Learning a second language has been one of the most challenging, frustrating, and interesting things I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been learning Spanish for a total of five years now, and not only have I learned about the language itself, but I’ve also learned about another culture and myself in the process. If you or anyone you know is considering taking on a second language, here are three reasons why you should…
1.) It makes you aware of what is going on outside of the United States.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that there are things going on other than what is happening inside of your own country. Even though we’re all used to seeing articles on the insanity of Donald Trump and the election, contrary to popular belief, there are important things happening in other countries, like the war going on in Syria, Turkey’s conflict with the Kurdistan Worker’s Party, or Libya’s political crisis over oil and gas resources. Learning a second language allows you to ground yourself and realize that there is more to life than what we see everyday in the media.
2.) It’s great for getting a job after college.
Although this isn’t the main reason I chose to learn a second language, it is definitely a notable perk that comes with it. Being fluent in a second language is something that will impress a lot of employers, and will definitely come to reward you. Although it doesn’t always feel like the late nights studying or the frustration of learning all of the grammar rules is going to pay off, I promise that one day it will. When a future employer sees that you’re bilingual on your resume, that is going to make you stand out among any other competitor who doesn’t know a second language.
3.) It pushes you to your limits.
One of the most straining and difficult challenges I have had to endure is learning a second language. It forces you outside of your comfort zone, and basically makes you feel like you’re in preschool again. You barely know how to construct a sentence, saying or writing anything grammatically correct is near impossible, and it’s really easy to feel discouraged. However, despite the challenges, it pushes you to limits you didn’t think you were capable of reaching. Never did I think I could write a three page (coherent, I might add) essay on a foreign conflict, nor did I think I would ever be able to have a political debate in a language other than English. It’s a bumpy road, but you will make it eventually.
Now that you’ve read my shameless plug for learning a second language, I hope that take some time to consider accepting the challenge. It takes perseverance, dedication, and countless hours of work, but it is nothing you can’t handle.
