10 Things You Will Never Hear a University of Delaware Student Say

University of Delaware students have a lot in common with each other. We all live in the same place and go through the same struggles, while also enjoying our school’s culture and getting to experience some of the best years of our lives together. Though us Delaware students have a few crazy unique slangs, here are 10 things you will never hear a UD student say.

1. “The WiFi Here is So Reliable.”

Don’t get me wrong, the free WiFi is great. Most of the time. In most buildings it works well and no one has a problem. But sometimes eduroam (our university-wide network) decides to take a break from functioning right when you need it most, like when you’re trying to register for classes or look up directions because you’re lost.

2. “Parking is So Convenient On Campus.”

Students at UD learn very quickly how much of a headache parking can be. Lots are always filled or far away, very few spaces are free on Main Street, and parking services are oh-so generous with writing tickets. You’ll never hear a UD student praise the parking here, we’re normally cursing it for being such a pain. Play it safe and pay for your parking space, or be willing to walk. Otherwise your parking ticket debt will rival your tuition.

3. “It Never Rains On Tuesdays.”

If you don’t know, then you soon will. There is a running joke on campus that it always rains on Tuesdays. And while this isn’t literally true, sometimes it really feels like it, especially when you walk to class and get there soaking wet. Always pack your umbrellas, Blue Hens!

4. “Are You Going to the Game On Friday?”

While we’ll go to the parents weekend football game and be school-spirited for Homecoming, UD students rarely make an appearance at sporting events. We may be Division 1 but the Delaware Blue Hens are more passionate about our school dance-a-thon, UDance, than anything else. You rarely will hear a student preferring to go to a game than to a dage.

5. “Nah, I’d Rather Eat At the Dining Hall.”

Main Street is home to a plethora of delicious restaurants perfect for college students. Even freshmen, who have a stacked meal plan, would rather go to Main than the dining hall any day. It’s common to hear someone say, “I don’t have any money to spend…but yeah I’ll go to Roots with you.” Ask anyone on campus how much they spend on Main Street and the answer will be, “Too much.” Sometimes it’s just too difficult to say no to a Snap pizza or a scrumptious Roots bowl.

6. “The Walk to North Campus Isn’t That Bad.”

North Campus is part of UD, but it feels very separate. Anyone who lives on North knows it feels like it is it’s own little community apart from Main Campus. That being said, the walk can seem to last forever early in the morning on your way to class, in the afternoon when you just want to be home, or when the weather is rough. Most of us learn to take the bus, at least occasionally.

7. “The Buses Here Are So Reliable!”

Speaking of buses, those of us who use them regularly know how unreliable they can be. If you check the UD bus app and it says that a bus will be at your stop at 12:30, you need to be prepared for that bus to show up anywhere between 12:15 and 12:45. Leave early for your classes to avoid being late and try to avoid the times of day when the most people are on the bus, because you are not guaranteed a seat. If you live on North, know that at 8 in the morning you will be fighting for a seat. Not everyone is let on, so you’ll be left to wait for the next bus, or end up walking.

8. “Greek Life Really Doesn’t Have A Presence Here.”

Even if you are not involved in Greek life personally, everyone has friends who are in Greek life. Most people, at least occasionally, participate in Greek social events. Greek life is always putting on philanthropy events, raising money for UDance, running around in crazy outfits for things like AirBand, or wearing matching shirts that make everyone feel like they’ve got Deja Vu. Not to mention that everyone knows when formal recruitment is going on in the Spring. You can practically feel the stress in the air.

9. “The Dorms Here Are So Nice!”

While this is common at any school, some of the dorms here are really not so great. If you were fortunate, like I was, to live in one of the nice freshman dorms, consider yourself lucky. Several of the dorms on campus do not have AC (Lane or Thompson anyone?) and most do not have windows that open. The dining halls are alright but by the end of freshmen or sophomore year, most UD students have decided to move off-campus. Only on rare occasions you’ll hear about an upperclassman who still lives in the dorms.

10. “Our Campus Isn’t That Great.”

UD has a beautiful, traditional campus look that everyone enjoys. The Green is wonderfully maintained, the brick buildings give us the perfect college-campus look, and there are trees (and squirrels) everywhere. It’s almost impossible not to be in awe when walking on the Green. Regardless of season, UD boasts a gorgeous campus that residents enjoy and never stop posting pictures of on their Snapchat and Instagram stories. Memorial Hall (pictured below) is UD’s shining gem at the end of the Green.

Featured image source: https://udel.meritpages.com/