Do you remember when you were a child and were excited and nervous for your first day of school? The first day of school can always be stressful, but when you are an international student studying in the U.S., it can be even more intimidating! Use our tips for international students going back to school and you will feel comfortable in your classes very quickly. To celebrate going back to school, we are also including some phrasal verbs with the verb “back.”

Tips for International Students Going Back to School

Study the subject-specific vocabulary before class

Once you know your class schedule, start studying the specific vocabulary related to these subjects. For example, if you are taking an American History class, perhaps read some online articles or blogs about American history. Try listening to a TED Talk about this subject or watching a lecture online. Keep a list of the words that you learn: you will probably hear these words during your class.

Introduce yourself on the first day

Arrive to class a little early and try to introduce yourself to at least one person. Don’t be afraid to explain that you are new and that you don’t know many people: Americans are friendly and love to talk (and help when they can)! You will be surprised at how many people you might meet.

After class, try to introduce yourself to the professor. If you have a question about the lecture, you can ask him or her your question after class, send an email, or visit your professor during office hours.

Join study groups

People in your class will probably create study groups. Use the class online forum to find information about this or create your own study group and invite people to join.

Buy your books immediately

It is very important that you have your book and do all of the reading. Make sure to buy your book immediately: if you have time after your first class, go to the bookstore and buy it. Prepare to wait a long time because the bookstore can be very busy the first few weeks of school.

Some students prefer to buy their books online. This can be risky because there can always be problems with orders and shipping. We recommend buying your book from the campus bookstore. You will have your book immediately, and you won’t have to worry!

Do all the reading before class

Now that you have your book, begin reading immediately. You never want to be behind on the class readings!

 

Phrasal Verbs with “Back”

Back away

Definition: to retreat; to go backwards.

Example: He backed away from the dog slowly.

Back down

Definition: to retreat or withdraw your opinion in an argument or fight.

Example: It looked like there was going to be a fight, but then one of the two cats backed down.

Back out of

Definition: to fail to keep an agreement or arrangement.

Example: The celebrity backed out of the movie and now they are looking for a new actor.

Back up

Definition: to support someone.

Example: The International Education Center really backed me up when I was applying to Diablo Valley College.

Back up

Definition: to make a copy of computer data.

Example: Make sure to back all of your essays up: you don’t want to lose them if your computer breaks.

 

To all of our IEC@DVC students, welcome back!