Speak to Me

Over the last few years, student workers in the Office of College Relations, home of Bates Magazine, have helped compile this glossary of Bates terms and phrases. Even during the three year evolution of this glossary, some phrases have come and gone from the campus vernacular (like our favorites, “bagel bomb” and “a date with George and Helen Ladd”) but they’re too good not to share.

Bagel Bomb: when an already-buttered bagel goes through the conveyor-belt toaster in Commons and catches fire or burns.

Bates Bubble: the Bates campus community, but with the ivory-tower implication of being cut off from the “real” world.

Batesie: a Bates student or alumnus/a (though older alumni will remember this word as an adjective, sometimes with pejorative connotations, describing a Bates feeling or atmosphere).

Biblio: the Ladd Library.

Big Room/Small Room: names for the older and newer sections of Commons, respectively (see also “Tool Shed,” below).

The Big T: the required senior thesis; the rite of passage for all Bates seniors.

Cell Hell: a long-standing term for Cellular and Molecular Biology, a particularly rigorous Short Term biology course required of all biology majors.

Clicker Lady: the woman at Commons who checks your BatesCard and clicks you in on her counter.

Crewtons: members of the crew team, a club sport.

Date with George and Helen Ladd: spending Friday or Saturday night studying in Ladd Library.

Dungeon: the older section of the ground floor of Ladd Library, beneath Coram Library, housing the bound periodicals; a prime study spot for the intrepid.

East Coast/West Coast: the two halves of the Big Room in Commons, which is divided down the center by a salad bar.

Facebook: the section of the student handbook containing the names, schools, hometowns, and photographs of incoming students. Also called the mugbook.

Gearhead: someone really into outdoor activities — mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing — and who has all the gear to go with it.

Geek Box: a private study room in the Library assigned to seniors working on their honors thesis.

Great Day to Be a Bobcat: phrase used when Bates is winning a sporting event. Perhaps coined by former football coach Web Harrison ’63, who varied a slogan he used during his days as a U.S. Marine — “It’s a great day to be a Marine!”

Happy Tray:in the dining hall, when you put your finished tray in proper order after eating: glasses upside down, napkins recycled, utensils removed.

Hi Guy: the dining-service worker who says “hi!” to students as they go through the line.

Hook Up: when someone goes home with someone else at the end of the night, especially after a party; used as a verb (“they hooked up”) or noun.

Hotty: a physically attractive person.

Math Camp: a mathematics Short Term course known for its rigor.

Midnight Madness or Tailgate Party: the night before Commencement when seniors meet on the Library Quad at midnight; the revelry ensues until a 6 a.m. climb up Mount David (and graduation is at 10).

Pit: the parking lot behind Lane Hall.

Puddle: Lake Andrews, the pond on campus.

Puddle Jump or Blue-Lip Dip: on St. Patrick’s Day, a hole is cut in the still-frozen Puddle (see above) and a “dipper” jumps in and out, assisted by two people standing on each side of the hole.

Ruggers: rugby players.

Security Ride: calling Security to ask to be driven back to one’s residence. Especially in demand during winter storms.

Silo: the Benjamin Mays Center, within the Residential Village, so named because of its round, silo-like appearance.

Sketchy: something of dubious value or truth, or someone exhibiting unusual behavior —“the guy who crashed the party was sketchy.”

Statistics: Bates alumni who marry each other; e.g.: “My parents are statistics.”

Subfrosh: prospective student.

Table Slut: a student who wanders around Commons during meals, visiting and talking with fellow diners, sitting everywhere but where his or her own meal is located.

Tool Shed: the newer section of Commons, said to be frequented by intellectually eccentric students (“tools”).

Traying: winter pastime of borrowing a tray from Commons and sliding down Mount David, the hill on the west side of campus.

Tom Turkey: a favorite dinner meal at Commons including turkey, stuffing, potato, and gravy.

Walk of Shame: the walk back to one’s campus residence the morning after a previous evening’s “hook-up.”

Whitehat: student who wears a dingy white sports cap around campus. Often embroidered with college sports insignia, the cap is never washed, making the dingy cap almost a badge of honor.

Wind Tunnel: an empty mail box in the campus post office.

Ya Bates!: Joyful expletive showing affection for Bates; used at sporting events or road trips.

Our experts — some now alumni — have included Rob Curtis ’98 of Laconia, N.H.; Carin Edwards-Orr ’98 of South Burlington, Vt.; A’Llyn Ettien ’99 of Taos, N.M.; Julie Macias ’00 of Miami, Fla.; Rob Pelkey ’98 of Pembroke, N.H.; Beka Smith ’97 of Lebanon, N.H.; current magazine intern Alana Watkins ’99 of Sandpoint, Idaho, and former magazine intern Melissa Young ’97 of Bangor, Maine.