Many of us think of school as a time when we're stressed, bored, and waiting for Friday afternoons. Students all around the country complain about seemingly "useless" subjects such as foreign languages and usually think of learning Spanish, Russian, etc. as a skill they don't need to know. In high school, I would always hear things like "when are we ever going to need this?" or, "I don't understand why we have to take this class, I live in America, I'm not going to (insert country name here)."

This kind of rhetoric is so incredibly ignorant. I learned this especially my senior year of high school. After almost eight years of taking Spanish in school, I was no longer required to take it my senior year. However, in my senior year gym class, I introduced myself to a girl in my class. She didn't understand what I said so I repeated it and soon realized there was a language barrier.

When I learned that she was a transfer student who came from Mexico and knew little to no English, I suddenly felt grateful for the fact that I paid attention in my Spanish classes all those years. She and I became good friends and spoke about everything from her life in Mexico to the gym class we were both in. I was the only one in my class able to communicate with her and she even came to me for assistance when going to her guidance counselor.

Admittedly, I was little help since my Spanish was at a beginner level approaching an intermediate level, but I gained so much knowledge from that experience and becoming her friend.

Knowing another language isn't just a way to increase your education -- it's a way to increase the quality of life of the people around you.

What many people tend to forget is that the world does not revolve around the English language. The United States is not the only relevant country in the world, while it is an important one. One time, after constantly hearing that French citizens "hated" Americans, I decided to look it up to see if it was true. Across many websites, I found that contrary to popular belief, the people in France aren't inherently hateful of us, but instead are disgusted with the disrespect shown to their country from U.S citizens who go abroad.

Expecting people in Paris for example, to speak English without asking them in French if they spoke, actually makes those travelers the rude ones. How could someone waltz into another country that is known for having a different main language, and just expect the people around them to accommodate THEM? Of course, French natives would be upset -- wouldn't you?

According to these travel websites, simply speaking a few French words to show that you are trying is guaranteed to give you a more pleasant experience. Just show that you're trying, and it's enough. Chances are, you'll find many people who can communicate with you in English because people in other countries care to educate themselves in schools.

Learning another language doesn't just benefit the people around you, but it impacts your learning levels too. It is scientifically proven that learning a second language improves your brain health. So all in all, it's a win-win situation.

So next time you look at your syllabus and see that a foreign language class is required, hopefully you'll see the reason why. And I hope that you really take advantage of the opportunity you have to learn.