Starting college is a huge milestone—new classes, new friends, new routines…and yes, a whole new vocabulary. Every school has its own set of insider terms, nicknames, acronyms and phrases that seasoned students throw around like second nature. Whether it’s a shorthand for the dining hall, a quirky name for a popular hangout spot, or the mysterious abbreviation for your academic portal, learning the vernacular early can make you feel more at home (and a little less lost) from day one.
Here’s a guide to Case Western Reserve University’s specific language:
- Binary Walkway: The pathway designed with ones and zeroes (i.e. binary code) that stretches from the corner of Adelbert Road and Euclid Avenue into the Quad.
- Bottom of the Hill: Residence area in the South Residential Village, located on Murray Hill Road.
- CMA: Cleveland Museum of Art
- Elephant Stairs: The covered staircase connecting the lower and upper levels of the South Residential Village.
- Green Link or Greenie: The longstanding nickname for the buses used for the free shuttle service around University Circle. (Note: buses are actually blue and white, but they used to be green in the 1980s.)
- HEC: Health Education Campus
- Northside: The North Residential Village, which includes residence halls and Greek houses located north of Euclid Avenue. Also referred to as ''NRV."
- PBL: The initials refer to the famed Frank Gehry-designed Peter B. Lewis Building of the Weatherhead School of Management.
- Southside: The residence halls and Greek houses located in the South Residential Village on Murray Hill Road (Bottom of the Hill) and Carlton Road (Top of the Hill).
- STJ: Stephanie Tubbs Jones hall, apartment-style housing for upperclass students.
- Thwing: The university's student center (pronounced "Twing," the h is silent).
- Top of the Hill: Residential area in the South Residential Village, located at the top of the Elephant Stairs along Carlton Road.
- Uptown: This mixed-use retail, dining and living complex is home to Case Western Reserve's bookstore, a grocery store and several restaurants.
- The Village (at 115): Seven residence buildings featuring apartment-style housing surrounding the football stadium.