During your first days at Lexington High School, as you attempt to navigate your way around giant crowds of students, you will definitely be bombarded with typical LHS slang—words like “the mods” and “IDLC”. Hence, here is our guide to essential LHS slang terms that you should know as you enter campus.

The Quad: Probably one of the most common terms you’ll hear. The Quad is the open area that lies in the center of the campus and is home to the Sources of Strength rainbow wheel. Here, students will eat lunch on sunny days, and meet up after school or in between classes.

LMC: The Library Media Center, or the LMC, is located in the Main Building and contains everything you would expect a school library to have—including plenty of tables that upperclassmen use during free blocks. Some teachers choose to hold classes in the LMC to take advantage of its research materials and space. The LMC is open after school on most days—a popular study spot for students waiting to get picked up from school.

IDLC/SLH: The Science Lecture Hall, better known as the Independent Learning Center (IDLC), is a large lecture hall in the Science Building. Students are often assigned to work here when their teachers are absent, but you may also come here to take tests or attend club meetings.

Mods: This word generally refers to the freshmen humanities classrooms, also called the Freshman Wing, on the side of the Main Building. Most freshmen attend their English and History classes in the Mods. They are also a great place to congregate in between classes, due to strong air conditioning and clean bathrooms. The modular classrooms by the Science Building are referred to as the “science mods”. 

Free: Not to be confused with I Blocks, free periods (or “frees”) are unscheduled blocks where you can take the time to study in a quiet place like the library, meet with a teacher, or even go off campus with your friends. In short, you can just spend the time as you like. Although only upperclassmen have this luxury, underclassmen have studies where they can work quietly in an assigned classroom. 

School Store: The School Store, located in the main hallway and next to the Main Office, is where you can buy school supplies, like white-out pens, highlighters, pencils, etc. It also sells gum and LHS merch. You can earn community service hours by signing up to manage the store during school hours.

Especially during your first few days, LHS can seem like a big, confusing place. It is normal to get lost in the school! Even though they may seem intimidating, teachers and upperclassmen are here to support you. You should not hesitate to reach out if you need help finding your next class. Hopefully, with the help of this guide, you will be able to decipher LHS slang to successfully locate places and better understand your schedule.