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FactsSlang
- BIC - The Business Information Center.
- Boaz Hoes - A nickname applied to all females that live in the Boaz Residence Hall.
- The Boulevard - The SMU Boulevard is where tailgating takes place before every football game.
- Cockintosh - A name for Cockrell-McIntosh Hall.
- First-Year - Also known as freshmen. SMU prefers not to call them freshmeat or freshmen.
- Fratastic - A term applied to males that are dressed preppy.
- Fraterdays - Like a Saturday but better. Fraternities use this term to describe an afternoon out behind the house sipping on a beer and grilling while listening to some frat classics.
- GDI - Gosh Darn Independent. This term is used to refer to people who chose not to pledge a fraternity or sorority.
- Hughes-Trigg - The Hughes-Trigg Student Center.
- The lib - An abbreviation for the good ole’ library
- Meadows - Referred to as Meadows by all the arts students, it is listed as the Owen Fine Arts Center.
- MRS - Students joke that the girls come here to get their “MRS” degree.
- Mustang - Each student is an SMU Mustang.
- North Quad/South Quad - The North Quad section of campus includes Dallas Hall, Fondren, Shuttles, Mary Hay, Peyton, and Virginia-Snider. The South Quad includes McElvaney, Morrison-McGinnis, Meadows Museum of Art, and Cockrell-McIntosh.
- Peruna - The name of SMU’s mascot. SMU’s pony is the only mascot to have killed another mascot on the field. Peruna kicked the Navy’s goat in the head, killing it right on the spot.
- Residence Hall - Also referred to as dorms, SMU calls them residence halls.
- SAMSA - Student Activities and Multi-Cultural Affairs (replaced SAC)
- Shacklevany - Another name for McElvaney Hall (students are said to “shack-up” there).
- Shittles - Another name for Shuttles Hall.
- Umph - If a student says this, they are likely referring to the freshman dining hall, Umphrey Lee. Another short term is Umphers or the FOC (Food On Campus).
Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming To School
- Bring bug repellant to annihilate those mosquitoes.
- If you have to take a foreign language, get it all done in the same year.
- It’s a party school.
- It’s big on Greek life.
- It’s located in a highly-materialistic social setting.
- It’s not very racially diverse.
- No one goes to any of the athletic events.
- The overall city does not cater to college students.
- There is a GPA requirement for the business school.
Tips to Succeed
- Ask around about professors before scheduling your classes.
- Befriend the TAs.
- Check your Webmail every day.
- Don’t blow off school for parties.
- Don’t schedule an 8 a.m. class unless you can definitely get up for it.
- Go to class, especially if there is an attendance policy.
- Keep yourself busy—get involved or pick a minor.
- Make sure your teacher knows your name.
- Remember what you’re here for!
- Take care of all your GEC courses first before your major classes so you can have more time to decide on a major.
Urban Legends
- If you step on the University Seal in Dallas Hall, you won’t graduate.
- SMU: Southern Millionaires University; obviously, this is not true—there is only a very small percentage of students that even fit into that category.
- Sorority girls do more drugs.
Traditions
- Football Games - SMU students do not tailgate---they boulevard. Before every home football game, Bishop Boulevard is transformed into a haven for SMU fans. A game is a dressy event. Sorority girls wear sundresses, and frat guys wear pastel shorts and bright ties. Walk the boulevard and enjoy free food and beverages provided by both on-campus organizations and departments within SMU.
- Brown Bag - Every semester, the dance department showcases student-choreographed pieces in the Bob Hope lobby. Students come for an hour, bring their own “brown bag” lunch, sit on the floor directly in front of the dancers, and watch the show.
- Celebration of Lights - One night during the first week of December, students gather in the Main Quad to participate in the Celebration of Lights, which is a candlelight ceremony of holiday songs and readings. The trees surrounding Dallas Hall, and the building itself, are all illuminated with Christmas lights. Administrators and other guests make abbreviated speeches on the steps of Dallas Hall. There is a small choir and band on the steps, too.
- Family Weekend and Mother’s/Father’s Weekend - Family Weekend is designated for the fall, whereas Mother’s or Father’s Weekend (it switches every spring) takes place in the spring. To start Family Weekend, on Friday night there is a “Talent Show” in McFarlin Auditorium where student organizations perform. Tailgating and a football game occur the next day, as well as several other events for parents and students to participate in. For Mother’s/Father’s Weekend, there is an annual show called “Sing Song” where student organizations compete against each other by presenting their skits to an audience and judges. The following day is filled with things to do, just like Family Weekend.
- First Weekend/Mustang Stampede - This is the first weekend after the initial week of classes. There is a giant barbeque for the entire University, and a comedian that performs later on that night. In the past, SMU has hosted Jamie Kennedy and Jim Breuer. There is a party on Saturday until the wee hours of the morning, and on Sunday, the first University worship celebration is held in the South Quad.
- Homecoming - This is an entire weekend devoted to school spirit. First, there is a kickoff party at Hughes-Trigg to mark the beginning of Homecoming. This is also where the candidates for homecoming are introduced. A couple days later, there is a Homecoming Parade, where student organizations present floats they have created. Tailgating follows the parade, and then on to the homecoming football game—where the king and queen are announced.
- Mane Event - In the spring, the Student Foundation puts on a gigantic festival in front of Dallas Hall, called Mane Event, where students can relax and take a break from studying. SMU does not have a carnival, but this would be the equivalent to it. There is a live band, tons of food, games, and other things to do, such as a moonwalk.
- Mustang Corral - The weekend before school begins, over fifty percent of the incoming freshmen class gather for a weekend retreat in the Texas Hill Country. The entire weekend is guided by faculty, alumni, and student leaders. There are information sessions, games, dances, and much more. It is an introduction to school spirit and camaraderie. This is a great way for the students to bond with their peers before settling in on campus.
- Pony Ears - Formed by putting two fingers up in the air and slightly bending them down like ears (no not horns), “pony ears” is SMU’s well-known sign. At football games, students can be seen with their pony ears high in the air to show some school spirit.
- Rotunda Passage - Every freshman has the chance to participate in the Rotunda Passage, which leads to Convocation. It marks a student’s official start and end of their SMU college experience. Every year, as a new freshman class, the students gather and walk through the front doors of Dallas Hall. When they graduate, as a senior class, they walk through the Dallas Hall Rotunda again. Along the sidewalks on the way to the Dallas Hall, students hold flags that represent every country and state with a student in that class.
- Week of Welcome - The week that classes begin, freshmen enjoy a week of fun events. The first day is usually a Sunday when the students are returning from Mustang and moving into their residence halls. That same night, there is an outdoor movie. Monday features a Mustang Mixer and the first-year pictures. A road trip to Six Flags consumes most of Tuesday until the Hypnotist performs in the evening. Finally, the last day before class, there is an Activities Fair and the Rotunda Passage.
School Spirit
Students may not be able to recite and sing the “Pony Battle Cry,” but they can tell you about several of the top programs in the nation and how worthwhile it is to attend SMU. School spirit may be mediocre most of the time, but after SMU wins a football game, there are cheery faces all over campus for quite a while. The milestone for most people is that SMU has won at least one game. Slowly but steadily, SMU is on its way to possible mediocrity in terms of football, however, school spirit needs to rise a few notches. Students are proud to say that they attend SMU when applying for internships and jobs because the name bears more than athletic apathy. Nothing can stop SMU students from gathering to celebrate; this is evident in most of the large social events on campus.
Most Recent Contributing Author
Name: Peter Goldschmidt
Hometown: Jefferson City, MO
Major: Financial Consulting Peter likes to run marathons. Contributing Author Internship
College Prowler is actively seeking talented students to be "Contributing Authors," and assist with updating
the College Prowler guide to their school. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain internship experience, be a part of a nationally
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really like at your college. Read more about the internship.
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