Learn the Lingo + UVA Crossword Puzzle!

UVA, like many other schools, has some unique lingo and terms we use to refer to different places and things around our campus (which we call Grounds). In this post, we break down some of this lingo so that you don’t seem like such a first year when you arrive in August. We even made a crossword puzzle so that you can practice some of your new vocabulary and hopefully learn a little bit more UVA trivia! If you’re interested in learning more, there’s another blog post with even more terms linked here.

Grounds

At most colleges in the United States, students and faculty refer to the area that makes up the university as a “campus.” Here at UVA, we don’t use the term campus, but rather “Grounds!” So if you’re on the Lawn, in one of our academic buildings like Gilmer Hall, or watching a basketball game at John Paul Jones arena, you’re on our beloved Grounds!

Students walking around grounds between the amphitheater and Maury Hall

First year, etc. 

Instead of saying “freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors,” UVA students consider themselves to be “first-years, second-years,” and so on. If you are staying for your masters you can even become a “fifth year.” The reason for this terminology stems from the ideology of UVA’s founder, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson believed that learning was a lifelong process, and calling yourself a senior implies there is an end. Another more logistical and less lofty reason for this lingo is that in the early days of the University, students did not earn degrees but rather medals, books, or diplomas to mark their graduation.

One of the University's early alumni (though not a graduate!) was Edgar Allan Poe. Poe enrolled at the University in February 1826 and left in December that year when his foster father refused to continue paying his tuition. This statue of him resides in Alderman library.

-OTL

At UVa, you’ll be invited to participate in many events with seemingly strange names: DOTL, LOTL, TOTOTL, what are these? OTL means “on the Lawn” - meaning the event will take place right on the Lawn at UVa! Your first event on the Lawn will be Days on the Lawn, our admitted students day in April. Some more memorable events are Lighting on the Lawn (LOTL) in December and Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn (TOTOTL) in October!

Lighting of the Lawn (LOTL), an annual festivity that occurs in December before fall semester finals.

At Trick or Treating on the Lawn (TOTL), Lawnies open up their doors to local Charlottesville families to celebrate Halloween! Many students also dress up and help hand out candy.

Wahoowa (Hoos)

The chant that all UVA faithful shout at UVA athletic events. Allegedly, the chant was given to UVA players by Washington and Lee baseball fans during a fiercely contested rivalry in the 1890s as a reference to Virginia’s alma mater song “Auld Lang Syne,” which we call “the Good Old Song.” After the turn of the century, the nicknames “wahoos” or “Hoos,” for short, grew in popularity amongst UVA fans and rivals. 

Hoo Crew, UVA's official student fan group, loves cheering on the Hoos!

The Corner

This is the most common hangout hotspot for UVA students that is off-Grounds but is considerably close to the Grounds (right behind the Rotunda). The area contains a strip of restaurants and shops on University Avenue, so one will see a lot of students spending their time outside of class to meet up with friends.

Students storm The Corner after the men's basketball team won the 2019 national championship.

Lawnies

“Lawnies” is our affectionate term that refers to the fourth year students who live on the Lawn. Lawn rooms were UVA’s original dorms, but given that there are only 54 rooms, as the school grew UVA had to expand residence halls. Rising fourth-years can apply to live on the lawn; the student-run selection committee chooses students who have excelled in their scholastic, extracurricular, and service endeavors. The Lawn is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so being chosen to reside there is an honor. A lot of them keep their doors open, so next time you’re on Grounds pop your head in and say hello!

Come on in!

Old/New dorms

This one is somewhat outdated, because all first-year dorms have been renovated with air conditioning and other amenities! The main difference between the two areas of dormitories is their location. “Old dorms” refer to the hall-style dorms located on McCormick Road, whereas “new dorms” are also hall-style located on Alderman Road. In addition to these two residence areas, there are suite-style dorms including Gooch/Dillard, as well as Dunglison and Fitzhugh on Alderman Road. To learn more about the different living styles and dorms, visit Housing and Residence Life’s page for incoming undergraduates!

Bird's-eye view of the Alderman Road hall-style dorms