A: Alpha Kappa Lambda, better known as AKL

Lets take it back to the weekends of freshman year when you were pre-gaming with Mikes Hard Lemonade and Straw-Ber-Ritas in your dorm room. But where were you supposed to go after the pre-game when you didn't know enough upperclassman to attend house parties and were too young for the bars? You got it. AKL. Every freshman's dream. Forget about making a fool of yourself in front of strangers you'll never see again, you more than likely saw half the people from your classes there. Meaning Mondays were full of awkward eye contact with your classmates who saw you at your worst over the weekend, and vise versa.

B: Bingo

If you think bingo isn't something a college student would enjoy, you are SO WRONG. Students who score a BINGO can take home prizes such as groceries and cash, which are considered sacred to a college student living on a budget of $4 and ramen noodles. These luxurious prizes are what causes bingo to be the most intense (and most fun) of all game nights.

C: Cats in the River Lot

You rarely see them when theres people around, but when the River Lot is empty they can be seen hanging around under the bus shelters. Sadly they don't like to be petted, which breaks my cat-loving heart.

D: D2L

Desire2ThrowMyComputerAgainstAWall

E: Eating at the Rush

To be honest, the food at the Rush is pretty below average. We all thought it would get better once they renovated the Union, but were only disappointed. Every once in awhile there will be a Discovery Day, when future students and their parents visit campus, meaning the food will taste like a gourmet meal. Cal U students live for Discovery Days.

F: Fire Sirens

They've woken you up from afternoon naps more times than you can count.

G: Gene from Kwik Fill

Cal U students basically worship this man.

H: Homecoming

Homecoming is arguably one of the most exciting thing that happens every year at Cal. Pre-game festivities, parades, the football game, and students actually staying on campus for the weekend are what makes homecoming weekend a blast.

I: "I go home on the weekends."

This is something every Cal U student has heard. You want to ask some of your classmates or some of the people who live in your dorm hallway if they want to go out with you this weekend. Sounds fun right? Wrong. About 3/4 of them are probably going home for the weekend, just like the rest of the campus. Total buzzkill.

J: J. Cole's

It's the reason for $5 bucket nights on Wednesdays. Which also gives you a reason to skip your Thursday morning classes. 'Nuff said.

K: Kwik Fill

The sketchy gas station right off campus. Home of Gene the Kwik Fill man.

M: Monongahela River aka "The Mon"

Although it may look like a beautiful and pristine river that wraps around Cal U's campus, there is no reason to set foot in this water. Ever. Last year there were sightings of a 7 foot long alligator swimming in the river that made the Pittsburgh news. Not to mention over 1 million pounds of toxic chemicals are dumped into the Mon every year. NO THANKS.

N: National Championships

Cal U's athletic programs have won national championships not once....not twice....but four times! Softball and women's basketball have each brought home two national championships. Something all Cal U student's should be proud of!

O: Online Classes

Because whats better than not having to get out of bed or your pajamas to go to class?

P: Pierogi Soup Day

Make sure to save your dine dollars folks because Wednesdays are Pierogi Soup Days at Modeco! Once you've tried this cheesy goodness you'll probably have dreams about marrying it. It's really that good.

Q: Questioning your Future

Every college student goes through a point in which they question their entire future. Will I get into grad school? What kind of job do I want after college? Can I even get a job after college? Does this degree even mean anything? We all feel the pain.

R: Rite Aid

For all your shopping needs! That is, until you actually force yourself to drive or take the Vulcan Flyer to Walmart.

S: Spuds

Their menu is literally called "The Freshman 15". Fries, burgers, wings, milkshakes. Anything fattening and delicious, they have it. Spuds is a must after long nights out on the weekends.

T: Train

Ah, the train. Just when you think you're on time to class after parking your car in the River Lot, the train is sure to come and block you in. And if you actually have something important that day, forget it, I can guarantee the train can read minds and will block you in while going as slow as possible in the process.

U: Uniontown

Cal U's closet access to real civilization. A mere 25 minutes away.

V: Vulcan Flyers

And by "flyer" they mean coming to the bus stop 15 minutes late.

W: Wood Street

The heart of California, PA. Wood Street is considered the main street of this little town, although theres only a few stores and resembles a ghost town.

X: eXploring Pittsburgh

Cal is only 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh, making it pretty easy to be able to explore this amazing city. See what South Side has to offer, go to the Pittsburgh Zoo, ride the tram up to the Washington Overlook, or catch a Pirates, Steelers, or Penguins game. The possibilities are endless!

Y: "You go to school in California?"

"No, it's not in the state of California", "It's just in a town called California", "No, it's not a branch of the Cal U in California", "Yes, I know we have almost the same logo." The amount of times I have explained these things to people is too high to count.

Z: Zzzzzz

Make sure you're staying caught up on your sleep! Between the train, fire sirens, classes, and the weekends, sleep is usually hard to come by. So get it whenever you can (Yes, even if you're in class).