How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
We admit NYU is not the most insular university in the world. Our lexicon is mostly made up of various permutations of the name "Weinstein." Nonetheless, there are some words, phrases, names and things that you should probably know if you're a student here. We're all just trying to avoid embarrassment.
Abu Dhabi
NYU has developed a highly selective, degree-granting campus in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which will open fully this fall with the class of 2014. The campus is entirely funded by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.
Albert
Your mildly handy and mostly cumbersome online bursar and registration service. Log on to Albert by clicking the "Academics" tab on NYUHome and you'll be able to check your class registration status, GPA and tuition bill.
Amazon.com
Where to get your books cheaper than the NYU Bookstore. Join Amazon Student and you'll get Amazon Prime for a year, which means free two-day shipping. You could also try buying from an independent bookstore such as the Strand (Broadway and 12th Street), but then you'll have to put on pants.
(726) Broadway
Where the NYU Student Health Center is located and where you'll be standing in line for your flu shot.
Bun, The
An otherwise unassuming carbohydrate that has been central to nyu community legend (such as it is) since 1885. In the beginning, it was a sacred relic passed from one senior class to another. Then it got stolen in 1921, and stealing the bun (on occasion, when the mood strikes) became the new tradition. Now it's in the safekeeping of dean Matthew "cyber dean" Santirocco — at least until it gets stolen again.
Campus Cash
Unlike Dining Dollars (see D), Campus Cash is money that you or your parents can put onto your NYUCard — it's not built into your meal plan — and can be used at lots of stores around campus. You know, for those times when you want to eat off campus, but you want everyone to know your parents still pay for everything.
CAS
The acronym for College of Arts and Science. Pronounced C-A-S, not "cass." Quite possibly the only normal school at NYU. Many of its programs are top-ranked.
Coles
One of two NYU gyms, located on Mercer Street and West Houston. To some people, this gym is known as "not Palladium" (see P), but most NYU kids will know it as the place they don't go to.
Columbia University
Our illustrious, Ivy League neighbor to the north. Likely to be fact: You and all of your soon-to-be friends applied and were rejected. You can cry together. It helps. Then you'll remember we have a much better location and much, much better hipsters. They really are second to none.
Dining Dollars
Sometimes called "declining dollars," Dining Dollars are the built-into-your-meal-plan dollars. Though you can spend them in the Kimmel Center too, you'll use them all at Starbucks at the Square and Chick-Fil-A in Upstein.
Dosa Man
Go to this man's cart on Washington Square South. He will give you free soup when it is cold. Then you will purchase delicious vegeterian Indian treats that vary in spiciness. You will also probably wait in line, but it's worth it when you realize that the street meat at the other carts probably isn't chicken.
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
AKA … Bobst. NYU's cavernous, 24-hour library. It's pronounced BOH-bst, not BAHH-bst.
Falafel
You will eat this at least once every weekend. The legendary Mamoun's is located on West Third and MacDougal streets (with another St. Marks location), but Yatagan on MacDougal is a worthy contender. Wipe your hands on the person next to you.
GaGa
As in Lady. She went to Tisch for a few years. Then she realized she was super talented and became super famous. Maybe that Tischie (see T) you know will follow in her footsteps.
Gallatinos
Awkward nickname for Gallatin students. What's even more awkward? The girl you will meet who's majoring (oh sorry, "concentrating") in Grand Romantic Gestures. She will end up going to Harvard Law, so play it cool.
Hayden
Everyone's favorite freshman abode, Hayden is a notorious party dorm with residents to match. Definitely a great place to make friends you won't remember.
Hipster
No one can really define what a hipster is, so know this: If you explicitly claim not to be a hipster, you probably are one. If you shop exclusively at Buffalo Exchange on Driggs, go to Mud Coffee, drink PBR by yourself every Wednesday afternoon and listen to Sleigh Bells, go get your crown. You are king of the hipsters.
Houston
Pronounced HOW-ston, not HEW-ston. The neighborhood south of this street is known as SoHo, or "south of Houston." It's where you can shop for the same clothes you bought at the mall at home for half the price.
ITS
Information Technology Services, NYU's office for helping you with your fun Internet problems. Just call 212.998.3333 and your issue may be resolved within two to three weeks.
J-Sex
The nickname for our esteemed university president, John Sexton. In order to be officially enrolled at NYU, you are required to either hate or love all things J-Sex does. Choose now.
Judaism
There is a very active Jewish community at NYU. The Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life, located on 10th Street between Fifth Ave. and University Place, always has cool activities and programs, including — free meal alert! — Shabbat for 2,000 in December. You also can't go wrong with the Kosher Cafe in Weinstein residence hall.
Kimmel
NYU's student center. Essential things in Kimmel: student lounge on the seventh floor, Ticket Central on the second floor and the MarketPlace on the third floor. Beware: The cafeteria is haunted by the ghosts of activists who once barricaded themselves inside. Google "TBNYU" and try to avoid — or, if you prefer, seek out — "Kimmel dance parties."
LSP
The Liberal Studies Program — formerly the General Studies Program — was revamped two years ago. It's a two-year program after which students receive an Associate's Degree and go on to one of NYU's other schools.
Museum
New York City is home to some of the world's greatest museums. Though some actually think they can charge for entry, ugh. Luckily, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is always free of charge (you're a broke NYU student ... don't feel obligated to give the $20 suggested donation), and a bunch of city museums offer free admission on Fridays (the Museum of Modern Art offers free admission Friday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m.).
NYU Plans 2031
NYU's grand campaign to add 6 million square feet to its New York footprint by 2031 (the university's bicentennial). The plan, which was originally outlined in 2007, calls for half of the new space to be outside Greenwich Village.
Office hours
Let's face it, in many of your classes and lectures here at NYU, you'll be one among dozens — and in some cases, even hundreds — of other students. Every professor and TA is required to hold office hours, so you know professors are excited to talk to you — during their required office hours.
ORLHS
This is the acronym for NYU's Office of Residential Life and Housing Services. There is no good way to "pronounce" this acronym ... so we're going with "Oral Handshake".
Palladium
In addition to being a dorm, dining hall and home to the Wasserman Center for Career Development, Palladium also has the nicer and newer of NYU's two gyms. The site of a nightclub by the same name in the '80s and '90s, Palladium now functions as a place for people to be hungover.
Poly (or NYU-Poly)
Also known as the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, an engineering school in Brooklyn that NYU gobbled up in 2008. You will not meet any Poly students during your entire NYU career.
PrintingCheck out the ITS Laptop Lab on the fourth floor of the Kimmel Center or the printing lab on Washington Place to use your printing credit. Each semester you receive $50 (enough for 500 pages) of free printing linked to your ID card. Use it all, or the university might waste the money on something stupid like financial aid. Probably not.
Quad
See WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK.
Silver Center
The main classroom building for CAS. You will hate everything about this building: its tiny stairs, its packed hallways and especially its elevators. Arrive early for class or else you'll see what we mean.
Skirball Center
NYU's performing arts center, located in the basement of the Kimmel Center on LaGuardia Place. Glenn Beck taped a Christmas special there. Seriously.
Sternie
The nickname for Stern students. You will either hate Sternies or you will be one. Regardless of their personalities, their massive paychecks during and after school make these the only two options.
Ticket Central
Ticket Central is NYU's gateway to cheap tickets that you'll never buy. Located in the Skirball Center Box Office, it's a good place to get reduced-price tickets to everything from (off- and on-) Broadway shows to Yankee games. The tickets are affordable, but your seats will probably not be something to write home about. Unless your parents are really into the nosebleed section. Ticket Central's best-kept secret, though, is their discount movie passes that can be used at most theaters around New York.
Timekeeper
If you're outside of the Silver Center right before class, you're going to hear the Timekeeper, a self-appointed monitor of NYU students who calls out how much time is left before classes start. He's there to prove that NYU does, in fact, have character.
Tisch
The school where people act. Its alumni board includes Spike Lee, Alec Baldwin and Oliver Stone. The CAS alumni board includes old people you've never heard of. Not to be confused with Tisch Hall, the red Stern building on Gould Plaza (to which Tischies say, whatever).
Trolley
If you live in a dorm outside a 10-block radius of campus, you need to know something: NYU buses are pretty good. The trolleys are awful and purple and made of wood. Take the buses if you can.
Union Square
Many upperclassmen dorms, such as Palladium, U-Hall, Carlyle and Coral, are located near Union Square Park, a place where people go to skateboard and sell things you don't want. There's a TGI Friday's, a Diesel, an American Eagle, a Barnes & Noble, a big-ass Duane Reade and a 24-hour Best Buy. Maybe you should just go to the farmers' market.
Upstein
The nickname for the upper-level dining hall at Weinstein residence hall. This is where you can go to get Chick-Fil-A, which will get you well on your way to the freshman 15. The basement dining hall is usually called Downstein.
You will not eat here unless forced to.
Violets
NYU's mascot is the Bobcat, but athletes are actually called Violets, as in the "Fighting Violets." No joke — they know how to fuck up a dandelion. Really, they win sometimes, despite their name.
Washington Square Park
The closest you'll get to a quad on campus. Your premier spot for watching street performers and maybe doing work — but probably not. Did you know there's a hawk living in the park? Watch it devour unlucky squirrels, which themselves have already devoured crack pipes.
WSN
You know what's up. Pick it up every day, or be painfully misinformed.
Xerox (free)
There is a free copy machine on the second floor of Kimmel near the vending machines and escalators. One drawback: The copier is sponsored, so there is an ad on the back of each page.
Yoga (free)
Hit up Yoga to the People on St. Marks between Second and Third avenues. It gets crowded and sweaty, but that's how you know it's working.
Zoo, The
Which zoo? Depends on what you want. Pythons? Staten Island. Monkeys? Bronx. Polar bears and gay penguins? Central Park. Enjoy.
