Even if you just started at UWaterloo or have been here for years, the lingo on campus can be hard to keep up with. Whether it’s a nickname, a wild acronym or something of another kind, this quick glossary will help you get oriented to the inner workings of student life on campus here at UW.
C&D
A short-form for “coffee & doughnuts,” this term is typically used to describe the student-society-run food outlets that sell a variety of food and drinks, often at discounted prices.
Daily Bulletin
The Daily Bulletin is an online news source for students, faculty, and staff at the University of Waterloo.
Bomber
Located in the SLC (Student Life Centre) this on-campus pub is a popular spot to hang out. The Bomber features a full kitchen, bar, and patio and is known for its “Legendary Wednesdays” when line-ups start as early as 7:30 p.m!
BOT, MOT, EOT
BOT = Beginning of term, MOT = Middle of Term, EOT = End of Term. Many students use this lingo to split of time throughout the term, especially around events. Ex. “Come join us for some free food to de-stress and relax at our EOT social before exams start!”
“The Plaza”
Aka University Plaza, is located right next door to Waterloo, near the southeast corner of campus. It is a shopping plaza full of convenient places to eat, shop, and hang out!
Uptown
Uptown Waterloo is the equivalent of most cities’ downtowns; however, since Kitchener-Waterloo is practically one big city, the locals distinguish between the 2 downtown cores by calling one “uptown” (Waterloo) and the other “downtown” (Kitchener). There’s lots to discover including, food, thrift stores, indie movie theatres and even a skating rink in the winter!
Rock Garden
The Peter Russell Rock Garden is located between the Biology and Mathematics & Computer buildings on the University campus. It contains more than 25 specimens of Ontario rocks.
Turnkey
Need an answer? Just ask the friendly staff at the Turnkey Desk located in the Student Life Centre (SLC). They know just about everything there is to know about what’s going on around campus and in the community, and they’re open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
FEDS
No… not that kind of FEDS. At Uwaterloo, Feds represents the Federation of Students – your student union. The Federation of Students (FEDS) provides services, represents the student body, and runs a number of student-oriented businesses.
Portal
Portal is a communications tool for current students that pulls in the UWaterloo information students need, just when they need it. Portal aggregates relevant information, pulling content from Waterloo websites, databases and the Open Data API, delivering just-enough, just-in time information to support student success, both in and out of the classroom.
Hopefully this little glossary helps a little bit, you’ll be sure to pick up more at you study at UWaterloo!