AA Card - This card is placed on the cadet's door to indicate his/her whereabouts at all times.
Ace - To max a test.
ACQ - Afternoon Call to Quarters. Quiet hours from 1300-1600.
AOCD - Assistant Officer in Charge of Dormitory. A position held by a junior each day in each unit, responsible for maintaining order and quiet in the unit area during tour of duty.
Brace Up - A command given to new cadets meaning, "Come to Attention."
BRC - Breakfast Roll Call. Morning formation.
Bud - A fellow member of a class who underwent Cadet Basic Training with you. Usually ends in lifelong friendship.
Cenotaph - The large granite stone on the WWII Memorial located between the eight pylons
Cut -to have an excused absence from a Corps activity such as formation.
Dragging - The act in which a freshman bears to the right side of the hall while marching.
DRC - Dinner Roll Call. Noon formation.
Ducks - White dress pants worn with the Dress A or B uniforms.
ECQ - Evening Call to Quarters. 1900-2300 hours Sunday through Thursday, used as study time. During this time, freshmen do not sound off, and all cadets are expected to maintain quiet in the dorms.
Flag - Excessive belt material not properly aligned.
Fraternization - Socializing outside your class; being too friendly with superiors, subordinates; perfoming undue personal servitude.
Frat Lock - Lock to a cadet's room which prevents the door from closing.
Growley - Morning meal; Breakfast Roll Call (BRC) formation.
GTD - General Tightening Down, increased enforcement of regulations.
Guidon - A unit's flag or standard; the new cadet knowledge publication.
Head - bathroom
Highty-Tighties - Virginia Tech's Regimental Band
Hokie - any Virginia Tech student or alumni; Virginia Tech's mascot
Horizontal Labs - Afternoon snooze.
Hose - To get a few classmates in trouble; person who commits the act.
Kangaroo - VMI mascot, any VMI cadet or alumni
Koofer - Any test, quiz or homework saved to be used to study for future exams. Dates to early 1940s.
MCQ - Morning Call to Quarters. 0800-1100 hours. More commonly used to refer to Marathon Call to Quarters, where ECQ standards are maintained through the entire day.
OD - Officer of the Day.
OD wrap - Senior wrap where both maroon pieces are worn.
OG - Officer of the Guard.
OG wrap - Senior wrap where one crossbelt with chestplate is worn with the bottom maroon sash.
Old Corps - A condition harder than present.
Old Lady - Male cadet's roommate.
Old Man - Female cadet's roommate.
Pylons - Statues above the War Memorial Chapel.
QCA - Quality Credit Average
Rack - Bed in cadet's room.
Rakt - The act of sleeping in a rack.
Rag - To "chew out" a freshman guilty of an infraction.
Rat - A cadet who went through the system in the Old Corps; used as far back as 1888.
Rattamore - Any freshman cadet between Change of Command and the following New Cadet Week; any cadet without a new class below them.
Rat Daddy/Momma - Upperclassman who protects the freshmen from harassment.
Rat Hole - Storage area above the closets.
Rat Path - Path behind Shultz Dining Hall painted by the HT freshmen
Retreat - Evening formation where the flag is lowered.
Rock - The WWI Memorial between Brodie and Rasche, in front of the flagpole.
Sails - a handkerchief or napkin with the unit's logo on it which is worn by freshmen while under the new cadet system unit VPI beats VMI in a major sport.
Shanks Plain - Area behind Shanks Hall.
Shultz Plain - Area in front of Shultz Dining Hall.
Skipper - A senior without rank; a fifth-year cadet; the VTCC cannon.
Sound off - To give the proper freshmen call; to blow the bugle; to give a loud order.
SRC - Supper Roll Call, evening formation.
Stick or Treat - A tradition which occurs around Halloween when the freshmen give candy to the upperclassmen.
Tapped - To be accepted as a candidate for membership into an organization.
Taps - Lights out at 2300 hours; to pay tribute on a bugle to someone who has died.
Tour - A period of time served as a punishment for excessive demerits.
VT - Area between Lane, Brodie, and Rasche Halls in which all formations are conducted.
Wind Tunnel - Entrance to Brodie Hall near the Performing Arts Building, use is an upperclassman privilege.
Zebra - A high ranking cadet officer.