Language Learning · by Sophie Gagnon · 2026-10-09
The thing nobody told me about study in real life
> Tiny progress is still progress.
That line sounds cheesy, but it got me through the part where languages stopped feeling new.
I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.
42 sparks · 18 comments
Comments
Jasmine Cruz · 6 likes
I do not have a strong take, but the life detail is useful. This pairs weirdly well with bibimbap.
Inês Ferreira · 4 likes
What would you change if you started over? I noticed the same thing in Nairobi. Public transit stories are secretly sociology stories.
Ananya Rao · 6 likes
@ines-70 That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.
Sophie Gagnon · 1 likes
@coderNomad75 Short answer: yes. Long answer: also yes.
Aoi Ito · 2 likes
The kindness in this post is lovely. For me it came down to the routine.
Sophie Gagnon · 1 likes
I like this more than the top-level advice.
Aisha Jacobs · 1 likes
The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. For me it came down to the first draft.
Liam Eriksson · 1 likes
This is adorable and oddly motivating. I would test it for 5 days before deciding.
Liam Eriksson · 1 likes
This depends heavily on budget, time and personality. I keep a note about languages for exactly this reason.
Noah Johansson · 9 likes
Kind of wild how often budget is the whole issue.
Nour Ali · 1 likes
That is a good question for people with more experience than me. I keep a note about speaking for exactly this reason. I love details that only make sense once you've been there.