What I Didn't Know About Learning A New Language

What I didn't know about learning a new language

Learning a new language has it's ups and downs, but sometimes you just hit a learning wall face-first and don't know how to climb it over.

For me, this came about quite recently during my 3rd year of learning Chinese.

I'm at this frustrating stage where I can read and actually understand the nuances and more subtle points, but I can't for the life of me understand normal spoken Chinese. And I don't mean the classroom kind, where the teacher speaks slowly and clearly and doesn't use idiomatic expresssions or slang. In class 我没有问题

But when I'm talking with my Chinese classmates and friends, and they're excited or passionate about something they switch into rapid-fire Chinese mode and then they look at and I'm just frozen, staring blankly at them and not having the faintest clue as to what just happened this past minute.

I should be better at this, after all I've been studying and practicing like hell, and yet.

Maybe with time I'll get better, and be able to properly participated in a conversation. Language learning is a marathon, and not a sprint as someone once said.

In the mean time, all I can do is continue to practice and to just try get over this wall of frustration. Or alternatively grab a metaphorical hammer and just smash it.

"In chaos I find solace."

-Unknown

How to study productively: In the Library

#slavic roots western mind

As experience taught me and many people, the library is a fantastic place to study in, especially for those living in dorms with chaotic roommates.

Don't get me wrong, chaotic can be good, but not when you're trying to finish that math set, or that literature paper.

So where do we go? The library is a pretty safe choice, but how do you actually study productively there? Even the library isn't free from distractions, especially when crammed with like-minded people trying to find a place to study.

Whether it's the obnoxiously loud laptop key tapping, grating coffee slurping, frustrated sighs and the occasional sound of someone's head slamming against their books (pretty common actually, especially in the med library), the library can be full of distractions, even more so when it's quiet.

For some reason, the quieter the place, the louder the distraction.

Here's my guide to studying effectively in the library, regardless of whether you're alone or squished together with other people like a can of sardines.

Headphones, earbuds, airpods, earplugs - if it blocks noise, it's your bff

If you prefer listening to music whilst studying, whether it's swedish rock, white noise, classical piano or acid jazz - you're no stranger to blocking out noise, so continue confidently.

If you absolutely hate any type of noise and need 100% silence to focus, then still wear some type of earbuds or headphones. It might not remove the noise completely (or it might depending on the quality), but it's much better than being subjected to an entire plethora of sound.

2. Dress comfortably - save the cute fits for actual class.

"Dress comfortably" - one of the most vague statements I have ever heard of. Pjs? Sweatpants? Leggings? Whatever comfortable means to you, wear it.

Chances are you'll be in the library from morning until the evening during exam week, so comfy and loose trousers are the way to go.

3. Don't study with your friends unless it's a verbal exam or a group project.

Sit away from each other, preferably on different tables or even floors but always get together during breaks to have a quick catch-up.

Sitting together means that you'll end up distracting each other and turn a would-be productive study session into a chill hangout. It's important to make time for friends, but not when you're trying to study!

I made the mistake of trying to study with a friend in our uni library during my 1st year, and it ended up with use sending each other cat videos and silently cracking up for 2 hours before our next class. Fun, but not entirely productive.

4. Turn off your phone's wifi when studying.

Don't turn it off completely, because emergencies can happen and you may need to be available. Instead, turning off your wifi gets rid off most notifications, and if it's really that important then they can call you instead.

5. Decide in advance what you'll be studying, and bring the relevant material.

Trying to decide if you want to get started with your history paper or go over your spanish notes and whether you have the right notebook can waste quite a lot of time.

You can easily do that by using or creating a study planner to increase your study productivity, as instead of spending 15 minutes on sorting everything out and making a note in the back of your textbook that you studied this and that, you'll know exactly what to study.

6. Bring snacks and drinks - include enough water! leave the coffee alone!

You'll definitely want to have a proper lunch or dinner or a linner, depending on personal needs, but you don't want to get distracted when you're in the zone.

Here is where snacks and water come in handy. If possible, stick to healthier snacks, but if those aren't available eat whatever works best for you.

And please don't forget ✨water✨.

That headache that you usually get around, say 6ish when you're headed home? Coffee could be the likely culprit, especially if instead of water you've been chugging coffee and energy drinks like ehem, water.

I'm no doctor, but drinking your bodyweight in caffeinated drinks doesn't seem to be too healthy. I get that it's tempting (and i'm definitely guilty of drinking way too much coffe), but your health affects you and your studies. So take care, replace some of that coffee with water, and enjoy some better sleep.

7. Check the library hours.

Some library's are open 09.00-20.00, others have more specific hours, whereas quite a good few are open 24/7. If you're planning an all-nighter, then definitely check the library's working hours. You don't want to be forced to leave just when you've finally managed to get the hang of a particularly difficult concept, so plan accordingly.

8. Switch it up with your seat.

Don't just study at the same spot, try out different locations. Not only can you find the perfect spot, but you'll be more alert as your mind gets used to the new location.

College advice 📚📙📖

What's something you wish you knew or what advised on when first starting college? I'll start!

don't spend your energy on toxic people and those that actively make you feel lesser. you deserve to treated with basic human decency and dignity.

clichéd but be yourself! college isn't like highschool where you have to fit into a certain mold (at least in my experience).

explore different interests! try the journalism club or join the soccer club.

find the ideal study place on campus - whether it's the library, a classroom that's empty from 14.00-16.00 or a wholesome cafe 15-min away from campus, having alternative study places is really useful!

learn how to budget - that grocery money has to last you the whole month, so plan accordingly.

don't hide yourself away in your dorms or at home, even though it often feels so overwhelming. even going for an evening jog or a walk can be quite helpful.

create a study plan! studying can get too much, so having an outline is definitely a must during exam week.

See if you can borrow textbooks from your library. textbooks can be soooo expensive, so do ask your librarian if there are any textbooks that you can borrow.

Feel free to share any advice or suggestions! 🔮✨💯

Summer nostalgia ☾ ⋆･ﾟ:⋆･ﾟ

Backpack must-haves: College edition

Pens, laptop, notebooks, water, some cash and a charger with the odd mint or tictac chilling somewhere at the bottom of your bag.

Scrambling around, trying to find your ratty notebook, and then asking your impeccable, super organized neighbor for a pen 6 minutes after class has started only to be shushed by the person in front of you and having 10 heads swivel back and glare at you for interrupting their flow.

Sounds familiar? That was the state of my learning and my bag during my first week of uni, after which my itinerary was promptly overhauled and reorganized.

Question: If your backpack is messy and disorganized, how will that reflect on your studies in the long-run? Not great, so let's go through my back pack must-have's so that you have one less thing to stress about.

1. A pencil case with: 4x pens, 2x pencils, 1x sharpener, 1x eraser, 3x highlighters, 1x scissors, 1x small glue.

The amount and items vary, depending on your major and personal use, but an actual pencil case is a must have. It doesn't need to be flashy, or designer.

Even a plastic ziplock bag will do!

You just need a bag or a container to store your pens so that instead of scrambling at the bottom of your bag and hopelessly trying to find a working pen, you know exactly where everything is.

2. Electronics: 1x phone charger, 1x laptop with charger, headphones

One of the worst things that can happen is low batter, so come prepared! Bring along your phone and laptop charger (if you need your lapop that day) just in case.

3. Your beauty & health case

If you wear makeup regularly, you probably already have a small makeup bag with your products.

Other people, myself included should also have a smaller bag, but not just for makeup or makeup at all.

This case should have tampons, pads, a spare set of underwear and socks (you never know when the rain decides to go apocolyptic, and going back home in wet socks is unpleasant), gum, painkillers, any meds that you may need, deodorant, body spray, hand sanitizer, tissues, some emergency cash, lipbalm etc.

Once again, the actual contents may vary, but the point stands. Get a separate case or bag for your health products, so that instead of trying to juggle several items when going to the bathroom, you can just remove your case and go do your business quickly and easily.

When possible, streamline the process.

4. A full water bottle

Staying hydrated is a must, especially during the start of the school year. All the running around the campus, trying to remember in which buliding your classes are require enough liquids.

Early autumn tends to be quite hot in my region, and only starts to cool off in mid November, so my water bottle requires constant re-filling.

Your studies will thank you, as an over-heated, dehydrated student with a raging headache is rarely a productive student.

(Source: me and a few other uni students who chose coffee over water one time too many, and lived to tell the tale. Oh the regret. Anyway. Live and learn.)

5. Food

Who has time to wake up in the morning, cook a proper lunch, pack it neatly into your lunchbox, shower, get dressed, and make it in time for your morning class bright-eyed and energized?

Not many students, especially uni students commuting to class for 1-2hrs each day.

I should probably make a separate post about meal prep on a money and time budget (lmk if that'll be useful!), but the bottom line is this:

You need to eat, and the on campus cafe's usually charge an arm and a leg, so there are a few options available.

A. Cook overnight and bring leftovers and some snacks to tide you over with you. Snacks may include fruit, sandwiches, some chips etc. Small and light.

B. Live solely on pre-bought snacks. Works for some people, not so much for others. A good option, as long as the snacks have some substance (cheetos don't count! Think more like a fruit cup, or a chicken sandwhich).

C. Depending on your location, some campuses are located in a city, so a quick 10 min bus ride to a grocery store is likely to offer more variety and better lunch options. I

've certainly done that, and guess what? The daily bus ticket and my shawarma cost less than a fancy sandwhich so there's always that!

6. The stationary: Notebooks, textbooks, a planner

Your course may require you to use just one notebook, whereas you may go through 10 notebooks per term in a different class.

Look up the syllabus and email your lecturer in advance to know what material you will need.

Don't forget to include some extra notebooks for your own out-of-class studying. Using the same notebook can have varying results.

Personally, I don't need anyone else seeing my notebook filled with what appears to be incomprehensible scribblings and ramblings, when it's just me annotating my answers to practise questions.

You may like many people use an online planner, but nothing beats having an on paper entry. Besides, it's more convenient to use in those weak or no signal buildings, with wifi so weak that they shouldn't have bothered wiring the building.

7. The wallet

Campus ID, personal ID, card, cash, driver's license, health card, maybe a business card or two.

You never know when you might need any of these things, as things happen, especially on college campuses, so always carry around some cash and an ID of some sort.