1st December 2017
Hello, or should I say bonjour? For today’s post I’ve partnered up with the lovely people over at Rosetta Stone, who have challenged me to learn a new language whilst at university in Durham! Though there were 24 different languages to choose from on their site, French immediately caught me eye. It has always been a language I’ve loved and admired - particularly the word ‘croissant’ - so I really wanted to give it a go. Also, I’ve found since starting my English degree that it actually had a very big etymological influence on the English language too! So, not only will learning some of the language be another string to my bow once I graduate, it will also help me hugely whilst studying towards my degree in the meantime. I do, however, completely understand and empathise with how daunting the prospect of learning a new language alongside other academic commitments can seem, but with this post I wanted to ameliorate this feeling and prove to you why it’s actually a brilliant idea!
Firstly, learning a new language is the perfect break from your degree. Sometimes it can become very overwhelming and arduous studying the same subject all day, every day, so it’s quite nice to have a bit of time away from it. Not only does this make you enjoy your actual degree more as you’ve been able to take a breather from it, but also utilises your time productively! With Rosetta Stone, you can dabble in as much (or as little) as you like, based on how much time you have available. Each activity or task is relatively quick to complete, and there’s no pressure to speed through everything all at once, so it’s completely flexible.
Another perk of Rosetta Stone in particular is the incredible online tutor system available to all users. You can speak to real people in your chosen language, who will help you perfect your skills! Sometimes learning a language systematically is very different to being able to use it conversationally, but this is the perfect bridge between the two! It’s essentially two for the price of one, and your new language skills will be extremely versatile for real life use. I remember studying Spanish at GCSE, and being able to talk about global warming and the items in my pencil case, but then struggling to actually talk to real people when I went to Spain, as my conversational Spanish was limited due to the way I learnt the language. With Rosetta Stone, you get both, and can practice talking to real people (and not an examiner, thankfully) straight away!
If you’re like me, learning a second language has always been one of those things I always wanted to do, and is firmly on my bucket list, but I’ve never properly got round to doing it. With the new year looming, it’s the perfect time to get started and motivate yourself to complete it. The beauty of Rosetta Stone is that you can literally do it whenever you want, and each individual task can be done whenever you have a free moment. There are listening, reading, writing, AND speaking activities to complete, so you’ll become a rounded user of the language in no time.
The final reason why I think you should start learning a new language today is because I have a RIDICULOUS discount for you: a whole 50% OFF an annual subscription. 50% OFF! You can use my code ‘JACK50’ on the site when signing up and treat yourself to a discount so huuuuge that it’s not available ANYWHERE ELSE. That’s right, the lovely people at Rosetta Stone have treated you guys to a completely exclusive discount, so you’d be a fool not take it! Join me on my quest to learn French, or pick from ANY of their 24 different language options, and let me know how you get on! If you're unsure, you can also have a free demo first to try before you buy! CLICK HERE TO GIVE IT A GO!
J’aime Rosetta Stone et vous aussi! Merci de votre lecture et joyeux noël! (I love Rosetta Stone and you will too! Thank you for reading and Merry Christmas!)
DISCLAIMER: This post contains a paid-for advertorial courtesy of the lovely people over at Rosetta Stone, but all opinions presented in this blog post are entirely my own
By Jack Edwards