Have you ever thought of learning a new language? Then, we are in this journey together, so let me share my journey here.
As I write this today on a rainy Wednesday in August, sitting by the window, with the balcony door open, I find solace in the sound of the drizzle outside. Today, I take a long breath and realise how far I’ve come. Looking back, especially at the people I met over the past year, I realise they made a huge difference in my life. Over the last ten months, I tried different things. I did freelance writing for a travel company, and I also enrolled in a language school.
Let’s give it a try!
I enrolled in my German A1 course in November, almost nine months ago. I didn’t think much about it, but since I had to register within seconds, I mistakenly selected online classes. But I’m glad that I did that; I met wonderful friends who I am still in touch with today. I am also grateful to my teacher, who encouraged me throughout this initial journey.
Chasing Success: Does it mean the same to everyone?
People often associate language learning with age. Most people said that by this time I had to reach the peak of my career and starting something completely different was not a good idea. But no, I did the same, which not everyone liked. I joined a language school, and those two months and fifteen days went by in the blink of an eye. The initial days were obviously interesting as you learn new small words and greetings, but at times the grammar rules and grammatical gender rules gave me a headache. Only a language learner can relate to this feeling.
Learning a new language is, in itself, an emotional roller coaster. One day, you feel motivated; the next day, you feel like giving up. I still remember my A1 exam day. I was so nervous. I don’t know why, even after giving so many exams in my life, I still get so nervous. Finally, the result day arrived, and the email from my language school gave me a ray of hope and joy to start the next new level.
Enjoying the journey, meeting the best people
Then my A2 class began. In the initial days, we all were struggling since the transition was huge. There were more grammar rules and much more vocabulary. Also, with each new level, you meet new friends and a new teacher. By the time you get comfortable with one teacher, it is already time to go to the next level. I know the transition takes time, and the process of getting to meet new people at every new level is exciting. I would say that in A2, I met the best group of friends, as there was a balance between chaos and silence. Yes, we would argue, but simultaneously had fun changing our seats every single day. They were very young, but we connected well with the language, and I was very comfortable with my friends as well as my teacher. She simply had a great personality, a great sense of humor, and great energy. Finally, you face the exam, and waiting for the result is always the hardest part. I could not even sleep that day the result was out, as many did not make it. So, language learning is not an inborn talent; it depends on how consistent you are and how well you plan your preparation.
Navigating Change and Keep Going!
Each level has its own challenges and fun parts. For me personally, in A1 I struggled to form sentences, in A2 I struggled with connectors and verb placement and “ts” pronunciation, and in B1 every section started to feel difficult. But with consistency, nothing is impossible; everything is achievable. Consistency beats motivation. So, if you are into something even if it is hard, don’t just wait for motivation to start; just do it. You cannot change your life simply by thinking; you need to act to see the change you need.
I completely understand it can be very daunting to start and keep going since we expect the result early or reward too soon. But everything has its own tempo. You cannot force something to happen to you that is not meant for you. So trust your hard work and work on it without too much overthinking. I do overthink a lot, but these days I do what my first instinct tells me to do. If I keep having second thoughts, I start choosing the wrong option, which ultimately leads me to make the wrong decisions. The same thing happens in the hearing section of my exam. I start thinking too much, and that leads me to tick the wrong answer always.
No Shortcut: But Consistency
Many times the thought pops up, “Can I really do it or am I too late for this?” But no, don’t let these doubts overshadow your achievements. I am not an expert advisor, but my advice to anyone trying to learn a new language is: do not think too much, just go for it if you are really interested in it. You just need to be consistent, be patient, and simply fall in love with the language- or simply learn it while having fun.