If you’re a freshman but don’t want to sound like one, then here’s the guide for you.

One of the most difficult parts of adjusting to a new campus is trying to figure out the slang, and GW is no different. There are a slew of terms and phrases that you need to know in order to avoid sounding like an oblivious freshman.

Here are some of the terms and phrases that will make you sound like a super senior:

Gelbucks

The Starbucks under Gelman Library is centrally located on campus, so you could potentially wait 30 minutes to get your morning chai tea latte. Though you can’t get into Gelman Library from the Starbucks, its location adjacent to the building resulted in its namesake.

Ugh, I was late to my history class again because the line at Gelbucks was too long.

HelWell

The main gym on the Foggy Bottom campus is located on the corner of 23rd and G streets. For those attempting to beat the Freshman 15 and wanting to avoid long runs on the National Mall, then this is the place for you. Avoid Carvings before and after to achieve optimal results.

Hey, want to go to Helwell after class? Definitely, I need to work on my pecs.

Thirsty Thurston

A nickname given to the dorm that houses the majority of the freshman class. The dorm is particularly rowdy at the start of the semester with syllabus week and freshmen empowered by their new freedom. Whether you live with one person or five, the expectation is more fun and less sleep.

It is going to be another long Thursday night in Thirsty Thurston.

Vex

A shortened name for the Mount Vernon Express that transports students and faculty from Foggy Bottom to the Mount Vernon Campus. The Vex is a key part of every freshman’s experience, whether they live on the Vern or only travel there for the required University Writing course. For most of the GW community, the Vex has garnered a reputation for being reliably unreliable because of traffic, which means it is also a good excuse for tardiness.

Sorry professor, I was an hour late today because of the Vex.

EMeRG

The local 911 affiliate for both the Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon campuses. The organization is student-based, and you will typically hear their name on a Friday night if you, your roommate or someone in your hall, went overboard partying. If you live in Thurston Hall, EMeRG is typically camped outside the dorm on weekend nights.

It’s Saturday night again, I guess that means I’m calling EMeRG on my roommate for the third straight week.

Club G

Another name for Gelman Library. There will come a time when you need to cram for an exam, finish a presentation you’ve been procrastinating on or write a 10-page paper due the next day. In any of these cases you might find yourself working in the deep recesses of Gelman basement until the wee hours of the morning.

Guy 1: Hey man, Eden is going to be lit tonight, you coming?
Guy 2: Nah dude, got that Foster Econ midterm tomorrow gonna head over to Club G for an all-nighter.

#OnlyatGW

Refers to the social media campaign of the University that focuses on the moments that can only happen at GW. It’s a common phrase you will hear at Colonial Inauguration, but the phrase is more commonly used by students to make sarcastic jokes on their social media accounts, ranging from the topics of vomit in the elevator to when any notable person of interest is on campus.

I just saw [insert name of recognizable politician/musician/actor here] eating a salad at Whole Foods #onlyatGW.