What’s the age limit here? — When discussing my language-learning journey with older folks, one of the first things that I hear from them is, “I wish I had done that when I was younger; I’m too old now.” Is there a maximum age for learning a new language? Well, I find it hard to believe…

How a computer science class showed me the failings of the American school system — Recently I was taking an introductory computer science class to follow up on some self-study I had done previously. I really enjoyed the topic then and decided to take up a few classes once more. Over the duration of this 10-week class, I was made aware of a failing of…

And why it might be worth a try — About a year and a half ago I watched a video about a guy that was challenging himself to replace his daily warm shower with a frigid shower every day for 30 days. He didn’t enjoy the experience himself, but watching it made me curious. I began reading articles on…

What I’ve learned growing up as the gifted kid — I grew up as a gifted kid. I read above my grade level, spoke quickly and eloquently at a young age, and had a strong inclination toward English and science. I’ve been praised my entire life for being smarter than the other people around me, but at a certain point…

Pros and cons of remote study for language learners — Covid has ushered in a new era of remote learning and, for many of us, has forced us into some unorthodox or even uncomfortable learning situations as we strive toward our target languages. Personally, I’ve always believed that language is something best exchanged in person. When you can talk face-to-face…

Why do adults turn into brats in the DMV? — When I say that some of the worst behavior that I’ve ever seen from some of the best people has come from inside of the DMV, I mean it. Some of ya’ll who tip your waiters, say your “please’s” and “thank you’s”, and always wait patiently when cashiers are overrun…

Why the beginning feels so easy — You sit down one afternoon to take your first Duolingo Spanish lesson — this time, you won’t stop. You’re going to dedicate at least one hour to study every single day until you can put English-Spanish bilingual on your resume. And that first lesson? The easiest thing you’ve ever done…

Can studying while you’re sleeping help you learn? — If you’re a student in any way, shape, or form, and you browse youtube regularly, you’ve probably seen the 10-hour long videos that make the promise of teaching you something while you sleep. I know that while I was studying French and Japanese I listened to those “Learn a language…