All schools have their own slang, slogans, and inside jokes that are unique to their own campus. Purdue students know what it feels like to explain many of these to non-boilermakers, although many colleges share many of the same terms. Here are just a few words from Purdue's broad, unofficial language:
Breakfast Club - noun. A long-lived tradition in which 21+ Purdue students wake up early, throw on a costume, and hit the bars.
Cary Closets - noun. The cramped dorm rooms in Cary Quadrangle, their name deriving from the fact that one can reach their arm from their bed and successfully touch their roommate's.
CoRec - noun. The France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center.
Drunk McDonald's - noun. The McDonald's on Stadium Avenue. It is guaranteed to be a great location for people watching between the hours of 2 and 4 a.m.
Enginerd - noun. An engineer that is true to their academics, and will most likely let you know it, too.
Fountain Run - noun. When Purdue students run a specific route between fountains on campus, complete with jumping into the water and becoming soaking wet as they go.
Function - noun. A party, typically involving multiple Greek houses. (i.e. "Is there a function later?")
- verb. To party, typically with multiple Greek houses. (i.e. “You tryna function later?”)
GDI - noun. A phrase used for students that are not affiliated with the Greek community, short for "God damn independent."
Geed - noun. An alternate word for GDI.
Hillenbrunch - noun. The meal offered by Hillenbrand dining court on Sundays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
ITaP - noun. Short for "information technology at Purdue." The group responsible for all things technology at Purdue, including but not limited to: email, printers, and wireless internet.
IU - noun. The lesser Indiana state school.
McFarasf*** - noun. Also known as: McCutcheon Hall. The residence hall that lies further away than any other, supplying inevitable, long walks across campus for all of its inhabitants.
OTG - noun. Also known as: On The Go. The part of Purdue's dining courts that allows its students to quickly grab multiple food items for one food swipe. OTG is typically swarmed by students on Friday afternoons, before they close for the weekend.
PAL 3.0 - noun. Short for "Purdue Air Link." The wireless internet on Purdue's campus, occasionally considered unreliable and/or frustrating by its students due to its tendency to crash in the middle of one's homework.
Ploop - noun. The sober bus of the fraternity Fiji, known for its ability to transport a large amount of people across campus to various functions.
Shacker - noun. A student who stays the night in one's bedroom, typically following a one night stand.
Sloop - noun. The silver loop bus route on campus, running every 10 minutes.
Sober - noun. A sober driver that is working a fraternity function for the evening. Sobers are typically pledges that safely transport party hoppers across campus.
-verb. To remain sober and work a fraternity function, usually to transport others safely far into the early hours of the morning. (i.e. "He's sobering tonight for Fiji.")
Tark Mart - noun. An abbreviation for "Tarkington Market." The convenience store in the basement of Tarkington Residence Hall, accepting payments from Purdue student's ID's.
The 'Due - noun. A nickname for Purdue University.
Tri Chi - noun. Also known as: Triple XXX Family Restaurant. A landmark of Purdue's campus offering delicious diner food for reasonable prices at late night hours.
Walk of Shame - noun. A student's walk home across campus following a one night stand, typically dressed in their clothes from the night before.
2-Way - noun. When one fraternity and one sorority pair together for a function. The number "2" can be substituted for other numbers, as well. In other words, a four-way would be two sororities and two fraternities, etc.
