One of the most unfortunate realities of growing up is that you start forgetting important information. When you are younger, you vow that you will always remember certain facts, events, or instances, but soon they start fading away.

When it comes to forgetting what you learn in college, foreign language skills are some of the first to go. Foreign language learning empowers students to be more active participants in the global community. It allows you to see the world through a different lens, and it provides additional tools for sharing and interpreting your experiences. Languages are more than paradigms and vocabulary, they are the building blocks to expression.

As each day brings you closer to graduation, do your best to make sure that each day brings you closer to being a better participant in the world around you, both locally and abroad. Keeping up your foreign language chops is a great way to do that. Here are some tips on how:

If you are still taking a foreign language class, limit the amount of English you use when you speak with your professor. Even though you may not know the best way to say something, rattle your brain to figure out how to speak your mind with what you do know. After you’ve tried your hardest, ask your professor the best way to say what you attempted. When you do this, you’ll learn what you did right and where you have room to improve.

When you “people watch” or eavesdrop, try and translate the conversations around you in your head. When you find that they are using words you do not know, describe the word instead of giving up. It will help you build better habits for conversational dialogue. When you are speaking with someone and don’t know a particular word, your explanation will prompt them to tell you the word you’re looking for. And when you learn vocabulary, it will give you a social context to associate with the word, increasing your odds of remembering it.

Enjoy your favorite books and movies in the language you’re trying to learn. Since you are already familiar with the story, you’ll be able to focus more on the vocabulary. As you hear or see words you don’t know, try to allow your mind to fill in the gaps and then use a dictionary to see if you were right. Learn to quote your favorite lines and passages so that you can increase your vocabulary. “Spider Man,” “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter” and other such pop-fantasy stories are good choices because the vocabulary is very elementary.

Google “language clubs” to find other people who like to speak the language you want to retain. Often these groups will meet at cafes and coffee shops. Le Madeleine on Mockingbird, for instance, hosts a French language enthusiast’s group for anyone who wants to practice their French. Perkins School of Theology held a lunch for people interested in practicing their Spanish with native speakers. Snow Pea Chinese Restaurant on Abrams Rd. is a wonderful place to practice your Mandarin as well.

Perhaps the best way to keep up your language skills is by making friends with international students who speak your language of interest. Many times they are willing to practice with you if you help them with their English. SMU has a strong Multicultural Student Affairs program. They are always looking for people to be English conversation partners. By intentionally practicing your English, you will give more attention to language mechanics which will help you be able to pick up your foreign language grammar book and review.

The biggest deterrent against foreign language acquisition and retention is the student’s fear of looking like a fool. The secret to keeping your language chops is remembering that the fool is the one who is too prideful to make mistakes. Native speakers make mistakes in their own languages everyday. What makes students think they won’t do the same? The first language you learn is the hardest. We have forgotten about the crying and the tantrums. So next time you struggle with remembering how to conjugate “be” verbs, just remember that you’ve done the learning a foreign language thing once before. You can do it again.

Richard Newton is a student at the Perkins School of Theology. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].