Bowdoin Slang

Know the slang, know the school. The following is a list of things you really need to know before coming to Bowdoin. The more of these words you know, the better off you'll be.

Af-Am

The Af-Am refers to a house on campus where the Africana studies department is located. This house also offers social space, a kitchen, a library, and several residential rooms for students. The Af-Am is known for its substance free parties.

BOC

Abbreviated name of the Bowdoin Outing Club.

Bowdoin Bubble

A common mentality at Bowdoin College in which students become very consumed with life at Bowdoin and a bit oblivious to the outside world.

Brunswick

No, this doesn't refer to the town in this instance; it refers to the Brunswick Apartments, a popular place for upperclassmen to live.

C-Store

The abbreviated name for the convenience store located on the first floor of the Smith Union.

Cody's

The ice cream store off campus that most of the student body ventures to in order to escape the sometimes monotonous on-campus life.

Common Hour

Between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Fridays, Bowdoin brings speakers to campus that often draw big crowds.

CPC

The Career Planning Center, located in Moulton Union to the right of the Residential Life Office.

Crack House

A popular off-campus place to party where several members of the lacrosse team reside. It is a run-down house, but it still attracts a steady following of Bowdoin students.

Druck

The abbreviated name for Druckenmiller Science Hall.

Dudley

Dudley Coe is the campus health center where students can have routine check-ups, or see a doctor or nurse if something is wrong. The health center also distributes contraceptives.

Farley

When someone says they are going to “Farley,” they could be saying they are going to the field house, the soccer fields, the baseball diamond, the softball field, or the football field.

Hatch

The abbreviated name for Hatch Science Library.

OLC

The abbreviated name for the Outdoor Leadership Center where the Bowdoin Outing Club is located.

The Orient

The weekly college newspaper.

Pre-O

The pre-orientation program that students can partake in before their freshman orientation.

The Quad

The Quad is a grassy area between Appleton, Hubbard, Maine, Massachusetts, Searles, and Winthrop halls and the Walker Art Museum.

Proctor

Four proctors live in each first-year residence hall, and one proctor lives in each social house. Proctors work for Residential Life in assisting with first-year orientation and help keep the first-year class safe.

SU

The Smith Union, the main student center on campus. The campus mail center, bookstore, Express Store, and Jack Magee's Pub and Grill are found here.

Safety School

The phrase “safety school” is commonly yelled out at sporting events to imply superiority in not just athleticism but intelligence (kicking them where it hurts).

So Pro

The abbreviation for Social Probation.

The Stacks

The stacks are in Hubbard Hall, which is attached to the Hawthorne-Longfellow Library.

The Tower

Shortened name for Coles Tower.

The VAC

The VAC is the Visual Arts Center, where the art and visual arts departments are located. This is the building with the hole through it.