How to Properly Learn a Language at College for Good

As you’re studying in college, it’s the perfect period to master something apart from daily learning during lectures. As a student, you have quite a lot of free time at your disposal, so, if you’ve ever wanted to learn any particular language, then right now is the time to do it.

Learning a second language not only opens a lot more social opportunities and pathways to whole regions, but it also positively affects your brain health. Here are our tips that’ll streamline your language learning process to the max!

Online Resources

The web contains tons of places where you can readily learn whole new languages without paying a dime for it. The most popular systems are integrated web apps designed specifically with education in mind, encompassing TripLingo, Memrise, and Duolingo.

You can learn with them either from your PC/Mac or your smartphone of choice. These apps gamify the experience of language learning, which makes it highly engaging and fun. These apps should be your first destination for everything related to language learning.

Classes, Classes, Classes

Then, there are, of course, the free language courses offered by your college. Sitting in a classroom and working through topics might be a better option for you. Not everybody is susceptible to learning through gamified apps, which is completely fine. If your college offers free language courses in a language that you want to learn, go right ahead and apply!

Dive Into the Language’s Culture

We’re going to share a language learning secrete with you – learning and mastering any foreign language is at least 80% self-education. Yes, initial classes or online apps can get you started, but your ultimate goal is to speak a language fluently, and you can’t get to that level only via these methods.

You must explore the language’s culture because that’s where all the intricacies of the language reside. Movies, contemporary and authentic (!) books, and podcasts contain the live language you’ll want to speak at the end of your language learning journey. So, dive into this as soon as you can.

Get Yourself a VPN

Which movies or TV shows should you watch? And, most importantly, where can you watch them? If you don’t want to pay upwards of $20 every time you want to see a foreign movie or TV show, then get a subscription to a VPN.

VPN (Virtual Private Network) – masks your real connection and location, letting you “choose” where you want to be online. This allows you to access content that is previously hidden from you. For example, Netflix will show much more purely Spanish movies to you if you choose your online location to be in Spain.

Concentrate on the Language Studies

Don’t be afraid of using a paraphrasing service if you want to take off your college assignment load to concentrate on language learning. The more menial and boring tasks can be delegated to someone else while you can devote your time to learning a language.

Become Friends With an International Student

If your college attracts many international students, seize this opportunity and get yourself an international student friend! You’ll have the direct ability to practice the language with a native speaker and learn the live language. You’ll not only improve your proficiency with the language, but you’ll help an international student feel safer and more welcome in a new country.

YouTube as a Learning Aide

Netflix or its analogs are great, but YouTube is even better for language learners. The movies and TV series found on Netflix may not contain all the newest slang terms and phrases that the contemporary native speakers use. The foreign YouTubers, on the other hand, are perfect for this single reason.

Furthermore, with YouTubers, you can participate in their subscription base and interact with other commenters. You’ll learn a lot of new and unfamiliar abbreviations and internet slang terms, particularly for that language, we promise.

Traveling Is a Perfect Option

Your language tutor, online media, movies, books can all be a great source for initially getting a handle on the language. However, one way to drastically improve your foreign language speaking skills is by traveling. This is by far the best way to learn about a foreign language because you’ll be so immersed in it.

On most occasions, you’ll have no choice but to speak the language you’re learning because many people don’t know nearly enough English to hold a meaningful conversation. This is the last step in becoming a fluent speaker of a foreign language.

Don’t Give Up!

The first steps towards learning a language will be very hard, especially if it’s your first foreign language. However, as you get through this hurdle, learning and using this new language will become increasingly fun. So, don’t give this idea up and learn a new language during college.