For most collegiettes, an undergraduate degree entails learning another language and with so many more options that weren’t available in high school, it can be very exciting. The ability to speak even a little bit of a second language makes you feel extremely cultured and exotic. However, there are several thoughts that will almost definitely run through your head in one, if not all, of your classes.
1) Did I just accidentally swear in front of my professor?
Obviously, learning some creative cursing in your foreign language of choice is a must. However, your instructor definitely knows what you’re saying–or trying to say. So be aware of your surroundings when your language gets colorful.
2) Will I ever be fluent?
Repeating the alphabet each morning and writing around a second grade level can get tiring and it can make you wonder if you’ll ever fit in around native speakers. With practice, you will, but for a while you’ll feel stupid saying “the hat is red” every day.
3) I actually understood the majority of what I just heard…
There comes a time in every language journey where you really begin to grasp the concepts and vocabulary. It usually coincides with the point where you start actually thinking in said language rather than just translating from your first language.
4) Wow, I have no clue what I just heard…was that the same language…?
Regardless of how far along you are, there will always be times when you will be utterly and completely lost. And that’s totally okay.
5) I just combined three different tenses, BUT my conjugation is on point.
Learning another language means conjugating verbs for hours and then conjugating them again in past tense and again in future tense. Eventually, it becomes hard to keep them isolated.
No matter how hard it seems, learning a new language will never be anything but beneficial. It essentially doubles the number of people in the world that you are able to communicate with, it looks fantastic on resumes and job applications, and it lets you see through the eyes of another culture. If you aren’t already, I cannot encourage you enough to go out and begin learning a second, or even third language!