Oxford Indian Society

Battels: college bills, issued termly and usually containing your University and College fees, room rent, and a number of smaller items such as JCR and MCR membership fees.

Bod: the Bodleian Library in general. Also used to refer to the big square building which is technically the "Old Bodleian"

Bod card: the most important piece of plastic you will possess during your time here. This is your university ID: it will get you into Department/libraries and College.

Bop: "Big Open Party". This is the name given to parties that are open to all students of the university.

Bursary: Sends out battels (College bills), and administers grant cheques (home students).

Buttery: The operations center for the Hall. located across from the Hall.

Carfax: This is a tower at the crossroads of The High, Cornmarket, Queen Street and St. Aldates. For some reason the university likes to measure things from here, such as the number of miles radius within which you have to live to satisfy your residence requirements.

Collections: rather confusingly, the name given both to the college-based beginning of term exams that the undergraduates take and to the end-of-term or end-of-year report meetings with the Head of the college.

Finals: the last set of formal exams for undergraduates.

Formal Hall: dinner in hall but with nicer food, better clothes and wine.

Fresher: a new student who has not yet undergone Matriculation.

Governing Body: runs the College - its 'council', composed of fellows of the College. This is to be distinguished from the SCR, although in common parlance, they are usually cheerfully confused. The MCR & JCR Presidents have a seat, but no vote, on Governing Body.

The High: the High Street

High Table: the table on a raised dais in hall where the Fellows and their guests sit and eat far superior food. Some Colleges allow Graduates to sit on the High table few times a year. Gowns are mandatory.

Hilary: the Easter term

JCR: Junior Common Room - the student body (technically undergraduate and graduate, though effectively only undergraduate). Also the room where the undergraduates spend time.

Matriculation: the ceremony by which a Fresher becomes a member of the university. Involves dressing up in subfusc and listening to Latin in the Sheldonian.

MCR: Middle Common Room - the graduate body, also the room where the graduates spend time.

Michaelmas: the Autumn term

Mods: Moderations. The first set of formal exams for undergraduates. For some subjects the first set of exams is known as Prelims.

0th week, etc.: even the time is reckoned differently in Oxford! Each week starts on Sunday. 0th week is the week immediately preceding the Full Term (and it's 'noughth' not 'zeroth'). 0th week of Michaelmas is also known as freshers week. You'll get used to it.

Pigeon-hole: your mailbox in the Porter's Lodge, where all your post is delivered. To send something within the university, just write your recipient's name and college on the front, and hand it to the porter. The verb associated with your pigeon-hole is 'to pidge' (as in, please pidge me the article by Monday morning).

Porters: In most Colleges, a porter is on duty 24 hours a day. The porters are generally responsible for security and vigilance within a College. You must usually meet them if you need to Collect keys or have lost them. The porters generally know what is going on in College and are really helpful.

Proctor: the university police. Watch out because although their powers have dwindled they can still discipline you. And, worst of all, charge you money if they decide you have violated some of their obscure and byzantine rules.

Rad Cam: the Radcliffe Camera, which is the big round building next to the Bod.

Schools: Exam Schools building on High Street where nearly all graduate exams take place, and where essays, theses, and dissertations are handed in to the Proctors.

Scout: the Oxford term for the lovely people who clean for us. It's customary to give your scout a small gift at the end of every term. If one wishes for the scout not to enter one's room, the rubbish bin must be placed outside the door.

SCR: Senior Common Room - the tutors and fellows, also the rooms where they spend time.

Sheldonian: the Sheldonian Theatre, where university ceremonies such as Matriculation and Graduation take place, as well as public concerts and other theatrical events.

Subfusc: what you have to wear under your academic gown for university ceremonies and for exams - black or dark grey suit (two or three pieces) with black shoes and a white bowtie for gentlemen; trousers or skirt, white shirt, black cardigan or pullover, black shoes for ladies.

Trinity: the summer term