As society and international communications progress, learning new languages is becoming almost an obligatory thing to do. Whether it is learning a lingua franca or a vernacular language, any effort made to broaden horizon can benefit to communicate.

All languages require different amounts of time and dedication to fully become fluent. Alphabets, symbols, pronunciation and the creation of new words all vary between languages.

Freshman Sydney Solberg said how learning ASL became more difficult as time went on.

“It was very easy in the beginning,”  Solberg said. “Now that we’re expanding our vocabulary, it’s becoming harder because we are getting into more specific signs and it takes more effort to memorize all of them and practice regularly.”

There are many reasons for people to learn a new tongue. For some, it’s a requirement, and for others, it’s from an ambitious nature to deepen their understanding of communication.  

For sophomore Yanjun Williams, learning English was a necessity when she first came to America.

“When I was nine years old, I was adopted and came to America,” Williams said. “I had to learn English because I wanted to be able to speak to my family members.”

Learning a language isn’t always as simple as downloading the Duolingo app. Freshman Hadley Davis said how it is easy to get frustrated while attempting to reach fluency.

“At times there have been some days when I didn’t want to speak Spanish, but in the end, you gotta push through and keep moving forward,”  Davis said.

At the age of four, freshman Amber Chung had the urge to take on English. She was offered help from her parents and watched movies with her friends to comprehend the language better.

“I think that when you’re a child you mimic [people],” Chung said. “In a child stage, you pick up things faster and listen more.”

Chung said that it brings her closer to others who have learned a new language.