I have a confession to make.
I’m actually one of those early-ish adopters of Duolingo. I have been a user since 2014, and have been studying languages on and off. After jumping back on the Duolingo train and celebrating (internally) a 51 day streak, here are the three stages I went through.
Stage One — It’s so bright and new!
That feeling of logging in years back and discovering that there was a way to monitor language progress other than books was thrilling. At the time, I was solidifying my Japanese and was ready for a tool other than textbooks. Using Duolingo every day provided a nice esteem boost and I liked knowing that every day was a day closer to complete fluency.
Stage Two — Wait…why are my orbs cracking?!
Then came the lethargy of constantly going back and reviewing older material to the point where it got boring. Logging in was more of a chore and despite being a bit on the competitive side, I lost the gusto to score high every week in the leadership boards. The luster of what was once a shiny and new game was gone.
Stage Three — This is…fine.
It is only this past year where I rediscovered my love for Duolingo. It has gotten to the point where I accept it for what it is. At the beginning of my language journey, I took everything to seriously and forgot the most important aspect of learning a language — it’s not worth it unless it is fun. Now, I enjoy Duolingo even more than I did in the beginning and love brushing up on my Japanese and Korean every day. Sometimes, I even sneak in some French for nostalgic high school class memories. Either way, it is a fun experience.
To all of the language learners out there, please remember to take it one step at a time. At the end of the day, learning is an enriching experience, and I hope that you have a blast every step of the way.
