Glossary of Drexel and Philly Terms

The following is a compiled list of terms and slang you'll hear around Drexel's campus and the city of Philadelphia.

Dragons Talk Drexel: Philadelphia
With so many restaurants, public green spaces, and cultural opportunities to enjoy, Philadelphia — the City of Neighborhoods — has something for everyone.

Drexel and Philly Terminology

Armed with this language, you'll better understand the conversations around you and will be able to sound like a life-long resident from the moment you arrive.

  • Birds, The – Slang term for the Philadelphia Eagles
  • Broad Street Line, The – SEPTA's underground subway line that runs from the Fern Rock Transportation Center in North Philadelphia to the stadiums in South Philadelphia at Pattison Station.
  • CAB The Campus Activities Board, Drexel's undergraduate student-run event planning organization.
  • CAT Building, The – The Center for Automation Technology, which connects to both Lebow and Curtis Halls.
  • DAC, The – The Daskalakis Athletic Center, named after Drexel alumnus John A. Daskalakis, is a multi-purpose recreation facility for students that also serves as home to many of Drexel's varsity sports teams.
  • Down the Shore – The beaches of New Jersey.
  • DragonFly – Drexel's yearly blow-out concert event, organized by members of the student-run Campus Activities Board.
  • Drexel 100, The – Drexel's alumni hall of fame, launched in 1992 in honor of the University's 100th anniversary.
  • DrexelOneDrexel's multi-system access portal, providing student access to personalized registration, transcript, housing, financial information, and more.
  • Drexel Central – Drexel office dedicated to helping students and their families with billing, financial aid, and registration information and assistance.
  • El, The – SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line, a partially elevated transit line that runs from the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby to the Frankford Transportation Center in Northeast Philadelphia.
  • FAFSA The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a form used to collect financial and household information in order to determine a student's eligibility for federal and state financial aid programs.
  • Fightins, The – Nickname for the Philadelphia Phillies.
  • G-Hall – Gerri C. LeBow Hall, home of the University's LeBow College of Business, which was named after the late wife of alumnus Bennett S. LeBow in 2013.
  • Hans, TheThe Handschumacher Dining Center, named after Drexel alumnus Albert Handschumacher, which is located at 3120 Chestnut Street.
  • Hoagie – A submarine or hero sandwich.
  • Iggles, The – The Philadelphia Eagles.
  • Jawn – Multipurpose slang word that can substitute for any noun, used to make your sentence sound cooler.
  • MAC – An ATM machine which, at one time, was referred to as a "Money Access Center."
  • No-Libs – Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood, located just north of Center City.
  • PISB – The Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building, named after former Drexel president Dr. Constantine N. Papadakis. The home of Drexel's biology department, PISB features over 40 research and teaching laboratories, along with North America's largest living biowall.
  • Subway, The – SEPTA's underground Broad Street Subway Line, which runs from the Fern Rock Transportation Center in North Philadelphia to the stadiums in South Philadelphia at Pattison Station.
  • U-City – Philadelphia's University City neighborhood.
  • Wooder - Philadelphia speak for "water."
  • Whiz – Cheese wiz, commonly found on cheesesteaks.
  • WKDU Drexel's renowned student radio station operating out of the Creese Student Center studio, which broadcasts on 97.1 FM.
  • Youse – The plural of "you."

Heard in Philly

Around Philadelphia, the terms "Eagles" and "Go Birds" can often be heard. But just how passionate are these Philly fans? Hear from current Drexel students and staff members through our Heard in Philly video series and find out the answer to this question and more!
hoagie

Around Philadelphia, the terms "Hoagie" and "Wawa" can often be heard. But just how meaningful are these words to locals? Hear from current Drexel students and staff members through our Heard in Philly video series and find out the answer to this question and more!

Around Philadelphia, the term "Jawn" can often be heard. But what does this Philly slang word even mean? Hear from current Drexel students and staff members through our Heard in Philly video series and find out the answer to this question and more!