Rhodent Slang

This is an alphabetical list of common (and some not-so-common) Rhodent words. If you have any for me to add, please leave a comment!

Arb
Short for 'arbitrary'. Usually refers to a subject that a student is taking merely because they need an extra credit and not because they enjoy or need that particular subject.

Average
A descriptive word that means, well, average. It can be applied to almost any noun e.g. "OMG that exam was so average..." or "Last night's party was so average." It is generally a negative term.

Bicycles
The bicycle statue found on the Rhodes lawns; commonly used as a meeting place e.g. "Meet me at the bicycles!"

BP run
As in the petrol station BP. When the hunger pangs hit at 2am after a long night of partying/studying, BP is usually the only place open. A BP run refers to a trip to BP to buy food. When Friars closes on a Saturday morning, one can often find most of the drunken, partying students at BP.

Bungi
Similar to hippy. Bungis (pronounced 'bungee' with a hard 'g') usually walk around barefoot and often have dreadlocks.

Cotch Creek
Described on the website as a 'scenic river' this little creek flows past Jan Smuts house, which is infamous for its resident wild-party-animals. After a drunken night out many people (allegedly) find this to be a convenient spot to throw up. (Lovely, I know). I have also heard of people drunkenly slipping and falling into Cotch Creek, which cannot be fun.

Crackling
Also known as "Autumn Harvest", this wine is around R17 for a bottle. It is known as an end-of-the-month drink, when one has run out of money and can no longer afford alcohol.

Dawnie
A lecture in the first period of the day (starting at 7:45am).

Digs
A house/flat inhabited by one or more students. Many older students choose to go this route and move out of residence.

Digs formal
The closest one will get to a 'formal' party arranged by students. Residents of a digs traditionally find each other dates and have to dress to a particular theme. Drinking games are played - many of which include dodgy actions and removing of clothes - and no one leaves sober. It is also an unwritten rule that you have to score your date, which is usually included in one or more games.

Digs warming
Like any house warming, a digs warming is a party held towards the beginning of the year to celebrate moving into a new digs.

Dinosaur clubbing
A younger student (male or female) hooking up with an older student. This applies mainly to undergrads hooking up with postgrads.

Epic
A really amazing or unforgettable thing/event e.g. "Last night's party was epic!"

First year spread
The weight that the majority of students put on during their first year in residence. Or just in varsity. The most common theory on why this happens is that after years of having to eat what your parents cook, most students go overboard and start eating terribly unhealthy meals.

FOMO
Stands for Fear Of Missing Out. This is usually cited as the reason why many students choose to go out despite having large amounts of work/studying.

Friars
Friar Tucks, a well-known local club.

Give bat
To turn someone down for a hookup or lunge.

The Greens
A well-known and very large block of flats, frequently rented by students who want to move into digs.

Lunge
To (usually unexpectedly) make a move to kiss someone. Random lunges are common in Friars. This word can be used either as a noun ("Did you see that lunge?") or as a verb ("He lunged me!"). Lunges aren't always successful.

Mare
verb: to party wildly e.g. "We're going to mare tonight!"
noun: a huge party e.g. "Last night was a serious mare..."

Nap
To take a short sleep in the afternoon

Naps
To spend the night in the room of someone of the opposite sex. There are three distinct types of naps.
1) Convenience naps: to stay over in someone's room because you were too drunk/lazy to walk home. There is no romantic or sexual connotation.
2) Innocent naps: to stay over in someone's room and partake in making out and cuddling. This is common among the more sober female students when they find themselves in the bedroom of someone they have a crush on.
3) Traditional naps: similar to innocent naps, but including any form of sexual activity.

Number hunter
An older Rhodes term that refers to a girl who only dates/hooks up with guys in a first team e.g. first team rugby.

Seal-clubbing
An older student (male or female) hooking up - or more - with a first year.

Second-year shed
The remedy to first year spread; after putting on the enormous amounts of weight in first year, most students tend to 'shed' the wait in second year. Not all, but most.

SSS
Slipstream, the alternative nightclub.

Union
The Rhodes nightclub, found in the Steve Biko building. Apparently mostly frequented by first years and Drama students.

Walk of shame
The embarrassing walk out of res that one must endure the following morning after having naps. It is usually easy to spot girls doing the walk of shame on their way home, because not many girls wear high heels and day-old makeup at 8am on a Saturday/Sunday. In some guys' residences the boys will line up outside the door and slowly clap as the girl exits. Note: it is rare that girlfriends have to perform the walk of shame, as other guys in the res usually become accustomed to seeing that particular girl around at odd hours of the morning.