How to Use College Jargon

College kids don't necessarily speak a language of their own, but there is a common jargon used from campus to campus that is good to know if you plan on spending any time hanging out with a co-ed crowd. Don't worry about using every word-just throw in a couple catch phrases here and there and you'll fit right in.

Instructions

1. Differentiate between the high school version and college version of words like "hook up" as they can mean different things. In college, a hook up is more than just a make out session at a party. In college, if you hook up with someone, consider yourself back at home plate. An "all-nighter" in high school might mean a late study night, but in college, it's an all-night party. Never ask someone what grade they are in; simply ask, what year they are (and don't be surprised if you get a number higher than 4).

2. Know your social/bar/party jargon. "Last call" means order up because the bar is about to close. If someone asks you what house you're in, then they want to know if you're in a fraternity or sorority and which one. If you're in line for a keg at a house party and someone suddenly barges through the line and yells "House beer!" let them through--they live there and get to move to the front of the line.

3. Throw out some classroom jargon, like "Can I still get you to sign my Add/Drop or will I end up with a W," which basically means you want out of a class, but you don't want "withdraw" to show up on your transcripts. Or maybe you want to know your "cume," which is short for "cumulative GPA." Also, most class names are shortened into abbreviated versions like "Psych," "Chem," "Bio" and "Stats."

4. Polish up on dorm lingo. A relationship between two people in the same dorm is what you call "dorm-cest" and when you have a "sleepover," it's no longer an all-girl's party (and involves only two people). If someone has a "single" it has nothing to do with their relationship status-they were lucky enough to score their own dorm room.