Princeton University

For other Princetons, see Princeton. Most of them are named after the University.

Lingo

• Bicker - the process by which students join selective eating clubs, similar to fraternity/sorority rush at other schools.
• Boot - To vomit, or vomitus itself, used in much the same way as the word "puke." So ingrained into Princeton's lexicon that for four years, students hardly ever use any other word to describe the act or the substance. See also "boot and rally."
• Boot and Rally - Often seen during popular Princeton drinking games, such as Beirut and Robo-pound, it is the act of quickly returning to a game after booting.
• D-Bar - the debasement bar, appropriately located in the basement of the Old Graduate College, is a hangout for grad students and local au pairs, dimly-lit location for the purchase of cheap alcohol.
• Dean's Date - The last day of reading period; the day when all final papers and other written work must be turned in (see also "Dean's Date Theater" above in the "Traditions" section). Exams start the day after Dean's Date. So named because extensions beyond Dean's Date cannot be granted by a faculty member; they require the permission of a Dean.
• Dinky - Short (one- or two- car) train that runs between Princeton Junction to Princeton station. Sometimes called the PJ & B (Princeton Junction & Back).
• Getting McCoshed - when a student is sent to McCosh Infirmary (not to be confused with the McCosh Hall) for excessive drinking.
• Getting PMC'ed - when a student is hospitalized for drinking too much alcohol. In this case, a student is deemed too drunk to be treated by McCosh Infirmary and is instead transferred to Princeton Medical Center. The future of this lingo is uncertain due to Princeton Medical Center's recent name change to University Medical Center at Princeton.
• Hook up - Though it means "to meet up with" in polite society, on the Princeton campus, it means to engage in intimate contact--but not necessarily intercourse--with another person. At the very least, it's defined by "hair a little ruffled, clothes a little untucked."
• Hose - As a transitive verb, to be rejected from a selective organization, e.g., in eating club bicker, interviews for selective courses, etc. (i.e. "You got hosed!").
• Intersession - The one-week break between winter finals and the start of the spring semester. Often times, the time when seniors hunker down to begin writing their senior thesis.
• Junior Slums - Area of undergraduate housing in the southwest part of campus. Includes Henry Hall, Foulke Hall, 1901 Hall, Pyne Hall, Laughlin Hall and Lockhart Hall. So called because these are the dormitories that are usually left over from senior Room Draw and are thus taken by the juniors.
• Locomotive - Distinctive Princeton cheer... "'rah, 'rah, 'rah, tiger, tiger, tiger, sis, sis, sis, boom boom boom ahhhhhhh. Princeton. Princeton. Princeton". (It's common to replace "Princeton" with a class year to toast a particular class, especially during the P-rade.)
• The Nass - The Nassau Weekly slang for The Nassau Weekly, a weekly arts and humor magazine. (See its website).
• Old Nassau - see previous section.
• Precept - short for "preceptorial." A small seminar-style discussion group held as an adjunct to formal lectures.
• The Prince - The Daily Princetonian, main campus newspaper (See its website). Also known as the Gaily Prints-Anything, the traditional masthead of its hoax issues.
• The Princeton Progressive Nation - The Princeton Progressive Nation, progressive monthly magazine (See its website).
• Prospect 11 - A tradition in which undergraduates visit all eleven currently-active eating clubs and drink a beer from each one.
• Prox - Proximity card. RFID-based access control card used to unlock dorms and other non-public areas.
• Pton - Common abbreviation for the school's name.
• Reading Period - A ten-day study period between the end of classes and the beginning of exams in January and May.
• Reunions - Generally held on Memorial Day (but not always), reunions is Princeton's largest alumni event.
• The Street - Prospect Avenue, home of the eating clubs.
• The Tory - The Princeton Tory, conservative bimonthly magazine (See its website).
• The Wa - The local Wawa convenience store and food market. A Wa Run is a trip there.
• Wednesday Night Lectures - Held every Wednesday at the Cottage Club, a member of the club prepares and presents a mocking but friendly speech, ribbing on the behavior of fellow members, which often embarrasses and also amuses the members who gather to hear it.
• Woody Woo - Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

The Daily Princetonian hosts a detailed (if slightly dated) list of Princeton jargon, see A Princeton Dictionary.

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