The Impact of a Language Class
Starting college is overwhelming. You’re surrounded by new people, clubs, and endless academic possibilities. It’s exciting, but it’s a lot.
At eighteen, you’re expected to have your life figured out, which is terrifying. Most students I know have questioned their major at least once, if not five times.
That’s normal. Changing your major or exploring a new field doesn’t mean you’re lost; it means you’re figuring out who you are.
If you had told my first-year self I’d graduate with a Spanish degree, I would have been shocked. But learning a second language was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Finding My Path
When I first got to Marquette, I was majoring in Criminology and Law Studies. After my first semester, I became passionate about Social Welfare and Justice, so I switched majors. Shortly after, I realized my career options were limited, so I made it a minor instead and brought back my Criminology major.
Fast-forward to sophomore year, and I found myself drawn to Psychology, so I decided to add it as a minor. When I needed one more class, I saw “Spanish 1003” and thought, “Why not?”
That decision changed my academic path. By junior year, I was a Criminology and Psychology double major, but I kept the Spanish minor simply because I loved it.
Language programs are often small, which made my experience special. My professors know me by name and genuinely care about my well-being.
Every class felt personal, and I formed relationships with each professor. That connection gave me a community on a large campus that I didn’t realize I was missing.
Spanish Tutoring for Service Learning
Learning Spanish opened unexpected doors. A junior-year class offered Service Learning, so I chose to tutor Spanish at St. Joseph’s K-12 School in Milwaukee.
I tutored two sixth-grade boys who had just moved from Mexico. They spoke little English and were in all-English classrooms. The school’s students were from predominantly Latinx households, but with only one bilingual aide, the need for support was huge.
Each week, I spent two hours with them, practicing English and working on homework. Helping bridge that language gap for those kids was my most rewarding college experience.
That experience taught me that learning a language isn’t just about speaking it. It’s about understanding people, their culture, and their struggles. It’s a window into another’s world.
Self-Development and Community
If you’ve ever considered learning another language, do it. Talk to your advisor or just sign up for an intro class. You never know where it might take you.
The number of college students taking foreign language classes has dropped significantly in the past decade.[1] This is a trend I hope will change.
Learning Spanish didn’t just shape my academics; it shaped who I am. It gave me new friends and a new way to connect with people. If you want a class to change your college experience, there’s no time like the present.
[1] Natalia Lusin, Terri Peterson, Christine Sulewski, and Rizwana Zafer. “Enrollments in Languages Other Than English in US Institutions of Higher Education, Fall 2021.” Modern Language Association. 2023. https://www.mla.org/content/download/191324/file/Enrollments-in-Languages-Other-Than-English-in-US-Institutions-of-Higher-Education-Fall-2021.pdf.
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