Walking through the campus for the first time freshmen will see the Carrier Dome, a few statues and all the big academic buildings. In the halls and underground, however, there are hidden gems and must-see spaces. Here’s a glossary to all these places at SU. 

Places to check out on the map above:

1. The D.O.: Run by students out of an old house at 744 Ostrom Ave., The Daily Orange is the university’s independent student newspaper. Split into news, sports, opinion and features, the entirely student-run operation publishes print editions four days a week and 24/7 online.

2. The Connective Corridor: This is the bus you should get on if you want to explore the city. Forget about all the other confusingly numbered buses and hop on these polka-dotted and striped buses to go from South Campus to Armory Square and everywhere in between. Newly expanded this year, the route now extends farther in downtown Syracuse in hopes of better linking the neighborhoods, cultural venues and businesses with university students.

3. ESF: AKA The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. On the southwest side of campus, nestled behind the Carrier Dome, you’ll meet students studying everything from plant life to zoology. ESF students share our campus facilities and are a part of our community. If you’re missing greenery during wintertime, check out their greenhouses for a reminder of what plant life looks like without snow on top of it.

4. Underground: In the depths of the Schine Student Center sits Schine Underground, the location of concerts, dances and meetings. Admiring the graffiti on the walls while walking down the spiral staircase to get to the Underground is a great way to kill some time between classes.

5. Panasci: One of the best places to study on campus, the Panasci Lounge — located on the top floor of the Schine Student Center — is the perfect place to cram for that Bio exam you definitely didn’t study for. Snagging a seat in one of the big chairs near the window looking toward the Hall of Languages is an art and a thing of beauty – and a popular place to grab a nap.

6. Club Bird: AKA Bird Library, this massive place of study is known for crazy weekends in which you spend hours pouring over textbooks and writing papers. The higher in the building you go, the quieter it gets. Sometimes when your friends are out drinking and making mistakes they will never remember, you will be partying in Club Bird with a psychology textbook and four Twinkies.

7. People’s Place: This is a hidden gem on the Hill. Located in the underbelly of Hendricks Chapel, this student-run coffee shop offers some of the best caffeine and pastry fixes on campus, and is the only campus spot where you can purchase Coca Cola.

8. Jabberwocky Café A bit of nonsense but not a monster, the Jabberwocky Cafe doesn’t serve food or beverages. In fact, if you want that you better get it from upstairs Schine. What was a cafe named after Lewis Carroll’s poem “Through the Looking Glass” in the early 2000’s has transformed into a secret study spot with comfy chairs, sectioned off tables, billiards for break time and a slew of vending machines.

9. Loud House: AKA The Carrier Dome, this place goes deadly loud on game day. The bleachers shake, the fraternity brothers holler and the players play. If the color orange made a sound, the Loud House would be it.

10. Faculty: Located between Bird Library and Watson Hall, the Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center, serves up the best SU-prepared food on campus. Open for lunch during the week, you can use your SUperfood card to pay for the six skillet cookies you definitely need after that math lecture.

11. College Place: Located next to Sims Hall, this is the main SU bus pick-up and drop-off point. Hop on a bus here and feel anxious as you look out the window, unsure if you are going downtown, to Destiny USA or to South Campus before you finally figure out the schedule.

12. The Junction: This snack bar located below Graham and Flint specializes in thick and mouthwatering milkshakes. They are almost worth the trek up to the Mount. Almost.

SU slang every student should know:

44: The number holds a significant history in SU football lore. Three of the greatest running backs in college football history wore the number. Jim Brown, Ernest “Ernie” Davis and Floyd Little all donned the number, before it was retired in 2005. Syracuse respects this number so much you’ll even see it used in the 443 prefix for on-campus phones.

UU: Short for University Union, it’s a student organization set out to bring you anything from movies to concerts to comedy, all either for free or a low student rate. UU is most notably known for putting together the biggest concert-turned-party days of the year: Mayfest and Juice Jam.

SA: Like student council but at the collegiate level, Student Association is a governing body that holds weekly meetings, discusses student issues, handles student funds and ultimately makes decisions that will affect the student body.

DPS: You got their flyer and your parents are happy to know they’re here: You should be, too. The Department of Public Safety is the SU form of police. Party too loud? They’ll bust it. Bike gets stolen? They’ll help report it. Lost in the neighborhood late at night and need a ride home? Give them a call for an escort or a lift. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

FYP: AKA First Year Players, this freshman-only, non-theater-major production boasts actors and singers who will make your jaw drop. Their spring musical is one of the most widely attended events on campus and their fall announcement is always an event.

Otto’s Army: Generally referring to the student section at athletic events, Otto’s Army is made up of the fiercest fans, led by the strongest giant orange you will ever meet. In the depths of winter, they can be found camping outside the Carrier Dome days before the biggest basketball games.

Compiled by Feature Editor Jacob Gedetsis and Asst. Feature Editor Katherine Sotelo

Correction: In a previous version of this article, the history of the number 44 was misstated. The Daily Orange regrets this error.

Published on August 24, 2016 at 7:30 am