telescopes in the hills behind Lake Lagunita. Also short-hand for the open space area behind Stanford in which this radio telescope is located.
- Dollies
- The five spirited women who accompany the Stanford Band with dance routines.
- The Draw
- The ultimate in Spring Quarter stress. This hair-raising process decides students' housing fate for the coming year.
- EANABs
- Equally attractive non-alcoholic beverages. Required at campus parties serving alcohol.
- The Farm
- Campus nickname, derived from the days when horses rather than students roamed in what previously was the farm of university founders Leland and Jane Stanford.
- Flicks
- A stress-relieving movie screening on Sunday evenings.
- Flo Mo
- Florence Moore Hall, a dormitory complex.
- Fountain Hopping
- A common activity after football games.
- Gaieties
- The student-written, student-produced musical performed the weekend before Big Game.
- Hoover Tower
- Erected in honor of Herbert Hoover. An elevator ride to the top provides an outstanding view of campus and the Bay Area.
- IHUM
- Introduction to the Humanities. A program of introductory humanities courses which all freshmen must take in order to satisfy a graduation requirement.
- IMs
- Intramurals. Sports tournaments ranging from football to inner-tube water polo that are expressly for dorm teams. A source of good-natured dorm rivalries.
- Lake Lag
- A deep wide basin at the corner of campus. Don't expect to actually find water here, however. The basin is dry for a good portion of the year. The trail surrounding it is popular with joggers.
- LSJUMB
- Those merry masters of madcap melody, the truly incomparable Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band!
- Mem Aud
- Memorial Auditorium, the largest on campus.
- Mem Chu
- Memorial Church, located prominently in the Quad.
- Oski
- The Berkeley Golden Bear -- and the nemesis of Stanford's Tree.
- The Oval
- The large grassy elliptical area at the end of Palm Drive that's perfect for an afternoon of Frisbee or volleyball.
- PAA
- Peer Advising Associate. Upperclass academic mentors who are invaluable source of information to freshmen about planning which classes to take.
- Primal Scream
- Tradition of stress alleviation for students. Listen for it at midnight the Sunday night of Dead Week.
- The Quad
- An enclosure of buildings housing some of the classroom space on campus and many departmental offices.
- RA
- Resident Assistant. The truly dedicated upperclass student who lives in dorms and serves roles ranging from dorm activity coordinator to advisor, confidant and friend.
- RCC
- Resident Computer Coordinator. A human guide to computers that comes with every dorm.
- The Row
- Mayfield Avenue, location of numerous upperclass houses and fraternities.
- Stern Dining Hall
- Open weeknights until 1 a.m. for students in search of a late-night snack.
- Tres Ex
- Tresidder Express. Stanford's rendition of a 7-Eleven, located in Tresidder Union.
- The Tree
- The Stanford Band's mascot.
- White Plaza
- The large plaza surrounded by Old Union, the Bookstore, the post office, and Tresidder Union. It is a central hub of student activity on campus, especially during the spring.
- The Zoo
- KZSU, 90.1 FM, Stanford's student radio station.