Spring Break
The Athens Encyclopedia
For those things that just don't make sense outside of the Classic City ...
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Out & About
- Page 1 of 1
Automatic for the People - The slogan for Weaver D.'s Fine Foods. It's one of the most well-known, non-football phrases associated with Athens. The fame is mostly thanks to Michael Stipe and the boys from R.E.M., who named their 1992 album after the sign. The actual restaurant is a small building down Broad Street.
Between the Hedges - A nickname for the football field in Sanford Stadium. The moniker is derived from the shrubbery that lines all 100 yards of grass on both sides. Dawgs are known to frolic here on some Saturdays.
Brumby Beach - The grassy knoll in front of Brumby Hall where girls like to hang out and get a tan. Guys pretty much just like to ogle.
"Casa del fuego" - The Spanish version of Firehouse. Now, as we are all well aware, the U.S.' Spanish-speaking population is steadily increasing. However, we're not so sure how the rising hispanic population led to the coining of "Casa del Fuego." Seriously, no idea. Well, at least they're learning something in Spanish class.
Comeback Sauce - The most addictive and sought-after cuisine topper since Easy Cheese, available from J.B. the Polish Sausage Man outside of The 40 Watt Club.
D.T. - Because getting one's mouth to form the word "downtown" is just a little bit too difficult after six Jager-bombs, some of downtown's more frequent visitors have taken to calling it by the shortened form, D.T.. For a generation of young people who have grown up using Instant Messenger and text messaging, D.T. is also a convenient way to expedite the process of gathering a group of people for a bar-hopping extravaganza (because, like, downtown would take way too long to type out on your phone).
ECV - The initials for East Campus Village. A relatively new addition to the University landscape, East Campus Village is home to apartment-style dorms. For the most part, upperclassmen and athletes live in "ECV." There is also a dining hall near the dorms that goes by ECV sometimes. Most importantly, East Campus is the center of the famed Athens Stink. Residents are greeted each evening with the smell of a city's worth of defecation. One possible upside is that the stench might make for better grades because the students dare not set foot outside, lest their faces should melt off at the smell.
Estrogen Ocean - The XX-fueled dorm Brumby Hall. For your average college guy, Brumby is something like a dream come true: nine floors of newly emancipated, mostly single girls who spend a fair amount of time devoid of male contact. Too bad guys have a little trouble getting into the building. Brumby is one of the few dorms on campus that does not allow 24/7 visitation.
Fratty - The fratty is one of the most common denizens of the University community. They are often found in Terry classes or on the Milledge Avenue bus (much like their female counterparts, the sorostitutes). Unlike the variation that can be seen in the sorostitute's attire, the fratty has a seemingly Greek-mandated uniform. For the week, they are generally clad in khaki or pastel shorts and pants, a Polo shirt (Vineyard Vines, Ralph Lauren, etc.), and croakies (the mildly offensive, but ridiculously convenient sunglasses strap). On gamedays, your average fratty is probably that guy in faded red (NOT PINK) pants. You know the one.
Hipster - Hipsters are sort of like baby townies (still being a student allows them to remain a little less jaded than your average townie). Still, the man won't get them down. They dig coffee and cigarettes just as much as the townie - it's just that they're still putting cream and sugar in the coffee and smoking Camels.
Hot Corner - While most people know Hot Corner as the coffee shop, the whole area surrounding the intersection of Washington and Hull streets is known at Hot Corner. These days, it's like a bug zapper for hipsters, but the "Hot Corner" area was a center of African- American culture in the early 1900s. The Morton Theatre, located down the street from Hot Corner Coffee, was the central figure in the cultural happenings of the area and played host to a variety of jazz acts, including Louis Armstrong.
The Loop - The Loop is the affectionate nickname Athenians have given to Georgia Highway 10. Like Atlanta's Interstate 285, the Loop forms a sort of border around Athens. Unlike 285, though, the Loop is not actually a loop. While GA 10 circles most of Athens, if one follows it to the end, they'd end up somewhere near Augusta. So unless said resident is from Augusta, they will not end up where they started. Despite its deceiving moniker, it is a useful tool for getting around Athens without having to deal with pesky traffic lights and low speed limits (for the most often used part of the Loop, the speed limit is 65).
M.I.P. - Few initials can strike as much fear into the heart of an underage Georgia student as M.I.P. For those who are unaware and/or teetotalers, M.I.P. stands for Minor in Possession. Just because that fake I.D. from South Carolina got you in the bar doesn't mean it's going to keep you from behind bars if the cops catch you peeing on North Campus and talking about how you have an English 1101 test tomorrow.
Normaltown - The area of Athens surrounding the Navy Corps school. Normaltown, along with the neighboring Boulevard district, is generally considered a haven for townies and hipsters.
O-House - O-House is the shortened name for the Oglethorpe House residence hall. In the past, O-House was reserved for upperclassmen, but time has led the way to a primarily freshmen population in O-House. O-House is also a name used to refer to the residence hall's neighboring dining hall. O-House the dining hall was the lowest man on the totem pole in Food Services until a total revamp in 2006 gave it a serious leg up in the "where should we eat dinner?" competition.
P.J. - The shortened version of Psychology-Journalism. Note: Psychology is never "P," and Journalism is never "J." P.J. is only a reference to the combination of the two buildings and the area between them that houses some offices and two small amphitheaters.
Pre-game - The act of pre-gaming is not a Georgia phenomenon. Most college students know the concept, but not many schools can claim that they know it half as well at good ol' Georgia. For the few who remain uninitiated, pre-gaming is drinking before, well, anything. The most common example is seemingly the root of the name. That is, drinking before a football game (a.k.a. tailgating). However, its popularity has led people to pre-game for a variety of activities: parties, concerts, movies, class (actually, that's probably just a bad hangover).
Poop on the Loop / Athens Stink / Athens Funk / "Dude, what is that?!" - The nightly stench that invades Athens. The aroma that assaults Athens residents smells something like 20,000+ toilets full of fecal matter. It is centered around East Campus, but it occasionally creeps onto South Campus and the Eastside. Though older students learn to anticipate the odor, no one ever seems to grow immune to its repulsiveness.
Pokey Stix - Widely considered (or at least by us in Athens) to be the most ultimate late-night munchie on the planet, Pokey Stix are a gooey, ranch-soaked creation of Gumby's Pizza on Baxter Street.
Sorostitutes - Though the root of this phrase is completely mind-boggling, it's alive and well today. What it means - well, we're not sure. More often than not, these young ladies can be seen in jersey knits, shirts from a random formal/social/mixer and a cell phone plastered to the side of their face. To find one in the wild, simply hop a ride on the Milledge Avenue bus.
The SLC / The "SLiCk" - Formally known as the Student Learning Center, the SLC is home to a bevvy of multi-use classrooms. Classes in the SLC tend to be larger than classes held in many other buildings, hence its connection to introductory level classes. The SLiCk is also home to two floors of computers, which are often painfully slow or in use by those who just can't make it more than three hours without checking their Facebook. During finals, the SLC is the center of last minute studying, all-nighters and rampant use of Adderall.
The Theatre - The short-hand name for the Georgia Theatre, one of the most historic and recognized landmarks in the storied history of Athens music.
Thursday Night - OK, so a Thursday night is still a Thursday night. Thursday nights in Athens are a little different from those in other towns though. While many people in other areas abstain from too much partying during the week, many Athenians find themselves catching a cab home on Thursday night (and Friday and Saturday). If you find yourself downtown ("D.T." for those in the know) on a Thursday night, don't be too surprised if you are approached by a drunken, lost Ghost Buster (or someone dressed in an equally strange outfit) - it's a common night for Greek functions.
Townies - If you've found yourself on the west side of downtown, chances are you've stumbled across a townie. Older, with a penchant for nicotine, coffee and/or scotch and music you've never heard of, townies are what college-age hipsters will probably turn out to be. Townies wouldn't be caught dead at a football game or doing anything pro-UGA, really. Except, of course, working on campus. It's true - many of the fine folks who provide smiling faces in administrative offices are, in fact, townies. How else are they going to afford their pack of Parliaments a day?
The Well / Cres-hell - Both are nicknames for the freshman, high-rise dorm Creswell. Nowhere has new-found freedom run more amuck (except maybe in Russell, Creswell's equally youthful counterpart that unfortunately has fewer clever nicknames).
From the Editor:
Okay folks, let's not get our panties in a wad. Obviously, the bulk of these definitions are quite snarky and meant as a joking play on overperpetuated stereotypes. These aren't our opinions, and we're not saying they're true - in fact, many people who actually would fit into some of these categories are the ones who suggested them to us. The point is, we have two things in Athens - unique phrases for landmarks / happenings and ridiculous stereotypes that have existed long before our current UGA classes and will stick around long, long after.
That said, I hope the Athens Encyclopedia can become an annual or bi-annual staple of The Red & Black. But we'll need your help. We're missing plenty of stuff, so clue us in. We had way too much fun making this, and we hope you'll laugh along with us. Send your suggestions for next semester's edition!
- Alec Wooden is the Out & About Editor at The Red & Black.
Email suggestions to awooden@randb.com
Between the Hedges - A nickname for the football field in Sanford Stadium. The moniker is derived from the shrubbery that lines all 100 yards of grass on both sides. Dawgs are known to frolic here on some Saturdays.
Brumby Beach - The grassy knoll in front of Brumby Hall where girls like to hang out and get a tan. Guys pretty much just like to ogle.
"Casa del fuego" - The Spanish version of Firehouse. Now, as we are all well aware, the U.S.' Spanish-speaking population is steadily increasing. However, we're not so sure how the rising hispanic population led to the coining of "Casa del Fuego." Seriously, no idea. Well, at least they're learning something in Spanish class.
Comeback Sauce - The most addictive and sought-after cuisine topper since Easy Cheese, available from J.B. the Polish Sausage Man outside of The 40 Watt Club.
D.T. - Because getting one's mouth to form the word "downtown" is just a little bit too difficult after six Jager-bombs, some of downtown's more frequent visitors have taken to calling it by the shortened form, D.T.. For a generation of young people who have grown up using Instant Messenger and text messaging, D.T. is also a convenient way to expedite the process of gathering a group of people for a bar-hopping extravaganza (because, like, downtown would take way too long to type out on your phone).
ECV - The initials for East Campus Village. A relatively new addition to the University landscape, East Campus Village is home to apartment-style dorms. For the most part, upperclassmen and athletes live in "ECV." There is also a dining hall near the dorms that goes by ECV sometimes. Most importantly, East Campus is the center of the famed Athens Stink. Residents are greeted each evening with the smell of a city's worth of defecation. One possible upside is that the stench might make for better grades because the students dare not set foot outside, lest their faces should melt off at the smell.
Estrogen Ocean - The XX-fueled dorm Brumby Hall. For your average college guy, Brumby is something like a dream come true: nine floors of newly emancipated, mostly single girls who spend a fair amount of time devoid of male contact. Too bad guys have a little trouble getting into the building. Brumby is one of the few dorms on campus that does not allow 24/7 visitation.
Fratty - The fratty is one of the most common denizens of the University community. They are often found in Terry classes or on the Milledge Avenue bus (much like their female counterparts, the sorostitutes). Unlike the variation that can be seen in the sorostitute's attire, the fratty has a seemingly Greek-mandated uniform. For the week, they are generally clad in khaki or pastel shorts and pants, a Polo shirt (Vineyard Vines, Ralph Lauren, etc.), and croakies (the mildly offensive, but ridiculously convenient sunglasses strap). On gamedays, your average fratty is probably that guy in faded red (NOT PINK) pants. You know the one.
Hipster - Hipsters are sort of like baby townies (still being a student allows them to remain a little less jaded than your average townie). Still, the man won't get them down. They dig coffee and cigarettes just as much as the townie - it's just that they're still putting cream and sugar in the coffee and smoking Camels.
Hot Corner - While most people know Hot Corner as the coffee shop, the whole area surrounding the intersection of Washington and Hull streets is known at Hot Corner. These days, it's like a bug zapper for hipsters, but the "Hot Corner" area was a center of African- American culture in the early 1900s. The Morton Theatre, located down the street from Hot Corner Coffee, was the central figure in the cultural happenings of the area and played host to a variety of jazz acts, including Louis Armstrong.
The Loop - The Loop is the affectionate nickname Athenians have given to Georgia Highway 10. Like Atlanta's Interstate 285, the Loop forms a sort of border around Athens. Unlike 285, though, the Loop is not actually a loop. While GA 10 circles most of Athens, if one follows it to the end, they'd end up somewhere near Augusta. So unless said resident is from Augusta, they will not end up where they started. Despite its deceiving moniker, it is a useful tool for getting around Athens without having to deal with pesky traffic lights and low speed limits (for the most often used part of the Loop, the speed limit is 65).
M.I.P. - Few initials can strike as much fear into the heart of an underage Georgia student as M.I.P. For those who are unaware and/or teetotalers, M.I.P. stands for Minor in Possession. Just because that fake I.D. from South Carolina got you in the bar doesn't mean it's going to keep you from behind bars if the cops catch you peeing on North Campus and talking about how you have an English 1101 test tomorrow.
Normaltown - The area of Athens surrounding the Navy Corps school. Normaltown, along with the neighboring Boulevard district, is generally considered a haven for townies and hipsters.
O-House - O-House is the shortened name for the Oglethorpe House residence hall. In the past, O-House was reserved for upperclassmen, but time has led the way to a primarily freshmen population in O-House. O-House is also a name used to refer to the residence hall's neighboring dining hall. O-House the dining hall was the lowest man on the totem pole in Food Services until a total revamp in 2006 gave it a serious leg up in the "where should we eat dinner?" competition.
P.J. - The shortened version of Psychology-Journalism. Note: Psychology is never "P," and Journalism is never "J." P.J. is only a reference to the combination of the two buildings and the area between them that houses some offices and two small amphitheaters.
Pre-game - The act of pre-gaming is not a Georgia phenomenon. Most college students know the concept, but not many schools can claim that they know it half as well at good ol' Georgia. For the few who remain uninitiated, pre-gaming is drinking before, well, anything. The most common example is seemingly the root of the name. That is, drinking before a football game (a.k.a. tailgating). However, its popularity has led people to pre-game for a variety of activities: parties, concerts, movies, class (actually, that's probably just a bad hangover).
Poop on the Loop / Athens Stink / Athens Funk / "Dude, what is that?!" - The nightly stench that invades Athens. The aroma that assaults Athens residents smells something like 20,000+ toilets full of fecal matter. It is centered around East Campus, but it occasionally creeps onto South Campus and the Eastside. Though older students learn to anticipate the odor, no one ever seems to grow immune to its repulsiveness.
Pokey Stix - Widely considered (or at least by us in Athens) to be the most ultimate late-night munchie on the planet, Pokey Stix are a gooey, ranch-soaked creation of Gumby's Pizza on Baxter Street.
Sorostitutes - Though the root of this phrase is completely mind-boggling, it's alive and well today. What it means - well, we're not sure. More often than not, these young ladies can be seen in jersey knits, shirts from a random formal/social/mixer and a cell phone plastered to the side of their face. To find one in the wild, simply hop a ride on the Milledge Avenue bus.
The SLC / The "SLiCk" - Formally known as the Student Learning Center, the SLC is home to a bevvy of multi-use classrooms. Classes in the SLC tend to be larger than classes held in many other buildings, hence its connection to introductory level classes. The SLiCk is also home to two floors of computers, which are often painfully slow or in use by those who just can't make it more than three hours without checking their Facebook. During finals, the SLC is the center of last minute studying, all-nighters and rampant use of Adderall.
The Theatre - The short-hand name for the Georgia Theatre, one of the most historic and recognized landmarks in the storied history of Athens music.
Thursday Night - OK, so a Thursday night is still a Thursday night. Thursday nights in Athens are a little different from those in other towns though. While many people in other areas abstain from too much partying during the week, many Athenians find themselves catching a cab home on Thursday night (and Friday and Saturday). If you find yourself downtown ("D.T." for those in the know) on a Thursday night, don't be too surprised if you are approached by a drunken, lost Ghost Buster (or someone dressed in an equally strange outfit) - it's a common night for Greek functions.
Townies - If you've found yourself on the west side of downtown, chances are you've stumbled across a townie. Older, with a penchant for nicotine, coffee and/or scotch and music you've never heard of, townies are what college-age hipsters will probably turn out to be. Townies wouldn't be caught dead at a football game or doing anything pro-UGA, really. Except, of course, working on campus. It's true - many of the fine folks who provide smiling faces in administrative offices are, in fact, townies. How else are they going to afford their pack of Parliaments a day?
The Well / Cres-hell - Both are nicknames for the freshman, high-rise dorm Creswell. Nowhere has new-found freedom run more amuck (except maybe in Russell, Creswell's equally youthful counterpart that unfortunately has fewer clever nicknames).
From the Editor:
Okay folks, let's not get our panties in a wad. Obviously, the bulk of these definitions are quite snarky and meant as a joking play on overperpetuated stereotypes. These aren't our opinions, and we're not saying they're true - in fact, many people who actually would fit into some of these categories are the ones who suggested them to us. The point is, we have two things in Athens - unique phrases for landmarks / happenings and ridiculous stereotypes that have existed long before our current UGA classes and will stick around long, long after.
That said, I hope the Athens Encyclopedia can become an annual or bi-annual staple of The Red & Black. But we'll need your help. We're missing plenty of stuff, so clue us in. We had way too much fun making this, and we hope you'll laugh along with us. Send your suggestions for next semester's edition!
- Alec Wooden is the Out & About Editor at The Red & Black.
Email suggestions to awooden@randb.com
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