Ciao!

by Jaclyn Bosse

We are expected to fulfill certain liberal learning credits, which means we must explore courses outside of our declared or intended major to help make us a well-rounded individual. In particular, each student is required to take a few courses in a foreign language. At first I viewed this requirement as an unnecessary obstacle to graduating, but I have come to find great value in studying Italian.

As a disclaimer, I’ve always struggled with learning foreign language, especially when it came to memorizing the different vocabulary. I decided once I got here that I wanted to study Italian because I knew a little from my experience with music and was looking to potentially study abroad later in my academic career. 

When I first met my Italian professor, I expressed my concern. She was extremely supportive and gave several ideas to assist with learning Italian. She first started showing me several free websites that had unique tactics to help with memorization. Then she also encouraged me to join the Italian club, which held events and had speaking times related to the culture. She also personally held speaking sessions which included a half hour of conversation in Italian. Finally, she also helped me contact the Italian tutor here on campus, whom I could meet with each week to review pronunciation and grammar. 

I truly enjoy my foreign language class and I am grateful to have been apart of the experience despite my initial hesitation. I understand the value and beauty of Italian, and have learned innovative tactics to study new material. I am glad to have met my wonderful Italian professor, and I have a deep respect for learning new cultures.