Goal-Oriented: Learning French

I like to think of myself as a very goal-oriented person. I hone in on a particular goal, mentally propose what I need to to reach that goal, as well as how long it will take me to get there. It also helps that I set mini-goals for myself as stepping stones to the overall goal. Wow, I'm using the word "goal" a lot, aren't I? The point is, goals are good. They keep you motivated and, at least for me, they make life a little interesting. If you know you're working toward something big, part of the fun is what you have to do to get there. Though not all of it is fun, as all of you fellow goal-keepers know. At the moment I have two very big, very ambitious goals that I'd like to obtain: Become a published writer, and learn to speak French fluently. You all know I've been working on the former goal for a while now and (mostly) everything I've been through in trying to reach that endpoint. So for now, I'll focus on the latter goal: learning French. My interest in the French language began my sophomore year in high school. It was my first stab at a French class, my first stab at attempting any foreign language. At first I was nervous, but as the class went on, I began to realize that learning the ways of francais were facile (easy). In no time I was learning basic words, finding patterns between the French and English languages, all the while thoroughly enjoying the experience. I quickly enrolled in French 2 the following year, and though I neglected to take French 3 my senior year, I found myself still referring to the French words I had picked up during my two years in Madame Lehr's class. Now that college is fastly approaching, I will find myself reunited with the language of love; my major requires me to take 2 years of a foreign language, and since I'd already gained an interest in French, I opted to taking that. But I think I would've taken it regardless if it were for my major or not, because not too long ago I made it a goal of mine to become fluent in the language. Though I'm still a few weeks away from classes (yikes!), I've taken it upon myself to reintroduce myself to the language. I purchased a laminated supplement filled with common words and phrases; much to my elation, I've found that I actually remember a lot of the common words/phrases. Still, I've established mini-goals for myself, trying to memorize the other, more unfamiliar parts of the supplement. I've also been listening to French songs and interviews (I suggest listening to a few French interviews of Marion Cotillard; even if you have no interest in learning French, the way she speaks...just do it). I'm also determined to memorize and understand Edith Piaf's famous song, "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" before classes start. So far I've gotten a few lines down, which is exciting all in its own. I know it'll be tough. I'm not doing it because I think it'll be easy. I like to be challenged, especially in a way that will ultimately benefit me in the future. I see myself continuing to learn more about the French language; perhaps by the end of the school year I will be able to hold a somewhat coherent conversation with a fellow French speaker. I also have a dream to one day write an entire novel in French. Can I get there? Absolutely. Will it be hard and at times tedious? Probably. But will it be worth it in the end? Oui!