Below is a list of commonly used terms around the campus for international students attending universities and colleges in the United States.
| Living, Driving, Shopping and Others: | |
| Dormitory (Dorm): | Residence Hall |
| Residence Hall: | A building with rooms rented out to students |
| Cafeteria: | Dining hall, restaurant, self-served dining places |
| Fraternity: | Social organization consisting male members |
| Sorority: | Social organization consisting male members |
| Hall: | Building |
| Recreation Center: | A facility with equipment, tools and rooms where people can enjoy sports, leisure classes, or just relax. |
| Gym: | A place to exercise, such as running on treadmills, weight lifting, aerobatic dancing, practicing Yoga, playing basketball, etc. |
| Parking Lot: | A field with parking spaces for automobiles. Some are open fields and some are parking structures with covers. Many parking lots on campus require permits, which need to be purchased. |
| Co-op Housing: | A housing plan where (student) residents collectively operate the building and units. Usually less expensive than private apartments. |
| Apartment: | A unit within an apartment building for rent/lease |
| Landlord: | Owner of apartments or rooms being rented out to others |
| Tenant: | Person residing in a rental unit, paying rent (usually monthly) based on a lease agreement. |
| Spring Break: | A one- or two-week period when schools are closed during Spring |
| Bookstore: | A retail store on campus that sells textbooks, electronics, computer software, T-shirts and other merchandise (usually with the school name and logo printed on them). |
| Grocery Store: | A retail store that sells food (mostly), including vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, packaged food, etc. |
| Supermarket: | A retail store that sells not only food products, but clothing, electronics, household items and so on. |
| Mall: | A shopping mall consists multiple retail stores and supermarkets in one building or several adjacent buildings. |
| Carpool: | Shared use of a car by the driver and one or more passengers. There may be dedicated lanes or parking spaces for carpool only. |
| Bike Lane: | Marked lane on a public road for use by cyclists. |
| DMV: | Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Car or Auto Insurance: | Provides protection against financial losses as a result of car accidents. |
| Liability Insurance: | Typically a mandatory portion of car insurance, which covers third-party claims if you are responsible for a car accident. |
| Emergency Room (ER): | Provides initial treatment to patients with critical illnesses or injuries, which may be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention |
| Urgent Care: | Provides treatment to patients with illnesses or injuries that require immediate attention but not serious enough for emergency room visit. |
See also:
