The first year at the College of William and Mary can be stressful enough, what with adjusting to a new environment and diving into the workload. To make things a little easier on you, we’ve provided a list of Williamsburg’s more unusual lingo.
**Add/Drop:** During this two-week period at the beginning of the semester, students can add additional classes to their schedules and drop classes with no penalty. It is also time when eligible students can select to take classes pass/fail. This period begins Wednesday, Aug. 26 and ends Friday, Sept. 4.
**The Caf:** This dining facility — sometimes called the Commons in official documents, but rarely by students — is situated on Ukrop Drive across from Yates Hall. As the largest of the dining halls, it boasts more options than the Center Court dining hall in the Sadler Center. The meat-averse will find a constant station featuring vegetarian and vegan meals.
**The Cheese Shop:** A student and tourist favorite, this restaurant, located in CW, features beloved house dressing, bread ends and Williamsburg’s best sandwiches. Students often venture down DoG Street to this quaint and affordable eatery when campus food just won’t cut it.
**Confusion Corner:** At this point the campus ends, CW begins and five roads converge: Richmond Road, Jamestown Road, Duke of Gloucester Street, and North and South Boundary Streets. The intersection earned its moniker due to the bewilderment tourist and parents alike experience while driving through it. Watch out for a car or two while crossing.
**CW:** It’s not Colonial Williamsburg, it’s CW. Big difference. Chances are you won’t end up spending too much time in the College’s historical backyard, but when you do, it’s CW.
**The Delis:** Fun fact about Williamsburg: No bars. Instead of bars, we have delis, which technically don’t function as bars until 10 p.m. They include Paul’s Deli, the Green Leafe Cafe and the College Delly, all located near the intersection of Richmond Road and Scotland Street.
**The Grind:** Nestled between the lodges, the Sadler Center and the Terrace, this charming coffee shop provides students with an alternative from the dining hall’s standard brew. Freshly baked goods compliment the comprehensive menu offerings of tea, coffee and blended drinks. Make sure to bring cash or have money on your Express; the Grind doesn’t except Flex points or credit cards. Personal recommendation: The chai lattes and blueberry muffins are incredible.
**DoG Street:** Duke of Gloucester Street begins at Confusion Corner and ends at the old Capitol. This pedestrian walkway is the center of CW and houses gourmet restaurants like the Trellis and the Fat Canary, as well as the College’s bookstore. We recommend making reservations for Family Weekend somewhere along this road.
**Ho House:** The Hospitality House, located across the street from the Alumni House, is one of Williamsburg’s finest hotels. The ground-level lounge functions as a bar in the wee hours. Friday night karaoke can get especially lively, especially when drunken economic professors serenade the crowd.
**Jamestown Beach:** This student hangout — also referred to as College Creek — is a 15-minute drive down Colonial Parkway. The beach, situated on the James River, offers an alternative tanning location to the Sunken Garden on sunny days.
**Mug Night:** It’s no secret that college kids are generally short on cash. That means every dollar has to count, and when it comes to boozing, there’s no better way than the Leafe’s very own Mug Night. Mugs go for about $2 and draft beer is discounted for your thrifty pleasure, each and every Sunday.
**NOVA:** This probably doesn’t apply to about 70 percent of you, but for the rest of you poor saps not from the D.C. suburbs known as Northern Virginia, it’s NOVA, for short. These snobby little punks actually try and pass themselves off as anything but pure Virginia, but you let them know, it’s all the same damn state. And remember: No actual NOVA kid wants to be referred to as such.
**RAR:** A nifty abbrev. for the sap who’s stuck rooming with your RA. Get it? Resident Assistant Roommate. Just don’t ask the guy any questions, because he or she probably doesn’t know. Leave that poor sucker in peace.
**Sadler Center:** This hub of student activities houses Lodge 1, the dining hall, your mailbox and Quizno’s. Upperclassman may refer to this building as to the UC. It was only renamed last year after the retired vice president for Student Affairs — and beloved administrator — Sam Sadler.
**Sex Change:** The Student Exchange convenience store — shortened to the Sex Change — is located in the basement of the Sadler Center. Here, students can use Flex, Express, cash or credit cards to purchase food, school supplies and other necessities. It is also one of the few places on campus to buy real ice cream by the pint.
**Steer Clear:** A big white van piloted by students, its the sole purpose is to get you from point A to point B. These suckers actually give up their Friday and Saturday evenings to drive your drunk ass around, so hop on board. That beer jacket can only take you so far.
**UCAB:** Short for University Center Activities Board, these are the folks who brought the College such timeless performers as the Ying Yang Twins and My Chemical Romance. In addition to concerts, they host entertainment from movies to comedians throughout the year.
