With every job there comes a new set of jargon terms. The University Center for Writing based Learning (the UCWbL) enjoys using jargon that plays on our name.Most students on Campus call the UCWbL the Writing Center, and that’s totally cool. We run the writing center, a super awesome resource for writers. In Lincoln Park, we are currently located in McGaw; we’ll be in the Schmidt Academic Center starting in January. In the Loop, you can find the Writing Center on the 16th floor of the Lewis Center. Most of the staff members at the Writing Center call it the UCWbL, and we like to call ourselves UCWbLers.
UCWbL is a silly name, and we like to play with words and use “UCWbL” as much as we can. An easy example of our UCWbL-based terminology is this blog’s title: UCWbLing. Stick around the writing center long enough, and you’ll likely start to hear even more of these silly sounding words from one of the Writing tutors or Writing fellows. I like to call these unique terms UCWblarney. UCWblarney has some specific characteristics: the beginning of the word starts with UCW-, and the last part of the word is a word that starts with either -b or -bl. UCWbling and UCWblarney are two different examples that follow these rules.
In my first quarter at the writing center, I have found that UCWblarney is my favorite thing. It combines both the Writing Center and playing with words, which are two things I love ferociously. I’m something of a pun aficionado, and UCWblarney has a similar feel of playing with language. Today I’m going to share a few of my favorite UCWbL terms. Feel free to stop into either of the Writing Centers to see these words in action. We’d love to see you!
I just really love puns. Some days it can be a punishment…
UCWbladder: Sometimes during appointments tutors will step away for a little while so students can write. Usually we spend this time getting a quick drink from the water cooler; we discuss writing for our entire shift, so we can end up parched! UCWbladder is when an UCWbLer drinks so much water that they have to go to the bathroom about ten different times during a single shift. As finals get nearer and coffee becomes the nectar of life, this condition becomes more prevalent.
UCWblushing: We like the people we work with at the UCWbL. If you’ve never been to the Writing Center you are missing out on meeting some really amazing people. Not only are Writing tutors and fellows awesome, they are really kind. It isn’t strange to hear a staff member complimenting a coworker. During my first couple weeks at the Writing Center, someone complimented me, and I was so suprised I started blushing. UCWblushing, that is!
UCWblanking: While tutors go through extensive training to work at the UCWbL, we’re only human, and sometimes we forget things. Whenever I completely forget a rule of grammar, I like to say that I’m UCWblanking. Don’t remember what an appositive is? Don’t worry. Even when one tutor is UCWblanking, they never hesitate to ask other tutors for help.