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FactsSlang
- Alby - The albino squirrel that resides on campus.
- Archies - Architecture majors; live in the Greene Building, rarely seen.
- Armory - The gym behind the Mueller Center.
- BARH - Burdett Avenue Residence Hall, a dorm located on Burdette Avenue.
- Boot - Vomit; can be used as a verb or a noun.
- CDC - Career Development Center; office that helps students find jobs, located on the second floor of the DCC.
- DCC - Darrin Communication Center; lecture halls and home of the CDC.
- DOSO - Dean of Students Office; it’s like the principal’s office—where you go if you get in trouble.
- EMAC - Electronic Media and Communications; a popular major in graphic design also known as “EasyMAC” and “Electronic Media, Arts, and Crafts.”
- EPOW - Electrical Power Engineering; a very obscure major.
- Freshman Hill - The part of campus where most of the dorms and the main dining hall are located.
- Ghetto Chopper - The Midland Foods located at Troy Plaza, formerly a very sketchy Price Chopper.
- Gym - The Mueller Center.
- Homework Helpers - Beers that are consumed while doing homework.
- IPAC - Information number students can call with any question they have. Call (518) 276-6636.
- JEC - Jonsson Engineering Center.
- J-ROWL - Jonsson-Rowling Science Center.
- LA - Learning Assistant; every dorm has one to aid students in studying.
- Low Building/CII - The Low Center for Industrial Innovation (ironically, the tallest building on campus).
- Marriott Trot - The run to the bathroom many students are forced to make after eating at campus dining halls.
- MRC - Materials Research Center.
- Parking Nazi - The guy who gives out parking tickets on campus; if you park illegally, he will find your car.
- RA - Resident Assistant; every dorm has one per floor/wing. These are the people who will write you up if you get in trouble. Most are pretty cool, but get to know your RA before finding out the hard way how lenient he or she is.
- RD - Resident Director; same as RA, but with authority over everyone in the dorm.
- Ski Lodge - Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity, located on Sunset Terrence.
- The Approach - The 187 stairs that lead from the bottom of campus on Eighth Street to the downtown area; great view from the top.
- The Castle - Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, located downtown on Second Street.
- The Footbridge - Bridge over Fifteenth Street that connects main campus to Freshman Hill.
- The Lighthouse - The Greene Building, home of the Architecture school. It is called the lighthouse because the lights are on at all hours as the Archies burn the midnight oil.
- The Lyrics and The Pipes - The Rensselyrics and The Rusty Pipes, two a cappella groups of students who put on shows for the RPI community.
- The Poly - The Polytechnic, a weekly, student-run RPI newspaper; notorious for bad “Top 10” lists.
- Troylet - A term used to describe the natives (don’t say it too loud when you’re off campus); also can be used as a synonym for Troy itself.
- Union - Rensselaer Union.
- VCC - Voorhees Computing Center; 24-hour computer lab, also houses the Help Desk, the Campus Computer Store, and the Repair and Maintenance Service.
- Zoo - Theta Xi Fraternity, located on campus across from the freshman dorms.
Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming To School
- Go to as many fraternities as you can during rush.
- Learn the dorms a little ahead of time to get an idea which is best for you.
- Take advantage of the good food during the beginning of the year.
- There’s a lot of schoolwork involved in an RPI education.
- Those time management skills they tried to teach you actually come in handy.
- You spend much of your time chained to a computer.
Tips to Succeed
- Check your e-mail regularly.
- Don’t be afraid to dispute bad grades.
- Get to know upperclassmen in your major.
- Keep up with your work.
- Know your professors before choosing your classes.
- Manage your time well.
Urban Legends
- The Albino Squirrel (“Alby”) - Technically not an urban legend—there is a squirrel on campus that is white. It does in fact exist, and can most frequently be seen frolicking in courtyard of the main campus. Seeing it is rare and considered a sign of good fortune.
- The Ghost in West Hall - West Hall is one of the oldest buildings on campus. Originally a Civil War hospital, it is alleged that a nurse named Betsy went crazy here and that she can still be seen and heard in the building’s hallowed halls.
- The Library - Built on top of a hill, the library is allegedly sliding slowly into downtown Troy.
- The Tunnel - According to legend, there is a tunnel underneath campus that connects the DCC and the JEC to Ricketts under the football field.
Traditions
- GM Week - Grand Marshal Week - Student government elections are held during GM week, and many activities are going on throughout campus.
- Hockey Line - Each year before season tickets for the hockey team go on sale, the hockey line begins. Students set up couches and armchairs outside the Union and wait in line for the tickets to go on sale. This tradition has started to die in recent years, and now only a handful of students take part in what was once the biggest tradition on campus. At its height in the ‘80s, the line would start in April—six months before the tickets go on sale!
- Senior Week - A week at the end of the spring semester in which seniors can take part in various events, such as Senior Banquet and the Booze Cruise.
- The Big Red Freakout - Each year in February, there is a tradition known as the Big Red Freakout, which is a campus-wide hockey frenzy. More students wear RPI clothing on this day than any other, and the hockey game that night is always sold out, regardless of the weather.
- Tray Sledding - Upon the first snowstorm of the year, students have a custom of stealing trays from the Commons and sledding down the hill.
School Spirit
School spirit at RPI is marginal at best. RPI clothing is commonplace, and stickers bearing the school’s name or shield can be seen in many car windows on campus, but it usually ends there. GM Week (Grand Marshal Week) is the biggest school spirit event on campus. Voting for the Grand Marshal, President of the Union, and other officers takes place during this week, and various campus organizations put on activities and competitions. There are no classes on Wednesday of this week, and it is tradition that no tests are given either. The other big outburst of school spirit is the Big Red Freakout, which is a hockey extravaganza and always draws people out to the hockey game to wave red foam hockey sticks around and cheer on their favorite team.
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