The Challenges and Strategies of High School Language-Learning

 Hey guys! So it's been awhile-about a month since I last posted. College apps have been super crazy, but we have fall break this week and I'll be able to work even harder on this project starting then. I want to have my applications in by the end of that week: crazy! I have been finding little ways around textbook usage for the time being, watching new series in Korean and learning vocabulary from songs and podcasts. I've been finding it very helpful for the periods when I don't have time or energy to pour over textbooks. I reached out to my Korean-speaking friend recently, and he agreed to help me with any Korean questions I have, and I plan on texting him a lot over fall break to test out new vocabulary. I'm really excited!

The biggest challenge I have encountered so far is finding that balance between working on Korean and other things in my life. I have definitely let it fall by the wayside recently and I'm not proud of it. It is definitely a recurring theme that I struggle with learning by myself with no class structure. I try to work on at least vocabulary in class, but it becomes really hard to absorb all of it. I have been watching K-dramas and been understanding a lot more than I thought I would, but I really need a tutor and I'm not quite sure how to find one. I know I have a friend to talk to, but he can only help so much. I'm going to counter this by really cracking down on my studies during fall break. I'll have no classes to distract me from doing the work that will get me back on track. I just need to sit down and put several hours in, because once I get back on track I will be able to stay on track. I just need that push, and maybe more people to talk to and more accountability partners.

This type of issue has made me worry about my future with language-learning. If I can’t keep on track here how will I keep on track with my future studies? But I think it’s important at this point to remind myself that I’ll have a language as my college major, not a side project, and that learning definitely fluctuates over time. I feel good about my progress right now, and I know if I really kick this into gear this upcoming week I’ll be able to make my goals by the end of the year. What I need to do now is open my textbooks every day this upcoming week. 

Speaking more on what I have been doing lately, I am finishing up the wildly popular show Squid Game and it has been really fun to practice with. I have been watching it with my mother and she's been having me repeat all the phrases for her slower so she can try to pick it up too. I enjoy learning like this! It really makes me focus into the words I understand more than just watching the subtitles go by (because let's be honest, these subtitles were really subpar). Plus, this is much more entertaining than reading a textbook for an hour. I've also re-visited some old vocabulary lists for the TOPIK as well as some podcasts and I've been breezing through them better than I thought I would be at this point. I guess I've still got it!

I’m going on a college visit this week to Missouri! That car ride will be the perfect opportunity to do some learning. I can also listen to a lot of music on the ride and not feel guilty about wasting study time doing other things. I will definitely work on some song translations down there. It’ll be a sizable drive, so I am excited to document what I can get done there.

I will be kicking up my Korean learning a lot this next week, so stay tuned for a lot more status updates than in the past month!