Birthday Reflections

[Debater Slayer]

Now that my birthday is here, I'm thinking even more about where I want to be in my life and how close I will be come next year. I don't do New Year's resolutions, but this year I'm setting some for my birthday.

• Looking at various master's programs and job openings abroad, I feel like knowing just two languages is the bare minimum at this point. Almost everyone who has any real chance of advancing in a STEM career needs to know English. Arabic probably isn't a huge asset in the European job market (again, speaking Of STEM only), so I'm thinking of learning at least one more language.

French is the prime candidate because I already know some basics, and it seems more similar to English than, say, German or Dutch. Spanish is also a probable option, but I need to do more research before deciding whether learning it could bring me enough benefit to outweigh the time it will take to learn from scratch.

• I'm approaching 30, and sometimes I have a sneaking feeling of underachievement when I think about how I only know two languages (which, as I said, seems to be the bare minimum nowadays) and don't have a master's yet. By 30, some people have PhDs and/or know a few languages proficiently, if not fluently. I know comparison to others is a poor metric for achievement and an unwise thing to do, hence my saying "sneaking feeling." I catch it starting to take hold and make sure to pull back and focus on what needs to be done.

• I haven't seen my best friend in over three years. I miss her. One of my plans is to visit her country as soon as I can.

That's all... for now. Today is best reserved for cake and other good food with family. I'll worry more about academic and career issues later.

 

[Orbit]

Good luck in your academic travels. Don't feel bad about getting older, employers have more confidence in mature candidates, in my opinion. I didn't even start college until I was 23, and I always felt "old" even though it really was just a few years' difference. I went straight through to the PhD, which I got at 30, but there were students in my program who were as old as 50. You do you and don't worry so much about your age.

 

[ChristineM]

Just 2 words

Bonne chance

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Happy birthday Debater Slayer. I hope you get to meet your best friend.

Also, when I was learning Spanish from DuoLingo I was starting to think in Spanish a few days after diving deep into it. It spooked me out so I decided to stop learning the language and I virtually know nothing about the language anymore. But having both English and Arabic are essential to knowing and understanding the basics in many countries. I wish I knew a second language but English is primarily used so much in my daily life that I don't think I'll need to learn a second. If I did learn a second it would either be Spanish for practicality or Latin, because Latin is my favorite language and I think it sounds really cool. Thankfully both Spanish and Latin are offered on DuoLingo.

I hope you can work on your birthday resolutions.

 

[Kenny]

Now that my birthday is here, I'm thinking even more about where I want to be in my life and how close I will be come next year. I don't do New Year's resolutions, but this year I'm setting some for my birthday.

• Looking at various master's programs and job openings abroad, I feel like knowing just two languages is the bare minimum at this point. Almost everyone who has any real chance of advancing in a STEM career needs to know English. Arabic probably isn't a huge asset in the European job market (again, speaking Of STEM only), so I'm thinking of learning at least one more language.

French is the prime candidate because I already know some basics, and it seems more similar to English than, say, German or Dutch. Spanish is also a probable option, but I need to do more research before deciding whether learning it could bring me enough benefit to outweigh the time it will take to learn from scratch.

• I'm approaching 30, and sometimes I have a sneaking feeling of underachievement when I think about how I only know two languages (which, as I said, seems to be the bare minimum nowadays) and don't have a master's yet. By 30, some people have PhDs and/or know a few languages proficiently, if not fluently. I know comparison to others is a poor metric for achievement and an unwise thing to do, hence my saying "sneaking feeling." I catch it starting to take hold and make sure to pull back and focus on what needs to be done.

• I haven't seen my best friend in over three years. I miss her. One of my plans is to visit her country as soon as I can.

That's all... for now. Today is best reserved for cake and other good food with family. I'll worry more about academic and career issues later.

Happy Birthday and great success in your life.

Just remember that "living life" is more important than achievement. Not that you shouldn't achieve. Hope you have the best of both.

 

[Quagmire]

Happy birthday DS. Remember: life's a journey, not a race.

Well okay, sometimes it's a race too.

When I was 27 I wanted to be a better musician than Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison, and by the next year I was.

Know why?

Because neither Jims made it to 28 and I did.

Even if you decide to get in the race it's good to remember that nobody really knows where the finish line is, so it's good to look at that as a journey too.

 

[Father Heathen]

I'm approaching 30, and sometimes I have a sneaking feeling of underachievement

I think you've done exceptionally well for yourself. Most would be impressed, and you should be proud.

 

[Sirona]

Happy Birthday !

French is the prime candidate because I already know some basics, and it seems more similar to English than, say, German or Dutch. Spanish is also a probable option, but I need to do more research before deciding whether learning it could bring me enough benefit to outweigh the time it will take to learn from scratch.

I'm not so sure you're right about that. English, Dutch and German belong to the same language family (Germanic languages), Spanish and French to another (Romance languages). You can usually infer the relationship of English and French words only through Latin, but in doing so the words are often very "distorted", so you have to be really good to guess the relationship. e.g. Sebastian is called Étienne in French. If I had to choose between German and French, I would choose French because it is more widespread worldwide. French has a heavy grammar, whereas German has an extremely complex grammar and many "little words" as well as a varying word order to express different nuances of meaning. When I translate something from German into English, I usually have to "simplify" because these "little words" often don't exist like that in English. If I were you, I would only choose German if I knew for sure that I wanted to stay in Germany/Austria/Switzerland. If I weren't German, I probably wouldn't move to Germany. I lived in France for 10 months and found the people there much warmer and more friendly than in my own country.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Now that my birthday is here, I'm thinking even more about where I want to be in my life and how close I will be come next year. I don't do New Year's resolutions, but this year I'm setting some for my birthday.

• Looking at various master's programs and job openings abroad, I feel like knowing just two languages is the bare minimum at this point. Almost everyone who has any real chance of advancing in a STEM career needs to know English. Arabic probably isn't a huge asset in the European job market (again, speaking Of STEM only), so I'm thinking of learning at least one more language.

French is the prime candidate because I already know some basics, and it seems more similar to English than, say, German or Dutch. Spanish is also a probable option, but I need to do more research before deciding whether learning it could bring me enough benefit to outweigh the time it will take to learn from scratch.

• I'm approaching 30, and sometimes I have a sneaking feeling of underachievement when I think about how I only know two languages (which, as I said, seems to be the bare minimum nowadays) and don't have a master's yet. By 30, some people have PhDs and/or know a few languages proficiently, if not fluently. I know comparison to others is a poor metric for achievement and an unwise thing to do, hence my saying "sneaking feeling." I catch it starting to take hold and make sure to pull back and focus on what needs to be done.

• I haven't seen my best friend in over three years. I miss her. One of my plans is to visit her country as soon as I can.

That's all... for now. Today is best reserved for cake and other good food with family. I'll worry more about academic and career issues later.

You got me beat, I only know one language and I don't have a diploma.

You are doing really good for yourself, Debater. I agree with Kenny, don't forget to live and relax once in a while. I wish you the best of luck on your journeys, and happy birthday!

BTW, I think the 20s are figuring ourselves out for many people, and when we get near the end of our twenties we start getting that quarter-life crisis feeling. Don't let it eat you up. I think you're doing fine, you understand your goals and you are a productive, intelligent person.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

For what it's worth, I find you to be a superior individual. If most folks were like you as they approached 30, this would a marvelous world.

 

[Alien826]

If you take a vacation in Mexico, speaking Spanish will get you cheaper prices for stuff.

In France, a knowledge of French will let you know what the waiters are saying about you, and enable you to adjust the tip accordingly.

Happy Birthday!

 

[Augustus]

Happy birthday

Good luck, I hope you can achieve some of your goals over the next year

 

[Debater Slayer]

Good luck in your academic travels. Don't feel bad about getting older, employers have more confidence in mature candidates, in my opinion. I didn't even start college until I was 23, and I always felt "old" even though it really was just a few years' difference. I went straight through to the PhD, which I got at 30, but there were students in my program who were as old as 50. You do you and don't worry so much about your age.

Thanks! Your story is inspiring. I switched majors two years into my first one and graduated late as a result. What you've shared helps put things into perspective.

 

[Revoltingest]

Thanks! Your story is inspiring. I switched majors two years into my first one and graduated late as a result. What you've shared helps put things into perspective.

You switched only once?
Pbbbbtttt!!!!

 

[Debater Slayer]

Just 2 words

Bonne chance

Thank you!

 

[Debater Slayer]

Happy birthday Debater Slayer. I hope you get to meet your best friend.

Thanks, Ethan! I hope so too.

Also, when I was learning Spanish from DuoLingo I was starting to think in Spanish a few days after diving deep into it. It spooked me out so I decided to stop learning the language and I virtually know nothing about the language anymore. But having both English and Arabic are essential to knowing and understanding the basics in many countries. I wish I knew a second language but English is primarily used so much in my daily life that I don't think I'll need to learn a second. If I did learn a second it would either be Spanish for practicality or Latin, because Latin is my favorite language and I think it sounds really cool. Thankfully both Spanish and Latin are offered on DuoLingo.

I hope you can work on your birthday resolutions.

I have found thinking in English to be essential when I'm in situations where I want to eliminate the delay between thinking something and verbalizing it. If I think in Arabic and try to speak English, sometimes there's a small delay until I translate everything.

English is very useful! I don't know whether I'd have learned any other languages if I had known English natively.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Happy Birthday and great success in your life.

Thanks, Ken!

Just remember that "living life" is more important than achievement. Not that you shouldn't achieve. Hope you have the best of both.

Agreed. I want to work to live, not live to work... but academic and career achievements also bring me joy.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Happy birthday DS. Remember: life's a journey, not a race.

Well okay, sometimes it's a race too.

When I was 27 I wanted to be a better musician than Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison, and by the next year I was.

Know why?

Because neither Jims made it to 28 and I did.

Even if you decide to get in the race it's good to remember that nobody really knows where the finish line is, so it's good to look at that as a journey too.

Thanks for the birthday wishes, Rick!

Great point about the race. Up until a few years ago, I used to compare myself to others all the time. It was hellish. Every single time I would end up finding someone who had done more and feeling like I had failed.

Nowadays I usually measure my progress against my own goals. It's such a liberating approach.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I think you've done exceptionally well for yourself. Most would be impressed, and you should be proud.

Thanks, FH. That's really kind of you to say.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Happy Birthday !

Thank you so much, Sirona!

I'm not so sure you're right about that. English, Dutch and German belong to the same language family (Germanic languages), Spanish and French to another (Romance languages). You can usually infer the relationship of English and French words only through Latin, but in doing so the words are often very "distorted", so you have to be really good to guess the relationship. e.g. Sebastian is called Étienne in French. If I had to choose between German and French, I would choose French because it is more widespread worldwide. French has a heavy grammar, whereas German has an extremely complex grammar and many "little words" as well as a varying word order to express different nuances of meaning. When I translate something from German into English, I usually have to "simplify" because these "little words" often don't exist like that in English. If I were you, I would only choose German if I knew for sure that I wanted to stay in Germany/Austria/Switzerland. If I weren't German, I probably wouldn't move to Germany. I lived in France for 10 months and found the people there much warmer and more friendly than in my own country.

Knowing German is a valuable asset in my field (software engineering), but yes, I wouldn't want to live there either. Only as a temporary option at most. My country's culture is hyper-extroverted, so I don't think I would fit in well in Germany or Scandinavia (among others).

German seems to me more distant from English than French is just because I can recognize more words in French. I also find the grammar easier. Maybe I'd see more similarities between German and English than French and English if I started learning German. I don't know.