Learning Japanese as a Business Student:
Why It’s Been Worth It
Introduction:
Welcome back to this week's set of blog posts! Today, I will be discussing my experiences with learning Japanese as a native English speaker who is studying Business Administration, and the benefits and impact it has had on me. When I first started college, I knew I would want to travel abroad at some point. For most of my life, I have heard that studying abroad is one of the best opportunities that college offers. So, as a freshman, I decided that I would go to Japan for my senior year and study abroad there for an entire academic year. During sophomore year, I decided that learning the language would probably be extremely helpful if I planned on studying abroad there for a year. Now, after over a year of studying and over 430 hours of dedicated time spent learning the language, I am in love with it, and it has been one of the best decisions and commitments I have made. Besides being a great resume builder, learning Japanese has truly expanded my global perspective, improved my discipline, and opened new career paths that I never would have originally known about.
Building Discipline and Patience:
For those who don't know, Japanese actually has three alphabets. Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. They're writing system is completely different and has hundreds more characters compared to the English alphabet. As a college sophomore, learning the first two alphabets in the first month of learning was stressful and draining. It was a completely foreign experience to me, learning about new alphabets, let alone a new language. Juggling keeping a good standing in classes while learning a completely new language taught me a great deal about discipline and eventually led me to stick with learning for the next year.
Learning a language is the epitome of delayed gratification. I learned new words, new grammar, new vowels, and phonetics. But it wasn't until after a few months of studying that things finally started to click, and I would be able to pick up words and phrases when listening to native speakers. Learning Japanese allows me to better manage my time and to really focus on what I am working on. I still have hundreds, if not thousands, more hours of study until I reach my goal of fluency, but the consistency of working on it every day has transferred into how I prepare for classes and exams.
Career and Academic Value:
Ever since that first month of learning Japanese, my love and interest for Japanese culture have completely snowballed, and now I actually plan to work and live there long-term after graduation. Knowing Japanese, or any foreign language, can open opportunities in international business, teaching, and entrepreneurship. Japan has been a major economic player in the last 20 years and is known for technological and structural innovation. My goal of studying at Waseda University in Tokyo will hopefully help get my foot in the door to working there long-term. As a business student, I find other cultures and economies very intriguing, and international business is something I want to pursue in the future.
Learning Japanese is also probably the biggest goal I have ever set for myself, and likely the most challenging too. Sure, getting good grades in college is important, but I think the personal sense of satisfaction I will have after being able to use the language that I have put in so many hours of studying on my own time will be even more rewarding. I truly look forward to the connections I will make while studying abroad, and I hope to network with many professors and colleagues when I am in Japan. I truly want to contribute my skills to help Japan and the world. Learning Japanese has been the first step in becoming a businessman who is ready to take the stage at an international level.
Conclusion:
Learning any language is a long-term investment and can contribute greatly to personal and professional growth. I urge you to think about what you want to do for a career and where you want to live. What experiences do you want to have? According to an article by Woman's Magazine, 62% of senior citizens say that they regret not having traveled more when they were younger. For me, learning Japanese isn't just another thing to cross off the list; it's investing in opportunities that many people say they regret not experiencing. I plan to continue my Japanese studies and hope to become nearly fluent by the time I return from Japan in 2027. For my previous question, would learning a foreign language help you professionally, depending on your career and where you want to live? I would say yes, absolutely. The world is becoming more globalized, and languages like Spanish and Chinese are becoming more and more common in the United States. I look forward to where my new language skills will take me in the world of business. Thanks for tuning in!
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