Studying for the exam was not only about reviewing the books and notes from class for me… I decided to take on a different method for practice. For about a week or two before the exam, I went to local cafes, sat in the train station and walked down the street just listening to people speak swedish. I remembered from my childhood that learning french was most successful for me when I was exposed to the language and put into a vulnerable situation. I would go to the store and attempt to order in Swedish, and I would listen to what was said to me and try to figure out how to respond. Overall, I took it upon myself to simply LISTEN and learn from the culture around me. 

All in all, I would say that this method proved to be very successful. I found the test to be easier than I thought, and although I am still waiting for my results, I am fairly confident that my grade will be a good one. The biggest challenge of any foreign language is to break through the primary barrier of feeling insecure and just let yourself be immersed in the language. You truly cannot be afraid to TRY speaking the language, and as soon as you let yourself go and allow yourself to learn, you will put yourself in the position for success. A lot of my friends hated learning Swedish. They saw it as a waste of time, and chose not to pay attention, or even try to study for the exam. They figured that when they failed, they could retake it until they passed. I, however, took a different approach. I went to every class (with the exception of one, where I happened to be quite sick), and took notes. I also practiced outside of class, and took all opportunities to use the language. Even if my grade forces me to retake the exam, I feel as though I have passed regardless, because I allowed myself to learn. Now, I can say with confidence, that I can speak a little Swedish, and I could probably get through any daily conversation, still risking of course a few mistakes here and there. 

Until next time: fred, k�rlek och svenska. (peace, love and swedish) 🙂