I'm sorry, but using old, foreign or interest specific words in day to day conversation doesn't make you smarter.

Coming back from the gargantuan four months of holidays was a bit strenuous on my brain.
Remembering how to take notes, not fall asleep during lectures and figuring out unspoken seating arrangements in all of my lectures and tutorials.
Maybe my peers are feeling the stress of switching on the academic frame of mind and need to validate their place as one of the 'smartie pants' at uni.
The point is people keep trying to validate their intelligence to me via hallway/elevator post-class conversation. They slip in some vague or obscure word, I think, in the hope that I will say "what's_____?" and they can smugly reply "blahityblah".

OH NOOO, I'M NOT AS SMART AS YOU IN THE PARTICULAR DISCOURSE YOU ARE REFERRING TO!

When I'm having a conversation with those who aren't other journalism students, I don't pull industry specific words out my butt, such as 'par' 'inverted pyramid' or 'slug'.

Ahhhh, I feel better.