What is it Like to Attend Colgate University

What is it Like to Attend Colgate University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Charlotte is a Boston tutor and 2013 graduate of Colgate University. She holds a Bachelors degree in Math and French and tutors several subjects, including Algebra tutoring, Calculus tutoring, and French tutoring. Check out what Charlotte had to say about her time at Colgate University: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Charlotte: Colgate University is small enough that a car is not necessary to get around campus. I did not have access to a car during the first two years that I was on campus, and I happily walked everywhere. There is a pretty sizable population of students who bike, which is also a convenient way to get around. There are bike racks everywhere, both on campus and in the village of Hamilton. I only had a bike for a few months while I was doing research in the summer of 2012, but I found it really enjoyable! The farthest a student would have to travel would be to get into town (about a 20-minute walk) or to the townhouses (a form of student housing). They are a similar distance from the main campus. While Colgate University is safe, thanks to the small community feel, there is the trusty Colgate Cruiser that is free to students and Hamilton residents. It runs regularly from campus to town, and it takes about 10 minutes. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Charlotte:One of the greatest advantages to Colgate Universitys small size is the relationship between professor and student. Even though I graduated over a year ago, I still keep in touch with those professors who truly had an impact on my collegiate experience. While professors are busy, they are entirely willing to set up meetings outside of their office hours. I always had positive experiences with my professors, and I never felt like I was a drain on their time or energy. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, and socialization opportunities with other students? Charlotte:All first-year living is located on the main campus, and it provides an exceptional outlet for socialization and support. Many of the dorms are suite-style, providing ample common space to meet all the new people who are around! Almost all of Colgate Universitys academic buildings are within a five-minute walk from the first-year dorms, allowing the new class to immediately feel like part of the community. There were two main dining halls during my time at Colgate University. I am aware that there have been several changes since, so I will only comment on my experience. The main dining halls always had many options, from basic pasta bars to a large variety of vegan and vegetarian options. There was also a fully stocked (and delicious) salad bar that I definitely took advantage of! VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Charlotte:I chose my double major because it challenged multiple aspects of my intellect. I loved studying Math because there was a sense of community amongst all of the students who trudged their way through challenging classes like Number Theory, and who still loved the subject so much. There were also donuts and bagels twice a week, which definitely helped me through some rough weeks. French was an entirely different experience because I was able to study abroad through a Colgate University program. The support Colgate University gives to its study abroad students was certainly one of the strengths of all the foreign language programs. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Charlotte:Because of the way that first-year housing is organized, meeting people is not a problem. I became very attached to all of my dormmates who lived on the same floor as me, and I could even name every person who lived in my dorm. I met even more people when I joined Delta Delta Delta as a sophomore. While there are only a few fraternities and sororities on campus, they do have solid control over many of the largest social events. However, the greatest strength of the system is that recruitment does not begin until sophomore year for both men and women. I was thus able to establish meaningful friendships outside of the Greek system. This was essential to my experience because it never felt like I only had one social option. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Charlotte:Colgate University has a very successful Career Services office that was constantly bringing interesting companies to campus. There is a Colgate University-only career portal that connects students directly to posted positions. On top of the great services provided here, the alumni network is incredibly strong and willing to help fellow members of the Colgate University community. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Charlotte:Every dorm for every year has at least one study space per floor. Even in the on-campus apartments for upperclassmen, there is a communal space that is open to all people who live there. These spaces are clean, generally quiet, and conducive to group study. They are quite convenient too, never more than a few steps from any room! Additionally, almost all academic buildings have at least one dedicated study space, or individual study rooms. These are honestly hard to come by during exam weeks, but there are so many options that finding a seat is possible. There are multiple libraries on campus, but the biggest and most beautiful is Case-Geyer. There are five floors, and each floor has a different feel that makes finding your preferred atmosphere easy. There is even a silent reading room on the fifth floor that looks out on the beautiful Chenango Valley that surrounds Colgate University. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Charlotte:Colgate University is in Hamilton, New York, which has a population of about 4,000 when school is not in session. The student body roughly doubles the population, making for a small-town feel. It is possible to get to Syracuse (about an hour away) for many restaurants and the airport. However, Hamilton is an extremely welcoming town, and staying in town is always fun. No matter what you do on any given night, if you head downtown, you will certainly run into someone you know. There are several restaurants and a few bars that offer options for the weekend. Almost everyone goes downtown for amusement. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Charlotte:Colgate University has an undergraduate student body of less than 3,000, which makes the community very tight-knit. There is a closeness felt by everyone who has gone to Colgate University, and part of it is this small, concentrated environment. I was extraordinarily happy with class sizes. The largest class I ever took had about 30 people in it, and that was a first-year chemistry class. After that, the average for my classes was probably less than 20. The size definitely contributed to the feeling that teachers had time to focus on each class, and even more than that, on each student. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Charlotte:I had many exceptional experiences in the classes for my major, but the best thing about Colgate University was the focus on the liberal arts model. I was able to take an Urban Geography class as a junior that really changed how I interact with the world around me. It was remarkable that I could take an advanced geography class, and not only succeed in the class, but have it change the path I would take in the future. The professor was excited to help me adjust to the way the class was taught, and really helped me see how intertwined the urban landscape is. Check out Charlottes tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Learn To Speak Portuguese in Portugal

Learn To Speak Portuguese in Portugal How To Learn Portuguese In Portugal? ChaptersGoing to Portugal to studyAll The Formalities To Study In PortugalThe British Student Guide To Study in PortugalChoosing The Right Portuguese UniversityOne-third of former Erasmus students have a partner of another nationality and one million Erasmus babies were born since the education program began.Portuguese can be learned from Year 7 onwards when you have to choose which other languages you which to learn. From Grammar school onwards, you can learn to speak Portuguese to become a Lusophone, provided that the Portuguese language is offered in your secondary school.But to progress quickly in a foreign language, nothing beats total immersion.You can watch a Portuguese television channel or listen to Brazilian music, but the best way is to go on a language trip or to spend some time living in Portugal.Follow our guide to study Portuguese, we give you advice on how to go abroad to study.The Algarve is the southernmost region of continental Portugal. It has an area of 4,997 km2 (1,929 sq mi) with 451,006 permanent inhabitants, and incorporates 16 municipalities. IrineuPortuguese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GabrielaPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoanaPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouisePortuguese Teacher 5.00 (2) £27/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RodrigoPortuguese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BlancaPortuguese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolinaPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (6) £11/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGoing to Portugal to studyWould you like to learn Portuguese to continue your studies abroad?First of all, it will be necessary to take Portuguese courses because Portuguese universities ask their candidates to take an entrance exam to check their language level.A beginner's level may not b e enough to enrol in a Portuguese university, knowing that the courses will most certainly be in Portuguese. Try to reach at least an intermediate level to better integrate and follow the courses you have chosen for your diploma or degree.In high school, you can already start with a language exchange with a native speaker to learn how to deal with real-life situations.If you are determined to leave for Portugal for at least one term, semester or academic year, you can get financial support through various scholarships. Starting with the Erasmus grant program.To apply for this bursary, it is better to do it one full year ahead of your intended departure date, by contacting the International Relations Office. You should also discuss this with your teachers as you will need a letter of recommendation from two of them.Then, all you have to do is register directly at your host university in Portugal. Admission conditions differ from one to the other, so it is better to ask the administra tion of the institution concerned directly.The Erasmus grant covers the student's tuition fees in Portugal and entitles them to a monthly grant of approximately £150.But other financial aid may be granted to the student such as a scholarship from your local council authority or local government.All The Formalities To Study In PortugalBefore taking the leap and going to a Portuguese-speaking country to study for your degree, as well as Portuguese grammar, phonetics and the sounds of the language, you will need to prepare yourself.Portugal is part of the Schengen area just like the UK, which means that you can go there freely, without a visa as long as you possess  proper international identification documents such as a passport.As the UK does not make it mandatory for its citizens to hold a national ID card, your alternatives will either be a passport or an international driver's licence.No visa is therefore required for British students, but if you stay more than one term and less than one year, you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit upon arrival at the competent authorities. After more than one year in Portugal, you will have to apply for a Portuguese residence permit.If you need to do an internship abroad, you only need a work permit as well.University registration requires the possession of an A-level or equivalent certificate of education and you will need to request an equivalence with the Portuguese Ministry of Education. The entrance exam depends on the university you are aiming for, but it is usually made up of 1 to 3 subjects.Depending on the length of your stay, you may need to open a bank account, sign up for a mobile phone number, electricity or water contract. Everything is done as in the UK, the same proof of address and identity documents will be requested.But if you want to be able to converse with your landlord, it is better to master Portuguese pronunciation, intonation and vocabulary by heart.The University of Coimbra is a Portuguese public university in Coimbra, Portugal. Established in 1290 in Lisbon, it went through a number of relocations until it was moved permanently to its current city in 1537, being one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world, the oldest university of Portugal, and one of the country's largest museums of higher education and research institutions.The British Student Guide To Study in PortugalTaking Portuguese language courses before leaving to study in Portugal is essential to enrol in universities.If you will find Portuguese people speaking English and even French, your courses will undoubtedly be in Portuguese.You can take intensive courses and take the opportunity to improve your listening and speaking skills. A fun course will allow you to accelerate your memorization and to dialogue easily and travel alone in Portugal.The cost of living is lower in Portugal. The minimum wage is €680, less than half the average wage in the UK and you will find the cost of living in Portugal more affordable than in the UK, especially if you are from London.Food is 30% cheaper on average in supermarkets but also in restaurants: you can buy a hearty dish for about less than ten euros.To find accommodation, get help from your university. In Portugal, the start-up Uniplaces specialises in student housing. Feel free to visit their website. For a shared room, it is possible to find one between 200 and 400 € per month depending on the location of the apartment and its standing.And don't forget to apply for a university residence. Spots are few but the rent is very cheap: 100 € per month. In the off chance that you get lucky and get one of the spots, you might be able to save a fair amount of money.The best advice you can get is to be open-minded. When you go to another country, you tend to compare it to your own. While natural, this habit does not help you to immerse yourself totally in the culture of the country, without any judgment.Portugal a nd Great Britain, though sharing a certain amount of European history, are two very different countries and some culture shock is to be expected but not at all feared.The Latin language is similar to the written language of Spanish, but in the spoken version of it is very different. The sounds are richer, the accent is singing and it will take practice to master the Portuguese conjugation.The personality of the Portuguese is also different from ours. Without making any generalizations, the Portuguese are colder and less extroverted than their Spanish neighbours. They attach great importance to decorum and reverence. They also have great difficulty saying no, which can cause some problems on a daily basis.On the other hand, if they seem withdrawn at first glance, all you have to do is break the ice and discover people who are welcoming, helpful and warm.As in Spain, the Catholic religion occupies a considerable place in Portugal, as does football, to which they are truly committed.As for mealtimes, you won't be too disoriented, however, they don't live on Spanish time, even if they still like to party.Feel free to immerse yourself in Portuguese culture by listening to fado, tasting the typical dishes and travelling through the country to the Azores, Lisbon and Faro.The Belém Tower is situated on the northern bank of the Tagus River in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, municipality of Lisbon, accessible at the western end of the Avenida de Brasília by a small bridge.Choosing The Right Portuguese UniversityBefore you take off on a trip to Brazil to learn Brazilian Portuguese and get drunk on Brazilian culture, you can take advantage of Erasmus to learn Portuguese words and become bilingual.You can then use Portuguese to travel to Macau, East Timor, Rio de Janeiro or Guinea Bissau.But first, you have to choose your university in Portugal.Portugal's school system is gradually adapting to comply with the European LMD system. The country's public and priva te universities are already up to date. Only polytechnic institutes are still in the process of standardization.Thus, a semester validated in Portugal can be used to obtain your diploma in the UK. All credits are transferable. The LMD system corresponds to three cycles: bachelor, master, doctorate.Public or private universities provide theoretical and general education, while polytechnics prepare for a profession and offer professional training to students.The top 5 universities in the country are as follows:The University of Porto with its 13 faculties, its Institute of Biomedical Sciences and its Business School, The New University of Lisbon (NOVA): best faculty of economics, The University of Coimbra, the oldest in the country, The University of Lisbon, the largest in the country, The Portuguese Catholic University, a renowned business school. If you visit the universities of Porto or Coimbra, you will surely find that students wear a special outfit: black suit for men, black tai lor for women, all decorated with a tie and a black cape.This is what inspired the capes that students wear at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter saga, with J.K. Rowling having lived in Porto for a few years.So, ready to study in Portugal?

Studying General Biology

Studying General Biology Why and How to Study Biology ChaptersWhat do Biologists Do?Three Main Branches of Biology:Basic Biological ConceptsPeople often define themselves as what type of student they are using a left or right brain approach. In other words, they either think of themselves as having logic and information based interests or artistic and humanities related ones. Fortunately, when studying a polarizing subject like general biology, there are many ways you can become more involved in the subject you may either love or despise.Biological functions form a part of our daily lives, which includes everything from the bioinformatics that go into making your medicine to the cellular biology that go into enhancing your sports performance. Understanding the evolution of the field of biology, and the terms that make it up, can help you in your studies and in life.Subjects in the biological sciences are vastNucleus: structure found in most cells, except bacteria and some algae, that specializes in controlling and regulating the activit ies of the cell. Furthermore, it is where hereditary information, or genes, are locatedMeiosis: this is the process under which a germ cell divides its nucleus to form four sex cells, or gametes. Each gamete contains only half the amount of chromosomes as the original, parent cell.Cell division: the process under which cells reproduce, namely mitosis and meiosis.Phytotron: a special type of greenhouse utilized for studying plants and their environmentMolecule: a group of bonded atoms that form the smallest unit of a chemical compound, important for understanding plants’ molecular processes.Zoology forms a major part of biological studies, including knowledge over the make-up and behavior of animals. Some important terms to understand under this branch are:Selective breeding: the process by which parents are chosen to breed based off of particular characteristics with the aim of producing more desirable offspring.Heritable components: heritability is a statistic that involves a pro portion of phenotypic variance that is attributed to genetic varianceIn microbiology, there are many definitions one can encounter. However, the most important concepts to understand are the eight microorganisms that one can study.Eight microorganisms:Bacteria (eubacteria, archaea)AlgaeFungiProtozoaVirusesPrionsLichensSlime MoldsIf you're interested in learning how these concepts affect fields dealing with aquatic animals, check out marine biology!

Get Ready for Six LSATs a Year!

Get Ready for Six LSATs a Year! LSAT Law School Blog This June, the LSAT announced that during the 2018-19 school year the number of LSATs will expand from four to six administrations annually. This is undoubtedly excellent news for test takers who will obviously appreciate the added scheduling flexibility. However, there is an even bigger benefit for prospective law students looking to improve upon a previous score â€" beginning with the September 2016 exam there will no longer be any limit on the number of LSATs a test taker can record over a two-year period. The Law School Admission Council has announced these changes as part of an ongoing effort to reduce the barriers to entry into law school. New and veteran LSAT students alike should welcome this news. For those students who are just beginning their prep, it could give them a chance to fine tune their schedule if they are targeting the 2018 application cycle. Veteran LSAT takers on the other hand will also no longer feel the Sword of Damacles dangling above them on their third attempt in 18 months, if they’ve not quite yet reached your target score. 2017-18 â€" The Transition Year Because LSAT test dates are announced a year in advance, test dates through February 2018 will not be changing as part of this announcement. In addition to the recently completed June 12, 2017 exam, those dates are as follows: September 16 / September 18 (Saturday Sabbath Observers) â€" 8:30 AM December 2 / December 4 (Saturday Sabbath Observers) â€" 8:30 AM February 10 / February 12 (Saturday Sabbath Observers) â€" 8:30 AM 2018-19 â€" Six Tests Begin The 2018 LSAT testing year will still begin in June with the annual Monday exam at 12:30 PM on June 11, 2018. Then, there will be subtle shifts in the calendar beginning in the fall as the gaps between 2018-19 administrations begin to shorten to ultimately allow six exams in total: September 5 (Saturday Sabbath Observers) / September 8 â€" 8:30 AM November 17 / November 19 (Saturday Sabbath Observers) â€" 8:30 AM January 26 / January 28 (Saturday Sabbath Observers) â€" 8:30 AM March 30 / April 1 (Saturday Sabbath Observers) â€" 8:30 AM Monday June 3, 2019 â€" 12:30 PM The June 2019 test will also be considered as part of the 2018-19 testing calendar, as the start of the testing calendar will shift to July for the 2019-20 year. 2019-20 will then kick off with another Monday test July 29, 2019 at 12:30 PM, with another five tests to be announced next summer. What Does this Mean for LSAT Students? More than anything, it means there is significantly less wait time for the average potential law student. Gone are the days of having to plan for any test administration at a minimum a whole season in advance. Now, this doesn’t mean that like the GMAT or GRE there are tests being held on a nearly weekly or daily basis in the major metropolitan markets, but it does mean that if a student must reschedule because of an unexpected life or career conflict they can do so in a more rapid fashion. The other beneficiaries of this change will be students who feel they underperformed. There will still be the 3-4 week delay on score reports, but now, within two months, students will be able to take the test again and without the fear of potentially only having one chance left to take the exam for two years! This will also enable students to maintain their prepping momentum as they ready themselves for a repeat attempt, rather than having to try and extend their focus for an additional 2-4 months minimum. MyGuru experts are prepared to assist students in either camp prepare for their next LSAT whether it’s coming up this September or a longer term goal looking towards 2018 and beyond. About the Author Stefan Maisnier is one of our most experienced test prep and LSAT tutors, as well as our Director of Online Tutoring.

Benefits or a Teen Summer Job

Benefits or a Teen Summer Job If theres one thing every teen wants, its a little extra spending money. Without a doubt, a summer job has a big financial advantage for your teen, but here are seven other benefits: Earning money boosts your teens independence. A summer job helps your teen grow from a child who is completely reliant on you into a young adult capable of starting to support himself. With an income, your teen can start becoming a little more self-sufficient, saving for things she wants. That gives her a feel for independence from you and your pocketbook. Work instills a sense of pride. Extra spending money will give your teen a little more freedom, but it also fosters your teens sense of self-worth and self-respect. No longer does he need to ask you for money every time he wants to make a purchase. Hell feel empowered and proud of his hard work and growing bank account. Your teen will gain life skills. Filling out job applications, learning to make a strong impression in an interview, working with customers and dealing with different management stylesthese are real-world tasks and skills. Your teen might not realize how much that summer job is actually preparing him for scenarios he will face in life. A job teaches responsibility. By its very nature, a job requires your teen to be accountable by showing up somewhere on time, being dependable, fulfilling job duties and striving to do a job well. Teens who earn money also realize its value and begin to understand what it takes to accumulate those paychecks. Work nurtures your teens fiscal responsibility. Learning to save and manage money are important lessons your teen learns from working. Your teen might even choose to invest some money into a certificate of deposit or high-interest savings account, which cultivates good habits for adulthood. Working will help your teen learn to manage his time. If your teen wants to maintain his social life, put some effort toward college applications and also get a part-time job over summer, hell need to learn to prioritize his activities. That requires good time management and learning about a healthy work-life balance. Your teen will be exposed to different fields. Some jobs might spark a passion in your teenlike working at a bookstore, in a hospital or in a hospitality setting. You never know when your teen might discover a possible career path. There are many advantages to your teen getting a summer job, and best of all, a summer job wont interfere with school and your teens extracurricular and other obligations like an after-school job would. So, let him apply away and explore the options. The commitment will be good for him!

Thanksgiving Day 2016

Thanksgiving Day 2016 Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays, is coming. And we all know what it means! Prepare your special thanksgiving pants! One of my friends says, I dont stop eating when Im full. I stop eating when I hate myself :) But, if to be serious dont forget to give thanks for all the good things in your life. Try to show some appreciation and express your deepest gratitude to your family and friends for providing never-ending encouragement and support. Thanksgiving Day celebration has a rich history with multiple views. If you want  to learn more about it, read our article Thanksgiving Day â€" Are You Ready For an Annual Food Coma?  or ask one  of our history tutors! Happy Thanksgiving Day! Thanksgiving Day 2016 Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays, is coming. And we all know what it means! Prepare your special thanksgiving pants! One of my friends says, I dont stop eating when Im full. I stop eating when I hate myself :) But, if to be serious dont forget to give thanks for all the good things in your life. Try to show some appreciation and express your deepest gratitude to your family and friends for providing never-ending encouragement and support. Thanksgiving Day celebration has a rich history with multiple views. If you want  to learn more about it, read our article Thanksgiving Day â€" Are You Ready For an Annual Food Coma?  or ask one  of our history tutors! Happy Thanksgiving Day!

How to Master the 5 Stages of Language Learning

How to Master the 5 Stages of Language Learning How to Master the 5 Stages of Language Learning Grab your backpack and your Five Star notebook.Its time to go back to school.Dont worry, this is school without the lunchroom drama or surprise math quizzes.This is language learning in five easy-to-understand stages, each of which is similar to a stage in school.Learning a new language is a big, sometimes scary undertakingâ€"and its not always easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel. To help you visualize where you are in the language learning process and where youre going, well use a familiar framework.Think of learning a second language as if it’s an accelerated version of school. You start small, learning letters and numbers, and by the time you graduate you’re communicating complex ideas confidently.Well start with elementary school and take you all the way through college! For each stage, well show you what to expect and provide some helpful learning tools.Class is in session! How to Master the 5 Stages of Language LearningFor each stage well provide some learning timeframe estimates, which reflect  self-paced learning or in-person study. These stages will go by quicker if youre lucky enough to be immersed in your target language (like if youre living in a country where its spoken).Stage 1: Elementary SchoolHow is this stage like elementary school? Youll be working with the building blocks of language, using lots of repetition and learning how to learn.What can you expect?When you first start learning a new language, its important to build a solid foundation. Generally speaking, this means learning the following:The target language alphabetNumbers 1-100Essential nouns/verbsSimple phrasesThis process can take anywhere from three to six months, depending on how consistently you study.At this point, focus on getting your pronunciation right to avoid developing bad habits that are hard to break later on. Internalizing the correct pronunciations will also help improve your listening skills, and ease comprehension as you progress.Look for learning tools with a wide selection of audio recordings to help train your ear. This is a good stage to dive into some comprehensive online language learning courses, which typically provide essential tutorials and lessons along with audio demonstrations.Another great tool, which you can use throughout every stage of the language learning process, is FluentU. This innovative app provides authentic target language videos, like movie trailers, inspiring talks, music videos and more, which have been transformed into language learning experiences.Each video comes with interactive captions, tailor-made flashcards and exercises to actively build your vocabulary. The videos are organized from beginner to advanced, and FluentU also suggests new content based on what youve already learned. Best of all, youll be absorbing your target language the way native speakers really use it, building a strong foundation for the later stages in the learning process.As you use these tools,  be sure to practice ou t loud until youre comfortable with forming the different sounds. Websites like Forvo and LanguageGuide have lots of audio samples to augment your study sessions.Now, remember how your elementary school teachers used to teach new information. Did they pass out some worksheets and call it a day?Probably not. There was lots of repetition not only to help you absorb essential information, but also to get you comfortable with the process of studying and memorizing in general.So, at this stage of language learning, channel your inner elementary school teacher! Drill new words and phrases every day (flashcards are a tried-and-true tool thatll be helpful here). Write a daily journal entry using some of the new words youve learned. Make language study a regular part of your dayâ€"you can even schedule it into your daily calendar until it becomes routine.Stage 2: Middle SchoolHow is this stage like middle school?Youll be learning basic communication skills and trying to find new friends to t alk with. Youll start learning grammar in a focused way.What can you expect?Once youve created a solid linguistic foundation and accumulated a few hundred words, youll begin exchanging short phrases and answering questions. Youre passing out of early childhood language learning and into your pre-teen phase. Continue building your vocabulary and checking your pronunciation with the tools mentioned above.Youll notice that its easier to recognize the patterns and sounds of speech in your new language. Youll be introduced to new verbs and begin teasing out the rules of grammatical structures. At this stage, listening to audio language courses is a smart option.Youre probably still pretty nervous to use your new language skills out loud, but you have to take a deep breath and find someone to talk to.Dont worry, its not nearly as scary as finding a lunch table to sit at on the first day of middle school! Check out these language exchange apps and these pen pal websites to find language pa rtners with a click!The only way to grow and mature is to test your skills, and you need practice to improve! This stage can take up to six months, but stick with it. Once you hit the year mark, your vocabulary will have expanded to roughly a thousand words and youll be well on your way to fluency.Stage 3: Upper Middle School/Junior HighHow is this stage like junior high?Youll be able to understand and communicate more complex ideas. You may develop some teen-like frustration with studying as concepts get harder (but well show you how to get over this).What can you expect?For every language student, there comes a point where it feels like learning starts to plateau. This typically happens around stage three in the learning process, when youre tackling more difficult grammar concepts or having trouble understanding the native speakers you connected with in the last stage.Dont you just want to slam your locker shut, ditch your homework and go meet up with your friends?Resist this urge ! Getting past the language learning plateau is possible, and extremely rewarding once you do it. One key is to regularly track your progress so youll see that you actually  are still learning and growing, even if it doesnt feel like it.Keep a diary of what youve learned every day, ask your language exchange partners to comment on your growth, and use the progress tracking features in your apps like FluentU.You may find that youre still awkward with conversation and second language social interaction (who isnt a little awkward in junior high?), but the only way to absorb that natural ebb and flow is to practice. A lot. Make time for your language exchanges and keep writing in that journal every day.Toward the end of this stage, your comprehension will be coming together nicely. Youll be able to follow conversations comfortably, distilling subject matter from contextual clues and even participating in a limited capacity!So dont lose heart! Youve learned somewhere around 3,000 words a nd are roughly a year from the point where it all clicks! All of that hard work will pay off and theres finally a light at the end of the tunnel.Stage 4: High SchoolHow is this stage like high school?Youll feel more confident in your abilities and will begin communicating more. Youll start exploring extracurriculars, or outside interests in your target language.What to expect:Around two years into this journey, youll hit a point where it suddenly comes together. Youll wake up one day and be able to carry on basic conversations without breaking a sweat. Youll rely less on rote memorization and more on verbal exchanges to accumulate new vocabulary.This is the point where you find yourself thinking in your second language during conversations, constructing longer and more complex answers.Its an exhilarating peak to reach! Finally being comfortable in a second language will allow you to really embrace the depth and complexity of communicating in another tongue. Itll also allow you to ex plore your hobbies or outside interests in the target language.For example, youll be able to start watching foreign language movies or listening to authentic podcasts on any topic that grabs you. You can looks for books or blogs written in the target language on anything you care about, from sports to cooking to stamp collecting.Youll spend a few years in this stage, sharpening your conversation skills and learning to express yourself with ease.Stage 5: CollegeHow is this stage like college?Time for more fun  and more concentrated study in your target language. Youll be branching out in your interactions and continuing to explore authentic materials like in the last stage. But youll also work on improving your writing and learning how to express complicated ideas and opinions.What to expect:The last stage of language learning is the point where your education solidifies into fluency and you finally come into your own. Youre comfortable reading, writing, speaking and listening to the new language.Dont kick back and relax, thoughâ€"you havent graduated yet! At this stage, honing your skills will be a solo venture, as youve passed the scope of most language learning programs.Many students find, at this point, that literature is the best way to acquire new vocabulary. Novels and nonfiction works expose advanced students to detailed cultural perspectives, complex grammar and rarely used words. For starters, head to Project Gutenberg, which offers free books in dozens of languages.Conversation might be second-nature at this point, but verbal discourse is often limited in scope and doesnt require a wide range of vocabulary. Reading helps bridge this gap.Youll also start learning how to have arguments, state opinions and express nuance the way any fluent speaker should be able to. Consider subscribing to a newspaper or watching the news in your new language and then responding to them in writing or with your language exchange partners.Its also important to continue pu rsuing outside interests, as discussed earlier. Every language develops from a rich cultural tradition. Exploring the background of a new language will deepen your appreciation for the multitude of subtleties and nuances it contains.Learning a new language is a little like growing up all over again. Its intimidating, stressful, embarrassing and then completely worth the work. Taking on an entirely new mode of communication might seem terrifying, but dont let it discourage you! The stages of language learning are predictable. Once you realize this, it makes the whole process a lot easier.We bet youll be graduating before you even know it!Tiffany Edgecomb is a freelance copywriter and owner of The Alphabet Soup Company. She specializes in creating blogs, newsletters and email sequences for lifestyle topics like cooking, language, real estate, travel and personal finance.