Deciphering The SMU Jargon
One of the perplexing things about starting a new chapter at an organisation or institution is definitely the confusing jargon people spew. That, and also trying to figure out where the cleanest and nicest loos are (SOB Level 5, but you didn't hear anything from us).
We decrypt the strangest terms and jargon you'll hear along the corridors and SRs (that's Seminar Room!) over the years. Don't worry, TBNG's got your back!
SMUGGER: It isn't an official term, but this is what we are (affectionately) known by to the public and other university students. The word SMUGGER cleverly combines our schools' acronym and the word Mugger. It refers (again, affectionately) to the amount of studying we do here.
*Note to all foreign exchange students: In this part of the world, the word Mugger has a different meaning. It refers to a person who studies a ton, and revises very hard while attempting to cram information into their heads before tests and exams. We don't mug people for their belongings!
UNI CORE: Although just one letter off to the word UNICORN, the Uni Core is no myth. This term represents the heart of SMU's undergraduate education. It aims to develop breadth in thinking and to arm you with the skills needed to handle a dynamic and challenging environment. Inculcating in you leadership skills and communicative abilities are the Uni Core mods of Business, Government & Society; Ethics and Corporate Responsibility; Leadership & Team Building'; and Management Communication.
NAME TENT: In the first few weeks of school, you may have to resort to using a foolscap paper folded in half and scrawled on with a pen, but a name tent is basically a larger name tag that you put in front of you into the groove of SMU's specially designed tables. This helps professors and classmates to identify you instead of referring to you as "The girl in the back with the blue t-shirt". Over the years, you will end up collecting a handsome stack of name tents because CCAs, as well as initiatives held by CSP and OCSP fundraisers offer this as a pretty lure.
ELEARN: Elearn's primary function is being a platform for your professors to upload all your class materials: notes, slides, readings, and the like. Its secondary function is to host online exams, quizzes, and tests through a Lockdown Browser. Other than Elearn also being used for Online Participation through the Forum function, where students battle it out to make the most salient and relevant comments, it is also used to release component grades for your assignments. Bookmark it: elearn.smu.edu.sg
OASIS: OASIS is the school's administrative platform. It is an extensive site with every imaginable avenue that allows you to bid for modules (BOSS); book room facilities; apply for exchange; submit reports for your internship; keep tabs on important dates (like your exam schedule); plan your degree's advancement through the mods you intend to take and so on. Its main tabs are Study, Personal Finances, Resources, Career Development & Community Service, Student Life, and Schools & Community. If you need to check something related to school, this is almost always the site to do it at. Bookmark it: oasis.smu.edu.sg
BOSS: BOSS stands for Bidding Online System. This is the platform you access to plan and bid for you modules each semester. We even wrote this nifty guide on how to navigate through the world of bidding. BOSS can be accessed via the OASIS platform from the bar on the left hand side.
SLiMS: This isn't a sort of TAF club in SMU! It's the Student Life Management System. Accessible via OASIS' Student Life tab, this feature helps you to search for available student organisations within the school, as well as keep track of the activities you will participate in during the course of your 4-5 years here. When you are a part of a CCA/OCSP/CSP/Interest Group, your involvements and contributions as a member also goes down here into the system.
OCSP: This stands for Overseas Community Service Project. Most OCSPs are student led, and involve going overseas to countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and The Philippines - to name a few, and serving in the communities there. 'Serving' has a broad umbrella as it can include teaching the underprivileged children there, building homes for the poor, paving roads for villages, or even grooming entrepreneurs through empowering women from villages. OCSPs typically last 2-3 weeks and involve a great deal of planning and commitment in the pre-OCSP part.
FTW: FTW for FTW! The Finishing Touch Workshop is literally meant to be For The Win for SMU students. Through workshops in career planning, career skills, and self-discovery, FTW aims to help students with career preparation early on during their course of education in SMU. In the FTW 100 series (usually cleared in Year 1), students are taught more about themselves and what sort of jobs they would be suited for. In the FTW200 series (usually cleared in Year 2 or Year 3), students looks at Job search strategies; Résumé and cover letter writing; Social etiquette and grooming for success; Personal branding and networking skills; and Interviewing skills.
GSR/SR/CR: You may have seen these on your timetables and exam schedules and wondered what the difference between them are! GSRs stand for Group Study Rooms - the small rooms with a table and chairs that you see in all the faculty buildings. Meant to be used for project meetings and studying, these rooms can be booked via OASIS. SRs stand for Seminar Rooms - the rooms most classes are conducted in. They are different from the CRs - Class Rooms in the way that they have 3 levels of seating in a U shaped setting, while CRs just have a level floor with tables and chairs.
SMU-X: This term may be a little confusing as it bears a close resemblance to the name of a Constituent Student Body (CBd) that represents the outdoor adventure arm of SMU. SMUX consists of 6 teams – Biking, Diving, Kayaking, Trekking, Skating and XSeed BUT SMU-X is an initiative the school has been rolling out, with a nod to a fresh and innovative new curriculum that has a focus on learning, as opposed to the previous teaching. The X stands for eXperimentation, eXperiential, eXcitement, cross-interaction, collaboration and the unknown.
Got any other baffling terms you'd like us to decrypt for you and add to this list? Drop us a note at theblueandgold@sa.smu.edu.sg!