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Get The 411 on Kenyon Lingo

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Kenyon chapter.

Since Kenyon is known for our English department, it seemed only appropriate to create a little dictionary of our own. For all you first-years out there (and more experienced Lords and Ladies too) here’s a guide to get you started on some Kenyon lingo.

 

The DFMO

Ah, yes. You may hear this classic term thrown around in Peirce, the library, or perhaps even in an class on Monday morning as your friends rehash their weekends. Though this acronym may sound like an infectious disease, all it really means is a “dance floor make out.” For example, you’d hear it in a sentence such as “I DFMO-ed with this really cute guy at Old Kenyon last weekend,” or “did you guys just DFMO or more?” You get the idea.  

 

Wiggle Ground

In 2012, what used to be an upstanding coffee café (one that served fantastic breakfast and lunch food) called “Middle Ground” became what is now known as the “Wiggin Street Café.” However, for us who continue to mourn the loss of Middle Ground and refuse to accept change, we refer to this new installment as “Wiggle Ground” (Middle + Wiggin = Wiggle). Pretty self-explanatory.

 

The Infamous HBT

Can’t get enough of those crispy, delicious hash brown triangles Peirce serves? Always have a craving for them and can’t wait to tell all your friends that it’s on the menu but don’t want to text or say the entire name? Have no fear, we have an abbreviation for you: the HBT. Although it relates to the term “DFMO” in the sense that it sounds like an disease, it’s shorter and easier to say. Anyway, the less time you spend saying “hash brown triangle,” the quicker you get to eat one.

 

Club Olin

Some may say the Olin Library is the place where dreams go to die. Some say it’s the bane of their existence. Others have even described the third floor carols as jail cells and the basement as an insane asylum corridor. While these descriptions of Kenyon’s library may be so, we try to cheer ourselves up by referring to it as “Club Olin.” For instance, “I’m gonna hit up Club Olin tonight” sounds so much more appealing than “I’m gonna go rot in a library cubicle,” right? Okay, maybe not. But at least Club Olin has vending machines and a parking lot that Papa John’s or the Cove can deliver to. It even stays open until 2 am on weeknights, so things (and people) can get pretty weird (and by get weird, I mean really weird).

 

[Photo Sources: Perez Hilton, Kenyon, Kenyon Flickr, Ecofrost]

Emma Miller, from Shaker Heights, Ohio,  is a senior Drama major at Kenyon College. She is a co-president of StageFemmes, a Kenyon student theatre organization dedicated to showcasing the talents of women in drama. Emma spends her summers as Assistant Director at a Jewish performing arts camp. Emma is thrilled to be in her second year as co-Campus Correspondent for Kenyon's HC chapter.  Emma was a founding staff member of her high school's online magazine, and her writings have also been published on the FBomb. She is passionate about girls' education, Jimmy Fallon, iced tea, Ireland, Cleveland, and SmartWool socks.