As a freshman, navigating my way around Tenafly High School’s large building was difficult in the beginning. After a week of walking into the wrong classes and mixing up the periods in my schedule, I finally felt like I knew what I was doing. But, right when I felt I had entered the THS flow, I heard the term “senior hall.” All I could think of was, “where in the world is the senior hall?” (Because, spoiler alert, it’s not on the map!). Soon after, I heard people talking about a coffee house. I figured there must be some new store opening up in town. Wrong! 

Here, you will find your very own glossary of THS slang, so you’ll never have to go looking around for a pit in the school, or a coffee house in town!

Coffeehouse: One of the best opportunities THS offers for aspiring musicians and performers is Coffeehouse, a day dedicated to these students sharing their passion in our very own cafeteria! Although coffee may not be sold, this year, many students picked up a bagel from the sale and sat down to watch the performances.

E-day: The THS bell schedule is complete with 5 days–the A, B, C, D, and E-day. The E-day is extra special and well known for its later start time, 8:30 a.m.! Starting twenty  minutes after the usual start time, complete with all 8 periods as well as a homeroom, the E-day is a favorite of many THS students.

IDT: An acronym for Independent Decision Time, or otherwise known as, the best thing in the entire world. It’s an entire free period all to yourself when your teacher is absent. You can spend it in the library doing work, chatting in the cafeteria, eating in town, or if the IDT is in the last block, going home early!

Lip Dub: Every three years, Tenafly High school students make a video, shot in one take, sharing school spirit through all parts of the building to a compilation of popular songs. It’s filled with excitement and energy, as the different programs of the school like arts and sports show off their tiger pride.

Madrigals: Every year, THS students who love to sing and perform come together to form the Madrigals! They spread holiday cheer by going school to school in the Tenafly district and caroling, as well as putting on their fantastic production: complete with special outfits to transport you right back into the Renaissance period.

PITT: Like the library and senior hall, the PITT is one of the staple locations at THS. The room itself has two glass walls and is one of the central spots for flyers and announcements. It’s one of the most important and most used rooms of the school with everything from cabinet meetings, Student Organization meetings, college fairs, faculty meetings, and some special events, such the American Experience class’ annual game of Axis and Allies.

Senior Hall: The most relaxing hallway in the school, with giant windows viewing the field, murals on the walls, places to sit, and vending machines to eat from. The senior hall is the place to be!

Slot: Tenakill swim club parking lot by summer, slot by school year. Arguably the most chaotic space in the entirety of THS: the senior lot! 

Tiger Q: If a Tenafly High School student ever has a question regarding a rule in the school, the best place to find an answer is the Tiger Q. The Tiger Q is a 38 page document that covers any question you could possibly ask regarding the guidelines at Tenafly, and it’s definitely worth checking out.

TigerRundown: One of the coolest parts of Tenafly High School is our MTV program. Rather than the classic morning announcements, at THS, we tune in and watch the TigerRundown, filmed daily by various MTV students. It’s available on an actual television channel and YouTube!

Tux: When I heard that my school has a fashion show every year, I was struck by excitement. Tux is a hilarious performance put on by seniors every year where emcees roast participants as they walk down the stage. Definitely not a show to miss!

Tenafly High School is certainly unique–with its open campus, huge library, multitude of clubs, and of course, its own lingo. I hope these 11 terms give you some confidence in your ability to navigate through Tenafly High School’s special vocabulary. Good luck, Tigers!