Preparing your Environment

Welcome to 2025 and Fresh Foundations Day 1.

For the next five weeks, I’ll be sharing quick posts to help you build a sustainable and joyful language learning practice. This series, Fresh Foundations, is all about actionable steps you can take in just 15-30 minutes a day to create a language learning routine that works for you.

If that sounds like something you’re ready for, let’s get into today’s activity!

---

Day 1: Preparing Your Environment

First off, congratulations! Starting or refreshing your language learning journey is an exciting step. I won’t lie-language learning can be a long and occasionally uncomfortable process, but with encouragement and consistency, it can also be deeply rewarding.

Today, we’re setting the stage for success by preparing your environment and starting the year with a clean slate. Here are today’s activities:

1. Schedule Your Language Time:

Block off 15–20 minutes in your calendar for tomorrow and Friday. Choose a time that fits your lifestyle. You don’t have to stick with this time forever; on Friday, we’ll adjust for next week.

Pro tip: Stack your habit! Pair language time with something you already do, like enjoying your morning coffee or winding down after dinner.

2. Gather Your Materials:

Decide whether you’ll track your learning digitally or with a notebook. Both have their benefits and drawbacks:

• Digital Notes:

  • Pros: Easy to edit, organize, and search; portable; integrates with apps.

  • Cons: Can be distracting; less effective for memory retention.

• Handwritten Notes:

  • Pros: Better for memory retention; encourages creativity.

  • Cons: Harder to edit or organize for large projects; requires physical storage.

If you’re like me, a cute notebook can be motivating! (I even created one, which you can check out here-but any notebook will do.)

3. Create Your Exposure Ecosystem:

Immerse yourself in your target language by changing your phone, computer, and media settings. Surround yourself with content in your target language-TV, radio, podcasts, even your shopping lists. Research shows that learners who engage in immersive activities can accelerate fluency over time.

We want to make practicing your target language the easiest choice in your day.

Get your space ready today, and you’ll already be one step closer to building the habits that will carry you through. Let me know how your setup goes, and see you tomorrow for Day 2!