By Evie Kearney
1. Tell yourself it can’t be that difficult
All those other countries in Europe seem to know their own language and also be fluent in English…so how hard can it be
2. Realise it is that difficult
Grammar? Word order? What do you mean Google Translate isn’t a reliable source?
3. Struggle with basic sentences
Ich bin? Ich heiße? Mein Name? WAS IST MEIN NAME?
4. Immediately forget everything the second you actually need to use it
So you’re in the country, ready to take the lead among your friends and interpret all the street signs and menus, then suddenly you end up crossing the Italian border after ordering something that definitely wasn’t nuggets.
5. Lose all speaking capability around natives
You think you’re good at the language you’re studying? Think again. Around native speakers, you will be reduced to mumbling and a complete loss of vocabulary, while they spit out English words that you’ve never even heard of.
6. Contemplate forgetting about the whole idea of a second language…
Ask yourself if you really need to put yourself through this, I mean, everyone speaks English anyway, right? You didn’t want to move abroad anyway. Nope. Not worth it.
7. …but realise you are actually improving and be happy in that knowing a second language will open so many doors for you.
Olivia O'Dwyer 
Joe Costigan 
Sadhbh Pearse