After a few days at Notre Dame, you’ll soon become aware that Notre Dame is a unique place. In fact, Notre Dame students even have their own vocabulary. Although you may be confused at first, you’ll figure it out soon enough….but just in case you’re curious here’s a brief compilation of some of the vocabulary used at ND.
Acoustic Café: Event Thursday nights in LaFortune Student Center or Legends of Notre Dame often frequented by students in need of a study break. The café is a great place for students to display their musical talents (or lack thereof).
Administration (Main) Building: Often called the Golden Dome or simply the Dome, the administration building is the most recognizable feature of Notre Dame’s campus. Complete with a statue of Mary, the building is located in the center of campus and can be seen from almost anywhere on campus.
Alum: An ND grad.
AnTostal: Yearly tradition celebrating the final full week of classes sponsored by SUB. Plenty of free t-shirts, games and events for all to enjoy.
Archie: College of Architecture student, they basically live in their studios in Walsh Family Hall - a brand new building to the south of the Stadium. Pronounced “Ar-key."
Basilica of the Sacred Heart: Notre Dame’s own church, located on Main Quad next to the Main Building (“Dome”), and a really nice place to go to mass.
Baraka Bouts: Women's boxing tournament held every year as a fundraiser for Holy Cross Missions.
Bengal Bouts: Men's boxing tournament held every year as a fundraiser for Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh.
Bookstore Basketball: Largest 5 on 5 basketball tournament in the world. With over 500 teams competing every year, this tournament held in the spring is truly a sight to see.
BP: Breen-Phillips Hall, the Best Place on campus!
CCE: The Center for Continuing Education, located behind the old Post Office and DeBartolo Hall, in McKenna Hall.
COMO: The Coleman-Morse Center. The building on South Quad that houses First Year of Studies, Campus Ministry, a computer cluster, and 24-hour space that offers free popcorn and soda (or pop for you mid-western people).
"Come to me All": Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in front of the Main Building, which depicts him with his arms outstretched. Since this statue is facing The Dome, which is topped with a statue of Mary, Domers sometimes joke that this statue is really called "Jump Mama, jump!"
Congregation of Holy Cross: Catholic religious order (started in France by Blessed Basile Moreau) which founded the University of Notre Dame. Holy Cross priests can be found all over campus, including living in residence halls, serving as rectors, teaching as professors, and running the University (Fr. Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame, is a Holy Cross priest).
Corbett Family Hall: Attached to the east side of the Stadium, Corbett Family Hall is the new home of the departments of Anthropology and Psychology.
CSC: The Center for Social Concerns. The CSC is the place to go if interested in service projects, service trips, and volunteer opportunities.
C.S.C.: Initials to designate members of the Congregation of Holy Cross (the religious order which founded the University). In Latin, that's Congregatio a Sancta Cruce. Don’t get the two “CSC’s” confused.
D6 (Lake Lot): Student parking lot located behind the Rock.
D2 (Bulla Lot): Student name for parking lot behind PE and Knott.
D.A.R.T.: Direct Access Registration by Terminal: It allowed students to register for their next semester’s courses. Registration is now done on-line using insideND / NOVO, but registering for classes is often referred to as “dart-ing.”
DeBartolo Hall: Classroom building where you most likely to have at least one class a semester. Often referred to simply as "DeBart." Not to be confused with...
Decio: Faculty building featuring a great cafe with breakfast sandwiches and a salad bar.
DPAC: Short for DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Usually referred to as DPAC, it's a big building near the main gate to campus with a big blue-green roof. DPAC is home to some amazing performances: Glee Club Concerts, ND Theater productions, guest artist performances, etc.
Domer: Any ND student, past or present.
Domer Dollars: Domer Dollars are connected to a student’s Irish1Card. They can be used at both on-campus and select off-campus locations. Domer Dollars can be added to one’s Irish1Card.
Double or Triple Domer: Someone who has more than one degree from ND.
Duncan Student Center: Often referred to simply with "Duncan" and is attached to the Stadium. Opened in January of 2018, the new student center is home to various restaurants, a gym, a climbing wall, an indoor track, the offices of Residential Life and Housing, offices for student media groups, the Career Center, and a fabulous 7th floor ballroom. Located right next to DeBartolo Hall, it's close to many of your class locations if you need to grab a bite to eat or work out.
du Lac: Student handbook outlining all the rules and regulations at Notre Dame. This can be found online at https://dulac.nd.edu/
East Quad: Formerly known as "Mod Quad" which includes Pasquerilla East, Pasquerilla West, Siegfried, and Knott. The addition of Dunne, Flaherty, and Johnson Family Halls resulted in a name change to East Quad.
Eddy Street: Located just south of campus, a favorite “off-campus” place to eat. Students are able to purchase meals at Barbici, Blaze Pizza, Chipotle or Jimmy Johns using Domer Dollars on their Irish1 card. Campus favorites such as Brothers and O’Rourkes are here too!
"Fair Catch" Corby: Statue of the famous Fr. William Corby, C.S.C., in front of (under construction) Corby Hall (next to the Basilica). A professor and president of Notre Dame, Fr. Corby was chaplain to the well-known Irish Brigade (NY Infantry) at the Battle of Gettysburg and famously gave all the soldiers general absolution before the battle. The statue actually depicts his hand raised in blessing over the troops (there is an identical statue on the battlefield).
Fall Break: A much needed/appreciated week off in October, half way through the first semester.
Fieldhouse Mall: Open area between Cavanaugh Hall and Stonehenge fountain. Warm weather brings campus bands, barbecues, and other fun things to do instead of studying. There will most likely be free stuff from clubs too!
First Down Moses: Enormous statue of Moses in front of Hesburgh Library. With one finger pointing to the sky and the Ten Commandments under his arm, he's actually indicating his belief in the one God of Abraham. This statue is by Croatian-American sculptor Joseph Turkaly.
Flex Points: The dollars that accompany the Block 250 meal plan that can be used to buy some tasty snacks and beverages at the Huddle and other campus food locations. All you do is swipe your ID and it comes out of your account. Students are given $500/semester and they roll over for semesters, but NOT academic years.
Grace Hall: An administrative building just north of Pasquerilla East Hall. The place to go for human resource needs such as campus employment, card services and also has a small cafe that features great wraps!
Geddes Hall: Home of the Center for Social Concerns and Coffeehouse. Also a great outdoor patio for studying and is across the street from BP!
The Gipper: George Gipp, a famous Notre Dame football player who died while a student at ND in 1920. Knute Rockne famously rallied the football team to victory by telling them Gipp had asked them to "Win one for The Gipper!". This scene was recreated by Ronald Reagan in the film Knute Rockne, All American.
God Quad: Home to the Dome, the Basilica, Sorin College, Walsh Hall and the statues of Jesus and Father Sorin.
Grab N' Go: Convenient brown-bag breakfast, lunch, or dinner option available in the dining halls from 7am to 7pm when classes are in session. You select which items you want (on a point system) and use your meal swipe to fill your bag.
The Grotto: Replica of the Grotto of Lourdes, France where students can come to light a candle and spend some quiet time in reflection and prayer.
Hammes Bookstore at the Eck Center: The Bookstore and Bookstore Café (Einsteins).
Hammes-Mowbray Hall: Next to Stepan Center and houses the Notre Dame Post Office and ND Security/Police.
Hesburgh: 14 story Library with the mosaic of Touchdown Jesus on its façade. It's a great place to study and has a really nice, new computer lab on the first floor. On the first and second floors you can easily study in a small group but as you move to higher floors make sure you keep quiet. It is named for Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, who is one of the university's most famous presidents, and definitely someone you should read up on before coming to Notre Dame. It can be referred to as "Club Hes" or "Hes."
"Holy Handoff": Statue of the Holy Family on Bond Quad outside of CoMo. St. Joseph is depicted as about to take Baby Jesus out of Mary's arms... or maybe it's the other way around?
Huddle Mart: Small convenience store in LaFortune where students can purchase food, drinks, toiletries, notebooks, and other essentials such as the infamous Quarter Dogs. Typically referred to as "The Huddle." Items can be purchased with Flex Points.
insideND: Campus Portal which allows you access to Class Registration, Irish Link, etc. This site provides access to Notre Dame Web services for students, faculty, and staff. With more than 100 content channels, the information you need is at your fingertips. Go to inside.nd.edu and search for what you need!
Jordan Hall of Science: Jordan houses all of the undergraduate laboratories for biology and chemistry, a planetarium and state-of-the-art lecture halls.
JACC (A.K.A. The Joyce Center): Joyce Athletic and Convocation Center, acronym pronounced “Jack”, formerly known as the ACC. The JACC is the home to many varsity athletics, concerts, and commencement ceremonies.
JPW: Junior Parents Weekend. Annual celebration hosting the parents of the Junior class on campus.
LaFun: LaFortune Student Center. Building on God quad which houses Starbucks, various meeting rooms, the Huddle mart, Smashburger, two barbershops, a bank, and various meeting rooms and offices. LaFun's status as the Student Center was recently supplanted by the brand new Duncan Student Center attached to the stadium.
Legends: The restaurant, pub, and programming venue. Brings in live entertainment and has a nightclub open late nights on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nights.
Library Circle: Pick up/drop off spot at the east end of the Hesburgh Library.
Main Circle: Pick up/drop off spot near the old post office at the main campus entrance on Notre Dame Avenue, between Alumni Hall and the Law School.
MCOB: Mendoza College of Business (often referred to as Mendoza).
McWell: McDonald Center for Student Well-Being. One of ND’s three health offices housed in St. Liam’s Hall, McWell is a great resource for students’ holistic health, incorporating vast health measures such as social, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Michiana: The name of the region along the border of Michigan and Indiana, including South Bend.
Mod Quad: Home to Knott Hall, Siegfried Hall, Pasquerilla East, and Pasquerilla West.
Modern Market: Located in Duncan Student center, a farm to table restaurant featuring pizza, sandwiches, salads and avocado toast!
Monk: Affectionate nickname of the former University President, Father Edward A. Malloy, professor and in-residence priest of Sorin College.
Moreau Seminary: Large white building across the lake from Notre Dame. It's where the men who are training to become priests in the Congregation of Holy Cross study and live. Don't miss their Thursday night candlelight prayer service, called Lucenarium.
MSPS: Multicultural Student Programs and Services, “office provides support for underrepresented students on campus through academic initiatives, cultural enrichment programs, student organizations, and connecting students to the alumni network.”
ndID: Unique number assigned to you by the University (not to be confused with your NetID -- see below). Can be found on your id card.
NDTV: The cable cast student run TV station that can be seen on channel 53.
NetID: A computer ID name that, along with your password, gives you access to the Notre Dame network from almost any computer on campus. Is used for access to your Gmail (email) and website space. It is normally the first letter of your first name followed by the first 5 or 6 letters of your last name and at times a number, if the first and last name combination already exists.
North Dining Hall: Frequently referred to by just "North," this is the dining hall closest to BP. It is next to Farley and is the superior Dining Hall #DHrivalry
North Quad: Home to BP, Cavanaugh, Farley, Lewis, St. Ed’s, Stanford, Keenan, and Zahm Hall.
Observer: Campus newspaper you’ll grow to love.
OCS: Office of Community Standards. Enforce policies outlined in DuLac.
OIT (Office of Information Technologies): Central agency responsible for computer and technology services on campus.
O’Neill Music Hall: Attached to the southern side of the stadium. NOT to be confused with O’Neill Family Hall, the men’s residence hall on West Quad.
O’Shag: O’Shaughnessy Hall, location of many Arts and Letters classes, departmental offices, and Waddick’s Café. O’Shag is also recognizable by the perpetually slow clock on its façade.
Parietals: Visitation policy (can be found in du Lac) for residence halls. From 12am to 9am on Sunday through Thursday and from 2am to 9am on Friday and Saturday, guests of the opposite sex are only allowed in the 24-hour spaces in the dorms (designated rooms and common areas). This promotes an atmosphere of privacy and quiet on the residential floors during prime sleeping/showering hours.
PE: Pasquerilla East, women’s dorm located on Mod Quad.
PW: Pasquerilla West, women’s dorm located on Mod Quad. Often referred to as P-dub.
The Pit: Social/study area in the basement of the library.
Purcell: The basketball arena and home to Namoli Club. Connected to the JACC.
Quarter Dogs: Infamous hot dogs available in LaFortune for a quarter after 12am on weeknights. Although they may only be a quarter, you don’t want to eat too many of them.
RA: Resident Assistant, a senior in each section of the dorm who guides the dorm life of the students.
RecSports: Intramural sports program at Notre Dame.
Rector: The leader and director of each residence hall community: a combination of hall director, campus minister, facilities manager, pastoral/spiritual leader, life coach, staff supervisor, sanitation engineer, food preparation expert and cheerleader. Rectors at Notre Dame are priests, religious sisters, and lay men and women. (Note, Rector is a gender-neutral term, so both men and women are addressed as Rector... the term "Rectoress" is incorrect).
The Rock: The Rockne Memorial Gymnasium located at the foot of the South Quad.
Rolfs: Athletic facility next to Jordan Hall of Science which is open to all students.
Right Left (or Left Right, Right Right, or Left Left): A unique way to describe your location to your friends who are meeting you in South Dining Hall. The first "right" or "left" indicates which big main dining hall you're in: the one on the right or on the left of the main food procurement area. The second "right" or "left" indicates which way they turn once they get to the door of that dining room.
Sakai: Website where professors can post class information including assignment grades, notes and class calendars.
SAO: Student Activities Office.
The Scholastic: ND’s monthly student news magazine
The Shirt: Official football fan shirt that students (and many alums and fans) wear to all the football games. Funds from sales of The Shirt go to help ND students with financial and medical needs.
SMC: Saint Mary’s College; an all women’s school located across the road which was founded by the Sisters of Holy Cross and has a historic family relationship to Notre Dame. Many Saint Mary's students take classes at Notre Dame and belong to Notre Dame clubs (and vice versa!).
South Dining Hall: Frequently referred to by just "South," this is the dining hall further from BP and is next to Dillon and Fisher Halls. This dining hall is the older of the two, and many students say it looks like the Great Hall from Hogwarts.
South Quad: Home to O’Shag and the Rock and everything in between, including some of Notre Dame's oldest residence halls.
Star Ginger: Located in Duncan Student Center, Asian Cuisine on the go.
Sted's: St. Edward's Hall, a men's dorm located just east of the dome.
St. Joseph’s Lake: One of the two lakes on campus. There is a “beach” on its east side.
St. Mary’s Lake: One of the two lakes on campus, found behind Lyon’s Hall. Carroll Hall is located at its far west shore. The Fisher Regatta (a campus-wide boat race) is also held there in the spring.
Stepan Center: The round, geodesic dome at East Gate that looks like the Epcot ball from Disney World. Don’t mix this up with Stepan Chemistry Hall.
Stonehenge: War Memorial Fountain located at the foot of North Quad right outside of the South doors of BP.
SUB: Student Union Board that organizes activities for students.
SYR: Once seen as a chance to “set-up your roommate” on a blind date, the SYR is an informal dance held by a residence hall, usually with some sort of theme (hayride, '80s, Disney, etc). In BP these days, no pressure... bring no guest, or more than one!.
TA: Teaching assistant; most large classes have TAs to assist the professor.
Tailgate: Pre-game festivities, usually occurring in the parking lot by the stadium, before all football games.
Touchdown Jesus: Nickname of the mosaic on the side of the library facing the stadium (actual name is the World of Life mural). You’ll see why it was so named when you arrive.
Tutorial: Discussion session, usually on Fridays for Arts and Letters and random for everyone else, for large classes to discuss content in a smaller environment.
UCC: The University Counseling Center, housed in St. Liam’s Hall, supports the emotional and developmental well-being of students with a highly trained staff of professional counselors and self-help resources.
UHS: University Health Services, also housed in St. Liam’s Hall, provides ND students with top-line medical care.
West Quad: Home to McGlinn, Welsh Family, Keough, O’Neill, Duncan, Ryan, and Baumer Halls. As the most southern of the quads, we are not sure why it is not called South Quad, but it's not.
WSND: Student-run fine arts radio.
WVFI: Student-run progressive station on the second floor of LaFortune.
Administration (Main) Building: Often called the Golden Dome or simply the Dome, the administration building is the most recognizable feature of Notre Dame’s campus. Complete with a statue of Mary, the building is located in the center of campus and can be seen from almost anywhere on campus.
Alum: An ND grad.
AnTostal: Yearly tradition celebrating the final full week of classes sponsored by SUB. Plenty of free t-shirts, games and events for all to enjoy.
Archie: College of Architecture student, they basically live in their studios in Walsh Family Hall - a brand new building to the south of the Stadium. Pronounced “Ar-key."
Basilica of the Sacred Heart: Notre Dame’s own church, located on Main Quad next to the Main Building (“Dome”), and a really nice place to go to mass.
Baraka Bouts: Women's boxing tournament held every year as a fundraiser for Holy Cross Missions.
Bengal Bouts: Men's boxing tournament held every year as a fundraiser for Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh.
Bookstore Basketball: Largest 5 on 5 basketball tournament in the world. With over 500 teams competing every year, this tournament held in the spring is truly a sight to see.
BP: Breen-Phillips Hall, the Best Place on campus!
CCE: The Center for Continuing Education, located behind the old Post Office and DeBartolo Hall, in McKenna Hall.
COMO: The Coleman-Morse Center. The building on South Quad that houses First Year of Studies, Campus Ministry, a computer cluster, and 24-hour space that offers free popcorn and soda (or pop for you mid-western people).
"Come to me All": Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in front of the Main Building, which depicts him with his arms outstretched. Since this statue is facing The Dome, which is topped with a statue of Mary, Domers sometimes joke that this statue is really called "Jump Mama, jump!"
Congregation of Holy Cross: Catholic religious order (started in France by Blessed Basile Moreau) which founded the University of Notre Dame. Holy Cross priests can be found all over campus, including living in residence halls, serving as rectors, teaching as professors, and running the University (Fr. Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame, is a Holy Cross priest).
Corbett Family Hall: Attached to the east side of the Stadium, Corbett Family Hall is the new home of the departments of Anthropology and Psychology.
CSC: The Center for Social Concerns. The CSC is the place to go if interested in service projects, service trips, and volunteer opportunities.
C.S.C.: Initials to designate members of the Congregation of Holy Cross (the religious order which founded the University). In Latin, that's Congregatio a Sancta Cruce. Don’t get the two “CSC’s” confused.
D6 (Lake Lot): Student parking lot located behind the Rock.
D2 (Bulla Lot): Student name for parking lot behind PE and Knott.
D.A.R.T.: Direct Access Registration by Terminal: It allowed students to register for their next semester’s courses. Registration is now done on-line using insideND / NOVO, but registering for classes is often referred to as “dart-ing.”
DeBartolo Hall: Classroom building where you most likely to have at least one class a semester. Often referred to simply as "DeBart." Not to be confused with...
Decio: Faculty building featuring a great cafe with breakfast sandwiches and a salad bar.
DPAC: Short for DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Usually referred to as DPAC, it's a big building near the main gate to campus with a big blue-green roof. DPAC is home to some amazing performances: Glee Club Concerts, ND Theater productions, guest artist performances, etc.
Domer: Any ND student, past or present.
Domer Dollars: Domer Dollars are connected to a student’s Irish1Card. They can be used at both on-campus and select off-campus locations. Domer Dollars can be added to one’s Irish1Card.
Double or Triple Domer: Someone who has more than one degree from ND.
Duncan Student Center: Often referred to simply with "Duncan" and is attached to the Stadium. Opened in January of 2018, the new student center is home to various restaurants, a gym, a climbing wall, an indoor track, the offices of Residential Life and Housing, offices for student media groups, the Career Center, and a fabulous 7th floor ballroom. Located right next to DeBartolo Hall, it's close to many of your class locations if you need to grab a bite to eat or work out.
du Lac: Student handbook outlining all the rules and regulations at Notre Dame. This can be found online at https://dulac.nd.edu/
East Quad: Formerly known as "Mod Quad" which includes Pasquerilla East, Pasquerilla West, Siegfried, and Knott. The addition of Dunne, Flaherty, and Johnson Family Halls resulted in a name change to East Quad.
Eddy Street: Located just south of campus, a favorite “off-campus” place to eat. Students are able to purchase meals at Barbici, Blaze Pizza, Chipotle or Jimmy Johns using Domer Dollars on their Irish1 card. Campus favorites such as Brothers and O’Rourkes are here too!
"Fair Catch" Corby: Statue of the famous Fr. William Corby, C.S.C., in front of (under construction) Corby Hall (next to the Basilica). A professor and president of Notre Dame, Fr. Corby was chaplain to the well-known Irish Brigade (NY Infantry) at the Battle of Gettysburg and famously gave all the soldiers general absolution before the battle. The statue actually depicts his hand raised in blessing over the troops (there is an identical statue on the battlefield).
Fall Break: A much needed/appreciated week off in October, half way through the first semester.
Fieldhouse Mall: Open area between Cavanaugh Hall and Stonehenge fountain. Warm weather brings campus bands, barbecues, and other fun things to do instead of studying. There will most likely be free stuff from clubs too!
First Down Moses: Enormous statue of Moses in front of Hesburgh Library. With one finger pointing to the sky and the Ten Commandments under his arm, he's actually indicating his belief in the one God of Abraham. This statue is by Croatian-American sculptor Joseph Turkaly.
Flex Points: The dollars that accompany the Block 250 meal plan that can be used to buy some tasty snacks and beverages at the Huddle and other campus food locations. All you do is swipe your ID and it comes out of your account. Students are given $500/semester and they roll over for semesters, but NOT academic years.
Grace Hall: An administrative building just north of Pasquerilla East Hall. The place to go for human resource needs such as campus employment, card services and also has a small cafe that features great wraps!
Geddes Hall: Home of the Center for Social Concerns and Coffeehouse. Also a great outdoor patio for studying and is across the street from BP!
The Gipper: George Gipp, a famous Notre Dame football player who died while a student at ND in 1920. Knute Rockne famously rallied the football team to victory by telling them Gipp had asked them to "Win one for The Gipper!". This scene was recreated by Ronald Reagan in the film Knute Rockne, All American.
God Quad: Home to the Dome, the Basilica, Sorin College, Walsh Hall and the statues of Jesus and Father Sorin.
Grab N' Go: Convenient brown-bag breakfast, lunch, or dinner option available in the dining halls from 7am to 7pm when classes are in session. You select which items you want (on a point system) and use your meal swipe to fill your bag.
The Grotto: Replica of the Grotto of Lourdes, France where students can come to light a candle and spend some quiet time in reflection and prayer.
Hammes Bookstore at the Eck Center: The Bookstore and Bookstore Café (Einsteins).
Hammes-Mowbray Hall: Next to Stepan Center and houses the Notre Dame Post Office and ND Security/Police.
Hesburgh: 14 story Library with the mosaic of Touchdown Jesus on its façade. It's a great place to study and has a really nice, new computer lab on the first floor. On the first and second floors you can easily study in a small group but as you move to higher floors make sure you keep quiet. It is named for Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, who is one of the university's most famous presidents, and definitely someone you should read up on before coming to Notre Dame. It can be referred to as "Club Hes" or "Hes."
"Holy Handoff": Statue of the Holy Family on Bond Quad outside of CoMo. St. Joseph is depicted as about to take Baby Jesus out of Mary's arms... or maybe it's the other way around?
Huddle Mart: Small convenience store in LaFortune where students can purchase food, drinks, toiletries, notebooks, and other essentials such as the infamous Quarter Dogs. Typically referred to as "The Huddle." Items can be purchased with Flex Points.
insideND: Campus Portal which allows you access to Class Registration, Irish Link, etc. This site provides access to Notre Dame Web services for students, faculty, and staff. With more than 100 content channels, the information you need is at your fingertips. Go to inside.nd.edu and search for what you need!
Jordan Hall of Science: Jordan houses all of the undergraduate laboratories for biology and chemistry, a planetarium and state-of-the-art lecture halls.
JACC (A.K.A. The Joyce Center): Joyce Athletic and Convocation Center, acronym pronounced “Jack”, formerly known as the ACC. The JACC is the home to many varsity athletics, concerts, and commencement ceremonies.
JPW: Junior Parents Weekend. Annual celebration hosting the parents of the Junior class on campus.
LaFun: LaFortune Student Center. Building on God quad which houses Starbucks, various meeting rooms, the Huddle mart, Smashburger, two barbershops, a bank, and various meeting rooms and offices. LaFun's status as the Student Center was recently supplanted by the brand new Duncan Student Center attached to the stadium.
Legends: The restaurant, pub, and programming venue. Brings in live entertainment and has a nightclub open late nights on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nights.
Library Circle: Pick up/drop off spot at the east end of the Hesburgh Library.
Main Circle: Pick up/drop off spot near the old post office at the main campus entrance on Notre Dame Avenue, between Alumni Hall and the Law School.
MCOB: Mendoza College of Business (often referred to as Mendoza).
McWell: McDonald Center for Student Well-Being. One of ND’s three health offices housed in St. Liam’s Hall, McWell is a great resource for students’ holistic health, incorporating vast health measures such as social, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Michiana: The name of the region along the border of Michigan and Indiana, including South Bend.
Mod Quad: Home to Knott Hall, Siegfried Hall, Pasquerilla East, and Pasquerilla West.
Modern Market: Located in Duncan Student center, a farm to table restaurant featuring pizza, sandwiches, salads and avocado toast!
Monk: Affectionate nickname of the former University President, Father Edward A. Malloy, professor and in-residence priest of Sorin College.
Moreau Seminary: Large white building across the lake from Notre Dame. It's where the men who are training to become priests in the Congregation of Holy Cross study and live. Don't miss their Thursday night candlelight prayer service, called Lucenarium.
MSPS: Multicultural Student Programs and Services, “office provides support for underrepresented students on campus through academic initiatives, cultural enrichment programs, student organizations, and connecting students to the alumni network.”
ndID: Unique number assigned to you by the University (not to be confused with your NetID -- see below). Can be found on your id card.
NDTV: The cable cast student run TV station that can be seen on channel 53.
NetID: A computer ID name that, along with your password, gives you access to the Notre Dame network from almost any computer on campus. Is used for access to your Gmail (email) and website space. It is normally the first letter of your first name followed by the first 5 or 6 letters of your last name and at times a number, if the first and last name combination already exists.
North Dining Hall: Frequently referred to by just "North," this is the dining hall closest to BP. It is next to Farley and is the superior Dining Hall #DHrivalry
North Quad: Home to BP, Cavanaugh, Farley, Lewis, St. Ed’s, Stanford, Keenan, and Zahm Hall.
Observer: Campus newspaper you’ll grow to love.
OCS: Office of Community Standards. Enforce policies outlined in DuLac.
OIT (Office of Information Technologies): Central agency responsible for computer and technology services on campus.
O’Neill Music Hall: Attached to the southern side of the stadium. NOT to be confused with O’Neill Family Hall, the men’s residence hall on West Quad.
O’Shag: O’Shaughnessy Hall, location of many Arts and Letters classes, departmental offices, and Waddick’s Café. O’Shag is also recognizable by the perpetually slow clock on its façade.
Parietals: Visitation policy (can be found in du Lac) for residence halls. From 12am to 9am on Sunday through Thursday and from 2am to 9am on Friday and Saturday, guests of the opposite sex are only allowed in the 24-hour spaces in the dorms (designated rooms and common areas). This promotes an atmosphere of privacy and quiet on the residential floors during prime sleeping/showering hours.
PE: Pasquerilla East, women’s dorm located on Mod Quad.
PW: Pasquerilla West, women’s dorm located on Mod Quad. Often referred to as P-dub.
The Pit: Social/study area in the basement of the library.
Purcell: The basketball arena and home to Namoli Club. Connected to the JACC.
Quarter Dogs: Infamous hot dogs available in LaFortune for a quarter after 12am on weeknights. Although they may only be a quarter, you don’t want to eat too many of them.
RA: Resident Assistant, a senior in each section of the dorm who guides the dorm life of the students.
RecSports: Intramural sports program at Notre Dame.
Rector: The leader and director of each residence hall community: a combination of hall director, campus minister, facilities manager, pastoral/spiritual leader, life coach, staff supervisor, sanitation engineer, food preparation expert and cheerleader. Rectors at Notre Dame are priests, religious sisters, and lay men and women. (Note, Rector is a gender-neutral term, so both men and women are addressed as Rector... the term "Rectoress" is incorrect).
The Rock: The Rockne Memorial Gymnasium located at the foot of the South Quad.
Rolfs: Athletic facility next to Jordan Hall of Science which is open to all students.
Right Left (or Left Right, Right Right, or Left Left): A unique way to describe your location to your friends who are meeting you in South Dining Hall. The first "right" or "left" indicates which big main dining hall you're in: the one on the right or on the left of the main food procurement area. The second "right" or "left" indicates which way they turn once they get to the door of that dining room.
Sakai: Website where professors can post class information including assignment grades, notes and class calendars.
SAO: Student Activities Office.
The Scholastic: ND’s monthly student news magazine
The Shirt: Official football fan shirt that students (and many alums and fans) wear to all the football games. Funds from sales of The Shirt go to help ND students with financial and medical needs.
SMC: Saint Mary’s College; an all women’s school located across the road which was founded by the Sisters of Holy Cross and has a historic family relationship to Notre Dame. Many Saint Mary's students take classes at Notre Dame and belong to Notre Dame clubs (and vice versa!).
South Dining Hall: Frequently referred to by just "South," this is the dining hall further from BP and is next to Dillon and Fisher Halls. This dining hall is the older of the two, and many students say it looks like the Great Hall from Hogwarts.
South Quad: Home to O’Shag and the Rock and everything in between, including some of Notre Dame's oldest residence halls.
Star Ginger: Located in Duncan Student Center, Asian Cuisine on the go.
Sted's: St. Edward's Hall, a men's dorm located just east of the dome.
St. Joseph’s Lake: One of the two lakes on campus. There is a “beach” on its east side.
St. Mary’s Lake: One of the two lakes on campus, found behind Lyon’s Hall. Carroll Hall is located at its far west shore. The Fisher Regatta (a campus-wide boat race) is also held there in the spring.
Stepan Center: The round, geodesic dome at East Gate that looks like the Epcot ball from Disney World. Don’t mix this up with Stepan Chemistry Hall.
Stonehenge: War Memorial Fountain located at the foot of North Quad right outside of the South doors of BP.
SUB: Student Union Board that organizes activities for students.
SYR: Once seen as a chance to “set-up your roommate” on a blind date, the SYR is an informal dance held by a residence hall, usually with some sort of theme (hayride, '80s, Disney, etc). In BP these days, no pressure... bring no guest, or more than one!.
TA: Teaching assistant; most large classes have TAs to assist the professor.
Tailgate: Pre-game festivities, usually occurring in the parking lot by the stadium, before all football games.
Touchdown Jesus: Nickname of the mosaic on the side of the library facing the stadium (actual name is the World of Life mural). You’ll see why it was so named when you arrive.
Tutorial: Discussion session, usually on Fridays for Arts and Letters and random for everyone else, for large classes to discuss content in a smaller environment.
UCC: The University Counseling Center, housed in St. Liam’s Hall, supports the emotional and developmental well-being of students with a highly trained staff of professional counselors and self-help resources.
UHS: University Health Services, also housed in St. Liam’s Hall, provides ND students with top-line medical care.
West Quad: Home to McGlinn, Welsh Family, Keough, O’Neill, Duncan, Ryan, and Baumer Halls. As the most southern of the quads, we are not sure why it is not called South Quad, but it's not.
WSND: Student-run fine arts radio.
WVFI: Student-run progressive station on the second floor of LaFortune.