“Do you know what a foreign accent is? It’s a sign of bravery.”
― Amy Chua, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
Learning a language may seem to be hard (it is hard of course), but the ability to communicate with people from different cultures and backgrounds has always fascinated me.
Last May, a friend told me that he was trying to learn Spanish on Duolingo. I had heard of the app many times before but had no idea how it worked. Nevertheless, I decided to try it out by using it to learn Japanese and German. Little did I know that this journey would lead me to a 365-day streak.
How it started
As mentioned above, a friend told me that he was on Duolingo. I decided that maybe I should join Duolingo and learn a language with him. Duolingo’s learning approach is gamified, making learning a language just like playing a game. With Duolingo’s bite-sized lessons, it seemed like the perfect tool to make language learning a part of my daily routine.
The early days
The early days were rough because I would constantly forget to do a lesson and lose a streak. Sometimes I think that there is no point learning this language as I have little chance actually using it. But gradually, each day, I would carve out a few minutes to immerse myself in the world of new words, and grammar rules. Duolingo’s interface was really fun to use, and the streak and leaderboards system really stressed me into doing it.
As the research shows, if you repeat an action often enough in the same context, the act of doing it will start to feel automatic. With a steady habit, something as daunting as studying a new language can feel as natural to your daily routine as brushing your teeth. (Duolingo Blog Article)
The gamification elements, such as earning points and unlocking achievements, added a sense of accomplishment to my progress.
Challanges
As with any long-term endeavor, maintaining a streak for 365 days was not without its challenges. There were days when I felt tired or overwhelmed with other stuff, making it tempting to skip a lesson. However, I quickly realized that consistency was key (there are streak freezes on Duolingo so it is fine skipping a day or few). I reminded myself of the personal satisfaction I derived from each successful lesson and the progress I was making, no matter how small. This motivation pushed me to persevere, even during the toughest moments (sometimes the lessons just become so incredibly difficult).
The leaderboards system
Along the way, I made the decision to let go of the Duolingo leaderboard system. After three weeks in the Obsidian league, the pursuit of Diamond 💎 became overwhelming. I chose to prioritize the joy of language learning over the competitive aspect, refocusing on the intrinsic value of the journey itself.
For those who are not familiar with Duolingo: there are 10 leagues (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst, Pearl, Obsidian, Diamond) and users get assigned to a leaderboard every week. Users at the top of the leaderboard by the end of each week advances to the next league, users in the lower end of the league will get demoted to the previous league.
The Achievement
This Duolingo streak didn’t improve my language skills by much, but it had a positive impact on my habits and growth. By making language learning a daily priority, I developed a sense of consistency. This newfound dedication went into other areas of my life, helping me become more focused and committed.
You can find me on Duolingo at ymarku.