The ability to speak and write in a foreign language is considered to be one of the essential skills nowadays. Modern life and globalization dictate its own conditions, one of which is the requirement to know English at least at an elementary level. Even though for some people it can be hard, learning languages is not only interesting but useful as well. For example, it enhances the ability to remember new information; therefore, memory works better. During the era where new data constantly flows from every source, this activity is brilliant for developing brainpower. Moreover, writing essays in a foreign language improves creativity since it forces you to think out of the box. While studying English 101, I managed to write a number of different works, and every one of them gave me valuable experience that will certainly help me in my future.
First of all, I would like to point out that during this semester, I experienced several difficulties. Since English is not my first language, I had to put more time and effort into writing my essays. I never had to convey my thoughts and ideas in this new way; for this reason, my initial attempts were amateur and not good as I wanted them to be. I made a mistake that many novice writers in foreign languages do. I wrote essays in my mother tongue and then translated them into English. This decision created more difficulties for me as some concepts, ideas, and stylistic choices could not be interpreted properly. In addition, the process certainly consumed much energy and took a considerable amount of time.
Nevertheless, this experience gave me a vital lesson about how learning to think in another language is more helpful than trying to translate thoughts. There is no doubt that mastering such a skill takes more effort; however, it helps to practice language skills and become more confident.
As with any creative activity, there are works that are my favorite and the ones that I’m not too fond of. My favorite assignment was the essay, where I had to compare and contrast modern and classic music. This task helped me to learn new writing patterns, pick similarities and differences between the two subjects and thoroughly analyze them before making a thoughtful conclusion. In addition, I enjoyed writing about this topic since I like the music of both eras.
The most difficult work for me, however, was writing a research paper about hunting, where I had to discuss why it is a cruel sport. Moreover, I was required to present justified reasons as to why it had to be banned as a sports activity. The debate over this subject includes many factors that should be taken into account, including ethics regarding animal cruelty, the beliefs of hunters, and a history of this sport. I had to look through a plethora of information in order to conduct an evidence-based study and provide a reasonable conclusion. However, although this experience was not pleasant, it gave me an opportunity to master my research skills.
In conclusion, it would appear that despite the fact that this semester was initially difficult, in the end, I was lucky to acquire knowledge and learn a number of new skills. I am grateful for the opportunity to improve my writing abilities. Moreover, I was surprised to find out that thinking in English would be more effective than trying to translate my thoughts. There is no doubt that I need to work on my vocabulary, but I believe that the more essays I will write, the more new words and expressions I will learn.