I know too many people who have studied a foreign language for four years of high school, or maybe for even since middle school if they are lucky, and entirely forget the language after graduating and finishing their required courses. I am determined not to be one of those people, and I think that everyone should aim to remember at least the fundamentals of the language they have studied.

I was only lucky enough to begin studying a foreign language my freshman year of high school. As soon as I began, I never wanted to stop learning and expanding my knowledge of French language. I immediately fell in love with learning everything I possibly could. Between grammar, vocabulary, and tenses, it felt so fresh and intriguing to learn it in a language other than English.

So many people had criticized those like me who chose to pursue French instead of taking Spanish just because Spanish is more widely spoken in the United States than French is. Although that is a fact, the benefits of studying any foreign language are more important than choosing one that is more popular.

No matter what second language you study, I believe that learning one can change the way you think and perceive the world. It is proven that acquisition of a second language improves cognitive abilities, but I think that it also opens your mind to new ideas and perspectives that you would not typically be exposed to otherwise.

It is said that once you learn the basics of a non-native language, it can be easier to pick up other languages. This holds true in many languages, where there are distinguishable similarities in grammar and vocabulary.

Through studying a foreign language, you are also taught about the culture of the people who speak it. A huge part of what I learned in French classes was French culture — from daily life, to important holidays, to art, to landmarks and museums, to a basic knowledge of each region of France. You get to see that there is more to the world than just the United States and that each country has its own traditions and values.

Even if you never plan on traveling to the country that speaks the language you learned or pursuing a career where a second language could help you, knowing another language well enough to hold a basic conversation is a tool that can come in handy when you least expect it. You spend years learning math and try to never forget it, so why should a foreign language be any different?

I never want to be someone who says, “I studied French in high school but don’t remember anything except ‘Bonjour’”. Even if it never applies to my career, I want to keep the language of French in my back pocket just in case it is ever needed, and I never want to forget.