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St. Olaf College
- Inside Scoop

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Inside Scoop

Quick Stats

School Slang
  • Bandie: Someone who plays in band
  • The Caf: Stav Hall, the dining hall on campus
  • The Cage: The Cage Café on the second floor of Buntrock
  • The Cannon: The river that runs through downtown Northfield; Olaf is on the west side and Carleton is on the east.
  • Carl : A Carleton student
  • The Cities: Minneapolis/St. Paul
  • Conner: A student in The Great Conversation
  • Division: Division Street in Northfield
  • Downtown: Usually refers to downtown Northfield
  • Ell: Ellingson Hall
  • The Hill : The campus
  • JC: Junior counselor, a third-year student who voluntarily lives in a first-year dorm and helps acclimate new students to college life.
  • Lutefisk: A traditional Norwegian dish served in the Caf during Christmas Fest, which consists of cod soaked in lye. Disgusting!
  • Ole: A St. Olaf student
  • Orchie: Someone who plays in orchestra
  • The Pause: The Lion’s Pause student-run lounge and concert venue on the first floor of Buntrock Commons
  • POs : Post Office Boxes
  • Prez Ball: The President’s Ball, an annual formal dance
  • Prospie: Prospective student
  • Uff Da: A Norwegian phrase that signifies exhaustion
  • Um Ya Ya!: A Norwegian cheer incorporated into the school fight song, similar to “Hip Hip Hooray!”
Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming To School
  • How to write an essay.
  • More about this Lutheran/Scandinavian/Minnesotan culture.
  • What it’s like to have the mucus membranes in your nostrils freeze when you inhale.
  • What Lutefisk is.
Tips to Succeed
  • Ask for help from teachers, TAs, counselors, friends, librarians, and anyone else you can find.
  • Befriend your professors, but don’t become a suck-up.
  • Don’t be afraid to stick out. No one, except international spies, ever became successful by keeping a low profile.
  • Don’t become a drunk.
  • Don’t become a stoner.
  • Edit your papers, and learn how to write.
  • Get involved in extracurricular activities. They’re the best way to meet people, and they provide a break from class work.
  • Pace yourself. You’ve got four years to fill.
  • Relax. If you’re totally stressed out, you won’t produce anything worthwhile.
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St. Olaf Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Inside Scoop at St. Olaf College

Hudini15005

'13

English

1.9
C-

Not the College Experience

Allow the people are great and the classes are challenging and fun, this is not the place to be if you want the college experience.

Apr 03, 2011

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Inside Scoop at St. Olaf College

mrosew

'14

Education

4.6
A

St. Olaf Is a Great School- for the Right Person...

St. Olaf is an amazing place. Personally, however, St. Olaf did not offer the diversity that I needed. The location proved too inconvenient for me, but overall my experience was great. The people are all friendly, the campus is gorgeous, the courses are challenging, and the professors are always willing to help you out.

Oct 15, 2010

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Inside Scoop at St. Olaf College

rb_373

'12

Interdisciplinary Studies

5.0
A+

Everything Is Possible!

I totally love our diversity of on campus groups! We have swing and ballroom dance clubs, Baha'i club, "gay, lesbian or whatever!" club, Bible studies, pick-sports, broomball (a personal favorite!). You want it, you can find it here. And if you can't find it, you can get funds to start your own club!

Apr 03, 2010

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Page 1 of 1

Facts

Traditions
  • Christmas Festival: Started in 1912, this concert involves all five St. Olaf choirs and the St. Olaf orchestra. The concert is broadcast nation-wide on PBS and is listed in The New York Times International Datebook as one of five significant global holiday events. During Christmas Fest, Stav Hall serves traditional Norwegian food for dinner, and the whole campus becomes packed with alumni decked out in Norwegian sweaters.
  • Fall Concert: Every fall, the school brings a nationally touring artist to campus to perform in Skoglund auditorium. The event is open to the public and ticket prices are usually about $5 for students. Past artists have included Ben Folds, The Black Eyed Peas, and George Clinton.
  • Lutefest: This is a fairly new tradition that grew out of the collapse of the joint St. Olaf/Carleton spring concert, “Arbstock.” Lutefest is an annual spring concert that features local and campus bands, various activities, and one headlining national act. Nickel Creek was a past headliner.
  • Midnight Breakfast: Each semester before finals, Stav Hall fires up the stoves at 11:30 p.m. and offers eggs, bacon, hash browns, and other breakfast fares to late-night crammers. The best part about Midnight Breakfast is that professors and administrators take the place of normal student servers in the Caf lines.
  • President’s Ball: This annual dance provides students the opportunity to get all gussied up and dance the night away. The college brings in a big band that plays swing music and other tunes suitable for ballroom dancing. If you missed prom in high school, here’s your chance to make up for it.
Urban Legends
  • A ghost, referred to as “Red Hat Boy,” haunts Thorson Hall.
  • Playboy ranked St. Olaf as one of the hottest schools in the nation.
  • The ghost of Elizabeth Walsingham Kelsey haunts the theater that bears her name.

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