Posted on by mnette

Please Talk To Me About the Library, I’m Begging

Header image of the New Books display on 12/9/25 featuring titles Between Two Rivers, Dirty Kitchen, The Silk Road, Black Craft, and so on.

 

When people ask me “What’s your favorite thing about the library?” I never know what they expect to come next. What would the normal answer be in this situation? The basic ‘It’s a quiet place to work’? The lackluster ‘The study rooms are useful’? I never know what level of enthusiasm my conversation partner is expecting of me but I do know my response is always unexpected. So please dear reader, allow me to avail you with my genuine, unadulterated excitement with the many mundanities of the UWB/CC Campus Library. 

Books! In the Library! Can You Imagine?

Unsurprisingly one of my main library fascinations is with the books that line the shelves. I realized very quickly as a child that a shelf full of books was the closest thing to heaven in my eyes. From the many picture books I hoarded under my bed to when I had my own bookshelf full to the point of bursting, I always found solitude in their mere sight. Now, I realize why; a full bookshelf is a guarantee of even just a moment of escape. The idea that a few hundred pages could hold the entirety of a world within their ink that I didn’t have to build brick by brick myself was (and still is) so deeply comforting. I’ve got a penchant for fiction with all its lessons to be learned through (unreal) experiences, but even the non-fiction with all their mind-numbing reality have a place in my collection. No matter the genre was always something new to know, an instant of understanding that would eventually bloom into a deeper curiosity. As a result of this, I’ve always seen the library as a magical place. Every book, movie, and game on its shelves was like a doorway – a portal even – to another world.

A highlight of working in the library is getting up close and personal with the way it runs; where everything is, who works there, what goes on behind-the-scenes. At this point I’ve done enough loops around the building to direct someone to a study room from memory alone. I also have developed my own very detailed opinions on each area; here are a few of my recommendations as a bona fide UWB/CC Campus Library expert.

My Humble Recommendations

First Up: Graphic Novels!

This section is full of easy reads and art even easier on the eyes. We’ve got a surprisingly expansive selection of manga and even anime in the DVD section if that’s your thing, but there’s also some really interesting artsy-fartsy adaptations of classic books. The graphic novel’s section is undoubtedly the most beginner friendly part of the library’s collection.

Take a Break on the Journey: LB2 hidden desks

In the slim walkway behind the N-Z shelves of LB2, a row of individual work stations line the wall. These are by far my favorite places in the library to study and many people seem to agree since they’re occupied nearly EVERY afternoon during the week. They provide a privacy the other study areas don’t and more often than not you’ll be able to score a premium spinny chair. Many papers have been drafted here, and let’s hope there are many more to come.

Peace and a View: Study rooms 305 & 308

Study room LB2-305 is my preferred choice when reserving a room with LB2-308 coming in at close second. 305’s big whiteboard, cozy chair, and view of the campus garden makes it a really effective study space. Since 308 is further into the wing of 308 it feels similarly peaceful but since its door faces outward rather than offset like 305’s, it feels a bit too exposed for my own taste. 

Pick a Book! Any Book! : Sections B, H, and P

I know, I know, way to choose the whole library. But, seriously! Maybe it has to do with these sections being full of my direct area of study but they really are my favorite. The vibes between their shelves are infinitely more comforting than whatever is going on in the Mathematical QAs. In the Library of Congress Classification system Bs are Philosophy, Psychology, Religion; Hs are Social Sciences; and Ps are Language and Literature. Now that I think about it there is definitely a through-line here so if you’re also a humanities major you should check out a book or two.

Yeah, I like the Library A Lot..

And, I hope I could instill some of my fondness for it into this short blog post. Everything I’ve mentioned thus far is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my many thoughts and opinions of everything UWB/CC Campus Library; hopefully in Winter Quarter I’ll be able to avail you with the gritty details of choosing the perfect study spot.

 

Until Next Time,

Prince Netters

Posted on by cvera2

Motivation, Burnout, and the Expectation to Be Perfect in College

My parents always emphasized the importance of education. They often talked about their dreams of becoming engineers or pharmacists, but circumstances beyond their control prevented them from pursuing higher education. Because of this, I took on the responsibility of achieving what they couldn’t, and experiencing the privilege that is attending university.   

For years, I internalized the idea that my academic success wasn’t just about me, but rather about honoring their sacrifices. Any setback felt unacceptable, and whenever I felt stressed, I would tell myself that I didn’t have the right to feel that way. But this kind of thinking only pushed me further into exhaustion.

This brings up the question: At what point do we acknowledge our limits? When do we allow ourselves to take a break, to recognize that education is important, but so is our well-being? 

Expectation to Be Perfect

For first-generation and low-income students, the pressure to succeed can feel overwhelming. It’s not just about doing well in school, it’s about proving that all the sacrifices made for you were worth it. You hear stories about how a degree used to be enough to land a good job, but now, success seems to require perfect grades, multiple internships, and networking, all while balancing work and financial stress.

The reality is that no one can do everything, yet there’s always that thought that you could be doing more. The expectation to be perfect can be exhausting, and when you inevitably fall short of these impossible standards, it feels like failure, even when it isn’t. 

What is Burnout?

It is important to understand the difference between stress and burnout. Stress is a temporary feeling which eventually diminishes once the task causing you stress is completed. However, when you are constantly confronted with stress, this will build up over time, and this is when you begin to experience burnout. Burnout is more than just feeling tired; its mental exhaustion, loss of motivation, and a negative attitude towards your work.

Sometimes we have to go even further, and look at the specific factors that contribute to this burnout. Financial stressors contribute greatly to the feelings of burnout, according to recent studies, 68% of students worry about their ability to finance their education, 55% of students work part-time jobs to support their studies, and 40% of students report that financial concerns negatively impact their academic performance.

Family expectations also add a layer of stress. Many of us grew up hearing that education is the key to success, that it’s a privilege we can’t take for granted. Sixty-five percent of students report pressure from family expectations to excel academically, and while education is a privilege, it doesn’t mean we should be sacrificing our well-being in the process.

How Do We Deal With It?

Firstly, recognize the signs of burnout as early as possible. Pay closer attention to when stress begins to turn into something more serious. Feeling tired after a long day is normal, but if you notice you’re starting to lose motivation or are constantly drained, it’s a sign to take a step back and implement self-care techniques. Prioritize your well-being, so you can feel prepared to take on any task that comes your way.

Unrealistic goals are one of the greatest contributors to burnout. Prioritize making SMART goals, goals that you know you can accomplish and always be working towards. If we view our expectations as one large end goal, it will seem daunting and overwhelming, but you can create stepping stones to reach them. Make smart goals, achieve them, and learn to be patient with yourself. Here is a guide on how to create sustainable and realistic goals, also categorized as SMART goals.

bitesizelearning.com

Redefine success, success isn’t just about grades or resumes; it’s about growth, learning, and resilience. Your worth is not determined by a single test score or GPA. The best learning experiences often happen outside the classroom, so give yourself permission to explore and grow in ways that aren’t tied to academic performance.

The campus library also has a great selection of books about handling stress, burnout, and increasing motivation. Check out our Life Skills section on the first floor of the library to find titles that may be helpful to you. If you have any questions, staff at the information desk will always be happy to help. Some interesting titles include:

As always, seek support when needed, whether its from professors, advisors, or mental health resources on campus. If burnout is seriously impacting your life, make use of campus resources that can help guide you through these stressful times.

Final Note

Education is important, but your performance should never define you or your worth. As someone who constantly needs this reminder, I understand the dread of not performing well on an exam or assignment. I’ve spent countless nights calculating my GPA and figuring out what scores I needed to maintain good grades. However, education should be about learning and enjoying the process. It extends beyond what you learn in school; it includes your hobbies, the books you love to read, and the media and art you enjoy. When we pursue these interests, we sometimes feel like we should be doing something more productive, but you should never feel guilty about doing things that make you happy. Study hard, but most importantly, take care of yourselves!

 

References

30+ Eye-Opening Student Burnout Statistics That Demand Attention in 2024 – Brooklyn, NY. (2024, September 18). Crown Counseling. https://crowncounseling.com/statistics/student-burnout/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-0

Posted on by Cesar

What Helped Me Stay Organized as a Student at UW-Bothell

 My time here at UW-Bothell has been quite the journey. I developed many new skills and experiences as I embraced coming and dorming here from my hometown. To me, it is still unbelievable that I will be graduating this spring quarter! Time goes by fast and each time I think of this, I still remember the chaos of my high school graduation and senior night. I knew that participating in the Running Start program at my community college would set me up for the ability to advance in college credits so that I would be able to graduate early. However, it is still shocking to see that in a couple of weeks, I will be walking across the stage. 

 This past academic year has proved to me that time goes by fast and that it is important to take advantage of each given moment. With this being my last quarter here at UW-Bothell, I wanted to share some of my skills and tips that I have developed and embraced throughout my two years of being here. 

Something that I used each day during high school that has stuck by me to this very day is: a planner. I find that by having a planner, it makes everything a lot easier. Not to mention that it can also help you develop other skills like organization, time-management and reduced stress/ procrastination. This can certainly help especially if you are a college student with a hectic schedule filled with demanding homework deadlines. 

When it comes to using a physical or an electronic planner, I personally enjoy a physical one. I like to have the physical copy of my planner so that I can customize it to my liking and so that when I do check things off, it feels more of an accomplishment. Not to mention that for me, having a physical planner is more aesthetically pleasing to have and it keeps me accountable for being consistent with planning out my weekly schedules. 

 

Weekly Planning For Beginners And Pros - Bordio
Image Captured from Bordio.com

Let me take you through my process when it comes to using my planner. To start, I enjoy planning my week every Sunday. This is so that I am aware of what is happening throughout the week ahead of me and so that I’m able to see what I have to get done for that given week. I am also able to prioritize my assignments to see which things require more attention. 

Every day, I like to start the day off by going to the gym. Incorporating weight training into my schedule is a way for me to take time for myself and for my health. I like to set aside about two hours of my morning that is dedicated to this. Within my planner, I write down “Gym @ 8am” for each day, Monday-Friday. This helps me be accountable for getting up in the morning and tackling the day with a good workout. 

Next, I like to write down my scheduled times for my job and for any lectures. With this, and the gym, I like to do a check box on the left-hand side so that once I finish this task, I can sigh relief after I have checked it off. When it comes to class assignments, I like to write them down on the days that they are due during the week, along with the times as well. I find that having Canvas opened to the monthly setting helps me get a clearer picture of how many things I have to do. It also gives me the ability to have some insight the week after to see if there are any important exams, projects, events, etc., need to prepare well in advance. 

Due to the majority of my coursework having deadlines on Sundays @ 11:59 pm, I’ve noticed that the Sunday box within my planner usually has more writing within it. To help manage my time with my classes, and with what I have assigned, I like to color coordinate my classes and assignments. What is nifty about this is that it makes my planner more organized and appealing to the eye. 

Whenever I have additional things that occur during the week, I also like to write them down so that I do not forget. This usually includes any scheduled times that an event or a meeting will happen. As a busy college student, having things written down is important because it helps me manage my time and priorities better. 

 

Photo of my planner for the week of May 20th – May 26th

Having a planner with everything laid out helps me with my routine. I am very routine-oriented, and I like to know what has to get done during the week so that I don’t rush or procrastinate at the last minute. I carry this around with me in my backpack so if there is anything I need to check off or update, I can do so.

Reflecting on how my planner has helped me throughout college, I developed new skills and strengthened some of the skills that I currently have. A new skill I developed is multitasking, and a couple that I have strengthened are prioritizing my objectives, organization, and time management. Some of the skills were ones that I already have, but with the help of a planner, I’ve noticed how it has helped me strengthen my skills because I can get a head start for the week and see which assignment deadlines were high and low-stakes. 

Learning these skills is something that I didn’t adapt to easily. If I were to pull out my previous planner, the resemblance would be apparent as it has taken me time and effort to implement exactly what I was looking for in terms of developing a routine, planning, and organizing. I think we underestimate the power of the planner. It is such a prime way to stay organized and consistent. The nice thing about a planner is that it only suits you and you. It contains your work, schedule, meetings, appointments, etc. A glimpse into your life on paper is the way that I like to think of it.

Looking at the planner example below, one thing that stood out to me was that the creator included a “Rest Day!” on a weekend day. I think this is something that I could see myself doing for the future of my planner because it’s such a great written reminder to prioritize ourselves at the end of a crazy and busy week. 

Some of these techniques were effective for me when it came to using my planner and I hope this blog post can inspire and help any new and current students who are thinking about using a planner or need some guidance to get started. 

Happy planning! 

 

Image Captured from Korrashay.com

 

Resources to help you get started on your planning journey:

Resources for UW-Bothell Students: 

Resources for Cascadia College Students: 

Posted on by monsea

Attending Community College Doesn’t Have to be Shameful

Graduating from high school is a well-known life milestone. At this point in your life, one of the most frequently asked questions that you receive is “What university are you going to?” This question can be intimidating for many reasons. Some people aren’t committed to a university yet, some people aren’t pursuing higher education, and maybe some people are going to their family’s long-time rival university. For me, however, this question was intimidating because I wasn’t enrolling in a university: I was enrolling in community college.

For as long as I can remember, community colleges have been perceived as the schools for delinquent students who will end up working dead-end jobs. Upon further research, it appears that the media consistently portrays community college students as “mediocre, probably losers, and usually unsympathetic,” often making them the punchline of a joke (6). Because of the negative connotation latched on to the idea of community college, I became hesitant and embarrassed to share my post-high-school plans. When I would tell people about my plan, I would hastily add that I planned to transfer to UW Bothell after receiving my associate’s. Now that I have graduated from Cascadia College and am in my second year at UW Bothell, I realize that attending community college is truly nothing to be ashamed about.

One of the advantages of community college (and one of my main reasons for going to a 2-year institution) is that it is much more cost-effective. According to an article published by US News & World Report, the cost of tuition for community college is about ⅓ of the cost of tuition for universities (7). For example, the typical in-state tuition for Cascadia College is slated at around $4,678 while in-state tuition for the University of Washington is $12,224 (4). If you’re planning on transferring to a university after college, another advantage is that many universities have programs with community colleges that allow for easy transferring of credits. This type of education plan is referred to as the 2+2 model (3). Additionally, community college offers great experience and training for jobs. Martha Parham, the senior vice president of public relations for the American Association of Community Colleges, has stated that different career programs offered by community colleges have a “highly applied nature” that “prepares students for entering the workforce” (7).

Now having experienced community college classes and university classes, I can say that the quality of education between these two is the same. One of the other stereotypes of community college is that the classes are not rigorous or of good quality, however this is not the case. During my time at Cascadia College, the classes I took definitely required a great amount of effort, with the material being challenging and engaging. One of my worries upon entering UW Bothell was not being prepared enough for my classes. Because my foundational knowledge about biology was gained in community college, I felt that I would fall behind in the biology classes at UW Bothell. Fortunately, I realized that Cascadia did prepare me for these classes. Many of the topics discussed in classes had already been introduced in my previous classes, and I was able to easily comprehend new topics. Furthermore, the amount of homework between these institutions did not differ greatly, which was another worry of mine.

Despite my good experience with community college, I understand some of the discrepancies that people may have with it. For example, a study found that the percentage of community college students who did not earn a degree and that were no longer enrolled in community college was around 50% (5). That being said, more disenfranchised groups have a higher likelihood of attaining that bachelor’s degree (1). Additionally, a portion of funding for community colleges, especially in Washington state, depend on property taxes (2). As a result, the community college experience will vary depending on the location of the college. Because of this, I also recognize that my experience at Cascadia is not going to be universal for community college students everywhere. I do believe that many of the problems that face community colleges lies within a much larger conversation about federal funding and stigmatization.

In summation, community college has its own great benefits that should not be overshadowed by its 2-year institution status. The knowledge gained in community college has the same educational value as classes from a university. Many benefits can be gleaned from community college, such as work experience and lower tuition costs. While more work needs to be done in sufficiently funding community colleges nationwide and in removing stigmatization surrounding community college, there is nothing inherently wrong about attending community college.

Check out Cascadia College and University of Washington Bothell!

References

(1) Brand, Jennie, et al. “The Community College Effect Revisited: The importance of attending to heterogeneity and complex counterfactuals.” Sociological Science, vol. 1, 27 Oct. 2014, pp. 448–465, https://doi.org/10.15195/v1.a25.

(2) Burke, Ethelda, et al. “Key Facts about Higher Education in Washington.” Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2011.

(3) “Community College.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, 28 Aug. 2023, educationusa.state.gov/your-5-steps-us-study/research-your-options/community-college.

(5) Goldrick-Rab, Sara. “Challenges and opportunities for improving community college student success.” Review of Educational Research, vol. 80, no. 3, 1 Sept. 2010, pp. 437–469, https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654310370163.

(6) LaPaglia, Nancy. Storytellers: The Image of the Two-Year College in American Fiction and in Women’s Journals. LEPS Press, Northern Illinois University, 1995.

(7) Warner, Andrew. “5 Reasons to Consider Community College.” U.S. News & World Report, 19 May 2022, www.usnews.com/education/community-colleges/articles/reasons-to-consider-community-college.

 
Posted on by dilark · 1 Comment

How I Learned My Parent’s Language (and how you can learn another language, too)

At the age of 17, my parents had me participate in a Turkish band because they wanted to help me get to know my culture. But as a Turkish American who grew up very divorced from her culture overall, it was a weird experience. When we tried to sing a Turkish song by the name of Cambaz (which means acrobat in English), it became incredibly apparent that I was not raised speaking the language like my other Turkish peers. When I tried to sing the chorus of the song, I was mocked for mispronouncing a word by one of my band members, with the band director lightly joking that I should sing in English. It made me feel like there was no hope for me to ever learn my heritage language or connect with my culture simply because I grew up so divorced from it. My parents chose to not teach me Turkish because after I received my autism diagnosis, they wanted to make sure I assimilated into American culture as much as possible to make up for the differences that my autism would cause. However, having a name like Dilara would give my teachers and classmates a run for their money as they would try to pronounce or spell it and my physical appearance would pique questions from others about where I was from. It’s safe to say that despite my parent’s efforts to help me assimilate, I proceeded to grow up not knowing the culture of my heritage while also feeling like a stranger in the country I was born and raised in. After my failed attempt to learn Turkish with Rosetta Stone at the age of 7, I thought that acquiring the language as an adult would be impossible, but I decided to go for it anyway. And the results I achieved genuinely surprised me. In this article I’m going to go over methods I used to learn my parent’s language and what I would recommend to you if you are trying to learn a second language yourself. 

I started with Duolingo last September because that seemed like the most common sense thing to do since it advertised everywhere. A couple of weeks of practice helped me review the occasional phrases I’ve picked up from the house along with teaching me some basic grammar points. I had heard phrases like “merhaba” (hello) and “iyi geceler” (good night) for a good majority of my life but this was the first time I was learning how to spell them. This seemed to suffice for the first couple of weeks to a month because I was getting a foundation in the language and reviewing what I had learned before. But it eventually showed to not be enough. This is when I started to consult my aunt over the phone to learn more basic phrases that Duolingo wouldn’t teach and even started doing a little reading practice with her. As I was, and am currently living with my parents who are native speakers of the language, I could ask them questions related to grammar or certain words. I would try speaking here and there, but it was clear that I didn’t have enough vocabulary to hold a decent conversation yet. But as I continued to learn the language, a strength of mine that came from having heard the language in bits and pieces started to emerge: pronunciation. Even if I didn’t get enough exposure to the language as a kid to understand it or speak it, I was very familiar with the sounds, and using what I committed to memory came with ease for the most part. This showed up especially when I would read with my aunt over the phone. 

From this point on, I became very interested in second language acquisition. This was when I first heard about a theory called comprehensible input. This theory was founded by Steven Krashen in the 1980s and states that the main way people acquire language is by consuming input that they can comprehend. Any shows you watch and readings you do at your current level can help you grow your language skills. While it’s been a long time since this theory was published and a lot of misinformation about it on the internet, there was a certain part of it that rang true for me as I was going about studying Turkish. If you’re looking to self-study a language and don’t know where to start, I would strongly recommend that this is one of the first steps you take.

Starting off fresh in a language, you won’t be able to consume media for native speakers. Even children’s content can be a little bit hard at first because of the nonsensical plots the shows often contain. But if you go onto YouTube and search [target language] comprehensible input, you will be able to find a variety of videos targeted at beginners in the language of your choice. These videos will usually contain audio visual content where the speaker uses very simple language to explain what simple things are like holding up a toy car and saying “this is a car” in the target language. This is very helpful because it allows you to start making associations to things in the language rather than just translating words to their native language equivalent. It won’t get rid of the process you will undergo of translating things in your head fully, but it will be a very good start at fossilizing the language in your brain in the long run. Keep in mind that as you are working with immersion materials, you can use outside sources to make things more comprehensible if the language material is a little bit beyond your level such as using target language subtitles or an extension called Language Reactor that allows you to see Target Language subtitles and subtitles in your native language to make understanding easier. Along with that, the extension allows you to hover over words to learn their meanings. You can watch videos with native language subtitles as well but I don’t recommend that as much as I recommend the other two things I suggested because target language subtitles allow you to learn how words are spelled and look words up so you can write them down and make flashcards. 

While immersion material in a target language is very important, some deliberate studying is necessary to get the finer points of grammar in the beginning. The more learning materials you go through, be it books or videos, you will start to learn the language more and more, but there are some things that will be a struggle. Such as memorizing vocabulary or grammar. This is where skill building comes in. When you watch a video with target language subtitles and there’s a word you want to remember, it is incredibly important to write it down and review it on a consistent basis to put it in your long term memory. This is the whole idea of a Spaced Repetition System and there are many ways to use one. You could use a notebook or any flashcard system, but one I personally recommend is Anki. It’s a little hard to use at first but it’s really good for reviewing words. The simplest way to make a flashcard is to write down the word on one side and the meaning using a picture or your native language on the other. Either way works. And it’s nice to be reviewing a couple words a day. Mainly adding 10 or less at a time to not overwhelm your brain. In regards to grammar, to learn the finer points of that, you can look up videos, internet articles, and purchase grammar books online to study from.  I personally recommend a mix of all three depending on your learning style but buying a book at some point can be incredibly helpful since there are things you won’t learn from the internet alone. I also recommend talking to native speakers of the language to gain an understanding of the finer points of grammar if you have any questions. Living at home, I can easily ask my parents but if you don’t have access to native speakers in your vicinity, you can find them through apps such as HelloTalk and Italki in which you can contact teachers who speak the language or language exchange partners. 

After about two months of using Duolingo, I decided to quit because I found the repetitive exercises weren’t really adding to my Turkish and I found it to be a bit of an annoyance. From here, I spent my time engaging with immersion materials and skill building. Along with watching videos of comprehensible input, I dove into learning songs as well. This worked for me because I’m a musician and I find songs work incredibly well for me to learn anything, and I found myself acquiring a lot of new vocabulary this way. The only thing that I would caution to anyone trying to learn using this method is that the language used in songs doesn’t always grammatically resemble how the language is spoken as song lyrics use plays on words, sentence structure, and dramatic imagery. But reading and taking apart song lyrics is incredibly useful otherwise. In tandem with this, I would try to contact my aunt to read almost anything I could. We worked with online materials and graded readers in the beginning. I think reading is very important in second language acquisition because when we read, we have to use our imagination to think up the situation that is being described in the text. This can help create associations with new vocabulary words and grammar. All of this will make it easier for you to not translate in your head as much. 

After about three or four months, I was able to start having simple conversations with my parents around the house. It was incredibly hard at first because while I had learned a lot of vocabulary, I hadn’t grasped how to think in the language on the fly yet. But trying to converse in tandem with immersion materials and skill building made it easier for me to think in the language on the fly. I still have to translate in my head sometimes when thinking up longer sentences but when it comes to thinking simple sentences or thoughts, it’s mostly second nature to me. When you start conversing, translating in your head will be an inevitable part of the process, but the more you engage with immersion materials (especially reading), it will become easier. At least, that’s how it’s been for me so far. You want to get the language in your brain as much as possible to the point where you can start thinking in that language. One way of doing that is to watch the same video, episode of a show, or movie, or read a certain text a ton of times. This way, the language presented to you naturally sinks in your brain and you can use it as a spaced repetition system in a way, looking up vocabulary words and grammar structures you hadn’t noticed before on each viewing or reading. 

I wanted to touch on one more point specifically for heritage speakers looking to learn their parent’s language. It is very normal in the beginning to feel a sense of shame related to your abilities in the language. You might be able to understand it but not be able to speak it very well or you might know a couple throwaway phrases like I did. It’s going to hurt in the beginning because connecting to your cultural background is an incredibly difficult process but it can also be very healing. You might feel a sense of guilt for not taking the leap of connecting with your parents culture and choosing to assimilate instead. But it’s never too late to start. And learning your parents language is an important part of that because language is so intertwined with culture. It’s going to feel difficult at first, but it gets better. In the end, you’re not just your parents’ culture or where you grew up, you are you. And you have your own unique experiences and perspective to offer in this world so you shouldn’t feel any pressure to fit into a box. I struggle with not feeling Turkish enough or not feeling American enough, but the best thing I’ve done is to keep going regardless of my insecurities. 

My journey with learning my parents language has been an incredibly complicated one and I’m constantly learning new things day by day. My experiences have taught me not just how to learn a language but how to learn in general. Things like spaced repetition systems and persistence are things that can be applied to learning any topic. The best thing you can do to learn a language is to soak up as much information regarding the language as possible. A mix of immersion and skill building through vocabulary and grammar drills will both take you a very long way. But the most important lesson of all is to never give up. Even when you still find yourself having to translate in your head. Or even when you feel like you just won’t be able to use a certain grammatical structure, it will all pay off in the end. I’m very new to the field of second language acquisition and language learning but it fascinates me as a whole. Once my Turkish gets better, I’m open to learning another language. Potentially Japanese? I do watch a lot of anime. And going to Japan is definitely on my bucket list.

If you are interested in linguistics or language learning yourself and want to go down the massive rabbit hole I went down, here are some resources about second language acquisition and discovering other cultures. 

Some interesting tidbits:

NPR Life Kit, How To Learn A Heritage Language

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/25/1101187823/how-to-learn-a-heritage-language

What I’ve Learned, How To Learn A Language: Input (Why most methods don’t work) 

Duration (minutes): 13:57 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_EQDtpYSNM

Days And Words, Why Language Learners Hate Anki

Duration (minutes): 9:59

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzNizwynP3o

Norwegian With Ilys, How I Learnt Norwegian On My Own

Duration (minutes): 23:04

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWQYqcFX8JE