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Rebecca Meyers<\/strong> | Lifestyle editor<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not uncommon for a certain number of language classes to be a requirement for graduation, both in high school and in college. It\u2019s also not uncommon to hear people say \u201cYeah, I took a few years of Spanish a while ago but I don\u2019t really remember much except \u2018\u00bfd\u00f3nde est\u00e1 el ba\u00f1o?\u2019\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Like any other subject, a foreign language can be easy to dismiss from one\u2019s mind if it\u2019s not an area of interest. I hear phrases like the one above often when I tell people I am studying Spanish, and I can\u2019t say I blame them as I have expressed similar attitudes towards subjects I was less interested in. It can seem like just another graduation requirement that won\u2019t turn out to be useful. <\/span><\/p>\n However, there are actually many benefits to learning another language, especially when studied further past just a few terms. I believe this not only due to my own experience, but also thanks to some research on the subject I have done as my interest in foreign languages grew. <\/span><\/p>\n One of the more obvious benefits is the fact that being proficient in a foreign language can open more opportunities in the future. The world is now a very interconnected place, and being someone who can help further those connections looks good on nearly any resume. <\/span><\/p>\n My own job is just a part time, temporary position in food service that pays my rent and is not in my long term career goals. However, I have already found myself faced with the opportunity to communicate with speakers of other languages. I have been able to use my Spanish outside the classroom for once, and also gotten to know some Deaf customers that left me wishing I had taken advantage of Western\u2019s many ASL classes. <\/span><\/p>\n Research shows that learning another language helps stimulate cognitive functions, such as finding patterns. Studies such as the ones cited in an article on BBC.com<\/a> titled \u201cThe amazing benefits of being bilingual\u201d show that being bilingual can help exercise \u201cmental muscles\u201d. This is especially true for those who started learning a second language from a young age, but it\u2019s never too late to start trying to become bilingual. These kinds of skills can help with academic performance as well, another plus. <\/span><\/p>\n On top of that, learning a second (or third, or fourth) language almost always comes with the added benefit of immersion into another culture. A language is rarely just conjugations and sentence structure; it\u2019s also an origin, a history and a connection to different places. <\/span><\/p>\n At Western, there are many opportunities to learn or brush up on Spanish, German, French and American Sign Language. For more information on classes, visit wou.edu\/humanities\/modern-languages<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n