This word has appeared in 130 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year. Can you use it in a sentence?
The Cuban Missile Crisis and Its Relevance Today
Sixty years ago, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war. Today, we face a new nuclear threat as events in Ukraine escalate. What are the lessons of the Cuban missile crisis for us now?
Lesson Plan: ‘Some Kids Play Sports. These Kids Train Wild Horses.’
In this lesson, students will learn about a program to tame wild horses in a remote area of California. Then they’ll brainstorm ways to address problems in their communities.
Should We Get Rid of Homework?
Some educators are pushing to get rid of homework. Would that be a good thing?
TikTok Searches
Do you use TikTok as a search engine? How?
The Top 7 Languages You Should Learn
‘Guten tag’, ‘Olá’, ‘Konnichiwa’, ‘Bonjour’, ‘Nǐ hǎo’, ‘Ciao’, and ‘Hello’. Just like that, you have learned how to say hello in seven languages. Learning a new language can seem daunting at first but if you can learn pottery, meditation, and how to play an instrument online, why not a new language? So, whether you want to travel, have dreams of working for an international conglomerate, or just enjoy learning something new, we’re giving you the top seven languages you should learn and why.
Why you should learn a new language
There are many good reasons why you should learn a new language. You can read more about the benefits and tips to learning a new language here. The top reasons we shared in this article are:
- Improved career prospects
- Makes you a better multi-tasker
- Improves your memory
- Makes you a better communicator
- Helps you learn about and appreciate other cultures
But which language do you start with? Keep reading. We’ve outlined the top languages you can consider learning.
The Top 7 Languages You Should Learn
There are thousands of languages (over 7000) in the world. They are spoken among different continents, countries, nationalities, and tribes. Many of these languages are becoming endangered with fewer speakers remaining and not many people passing the language onto coming generations. However, about 23 languages are spoken by more than half of the world’s population.
Mandarin Chinese
China is one of the world’s top economies. It’s a global powerhouse and given its reach across all corners of the globe, it’s to be expected that it’s a top language to learn. Mandarin Chinese is spoken by 1.3 billion (yes, with a “b”) native speakers. That means roughly one-in-seven of the world’s population speaks Mandarin, a rather impressive statistic considering the size of the world. However, it’s not an easy language to learn with the various pronunciations and tones you need to master to help you eliminate your accent. But if you want to explore international business opportunities, you’ll be one up on many people also seeking global work opportunities.
French
France isn’t the only country in the world where French is la langue officielle. It is, in fact, the official language in 11 African countries. It’s estimated that there are just under 240 million native French speakers today. Oui, it is the language of love. And you’ll love it even more as an English -native speaker because it’s one of the easier languages to learn. In future, the number of people who can speak French is expected to rise as this romance language group tongue gains popularity.
Italian
Italian is the language of fashion, art, delectable cuisine, and music. It ticks all the right boxes in terms of the best foreign language to learn but for native English speakers, Italian is considered one of the easiest languages to learn. So, if you just want to know how to speak the language to help you as you travel and eat your way through its beautiful cities, you’ll be proficient in no time. But, if you want to add that something extra to your repertoire in the design, luxury cars, culture and fine arts spaces, Italian is a great language for you to learn.
Spanish
If you find yourself in Europe, or in any of the countries in South America, you can put your Spanish language skills with the 480 million speakers globally. In fact, even if you venture into the United States, you will find over 35 million native-Spanish speakers from east to west. This will provide you with every ample opportunity to practice your Spanish speaking skills.
Arabic
Arabic is predominantly spoken in the Middle East and is the main, or co-official language in 23 countries. The World Economic Forum has named Arabic as the fifth most powerful language in the world. Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are quickly becoming an economic force and therefore, learning Arabic and understanding the different facets of everyday conversations will give you an immeasurable ROI on the time you’ll spend learning it.
But added to this, is how they are developing their countries to be holiday destinations for the wanderlust, those strong desire to travel.
German
German is the home language to six European countries (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein). It’s spoken by an estimated 100 million people in the country and over 200 million collectively. Germany is Europe’s largest economy, and this makes it an integral part of business, development, and diplomacy. If you’re looking to break into the European market and advance your career, learning German will take you a couple of steps closer to your goal.
Japanese
And finally, Japanese. Like China, it’s an economic powerhouse in the automotive, technology, science, communication, and financial sectors but it also has a booming tourism industry. It can be a tad challenging to pick up the language, but you will be interested to discover that using gestures and body language is an important communication tool used among the Japanese people. It’s a real phenomenon called haragei.
Learning a new language
When you decide to learn a new language, you’re learning the basics, the rules, the culture, and so much more. And like any learning process, you will go from beginner, to intermediate, and the pinnacle, the advanced speaking level. Each phase builds on the last so it’s important not to rush each level of learning, but to make sure you have fully grasped it as your next level of learning will build on it. Our English Vertical courses are a prime example of this learning process.
And there you have it. Our top languages you should learn. So, whether it’s starting to learn a second language or your third or fourth, it’s a win. Now it’s up to you to decide where you want your future to take you. Visit our language hub for all the help you need to get you there.
Word of the Day: prerogative
This word has appeared in 81 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year. Can you use it in a sentence?
How Antonio opened the door to a Ph.D. through UC Boulder’s MS-EE program
Hi, I’m Antonio! In a previous life, I was a supply chain manager at Pratt and Whitney, an aircraft engine manufacturer. I worked in a facility that maintained the engines and was responsible for bringing in the materials, planning the production, and making sure the supply chain worked.
Prior to working at Pratt and Whitney, I was an aerospace engineer. For the first 5 years, my work was more technical, but after seeing the financial benefit, I transitioned to a supervisor role.
I spent some time in management but realized my calling was on the technical side, and after some thought decided to enroll in the MS EE program at University of Colorado Boulder.
Why did I choose this particular engineering program? The first reason is the performance-based admissions process available at the university. Performance-based admission means you don’t need transcripts, tests, or minimum GPAs to qualify for enrollment. Students only need to complete the work at the required level, and they are admitted to the master’s degree program regardless of previous academic or work experience.
Another reason I wanted to enroll was the world-class electrical, computer, and energy engineering faculty. Students can learn from noteworthy professors like Dr. Robert Erickson, author of the leading textbook on power electronics. How exciting!
When I first started the program, I took some not-for-credit courses, then transferred to for-credit courses when I was sure the eight-week schedule worked for me. This is a great feature because if you find out in the middle of the course that you can’t finish, you don’t have to withdraw.
The first class I took was in the sensors specialization. The field programmable gate arrays were also very interesting because programming hardware instead of software was a completely new concept for me.
I love learning new things. All my kids are grown up and moved out, and I have more free time than I used to. I have a lot of life left to live, however, and I do not agree with the concept of retirement. I think if you don’t challenge your mind your brain shrinks. My brother retired and he is bored! You meet a lot of interesting people and learn a lot while working. If you stay at home, you lose much of this interaction and learning.
I saw a lot of older people in the program which is a good thing – even some people who have kids out of the house. I think this program was good for them because it’s easier to balance when there are no kids to worry about.
When I first enrolled in 2019, my goal was to gain a deep understanding of electronics and then find a job. Now that I have chosen to continue to a Ph.D. this might change. I will see how research and academic life is, then I’ll decide to get a job or go the university way.
I love having a challenge to keep my mind and body active. During the summer, I am doing some work here in the lab and studying some stuff my advisor has given me to hit the ground running in the fall.
Thank you for sharing your learning experience with us, Antonio. All the best on your journey!
Color Love | Lavender & Beige
Violet and beige are colors that work great for every season. I like them especially for autumn as a contrast to brown, orange and red. The shades I picked for this post may be a little dark for larger designs but paired with lots of white will give stunning results. Give it a try, as you will get a lot of use from this lavender and beige color palette.
Lavender & beige Color Palette
This palette is highly inspired by our 2023 Blog Planner & Life Planner and their limited edition color – Lavender. So if you like violet and beige shades, make sure to check the planners, as you will love them!
As always, we have put together a mood board with some inspiration. It is in perfect Pinterest format, so feel free to pin it for later.
See our collection of other gorgeous color palettes by visiting our color palette section.
What do you think about this color palette? Where would you use it? There are really no limits here. We would love to hear your thoughts. Share them in the comments below. In addition, make sure to check our other violet & purple propositions:
Lastly, learn about the power of color in blog design in our blog post to see how important colors are in all the projects you create.
And, of course, don’t forget to check the 2023 Ultimate Planners! Over 100 pages that will help you grow your blog and social media and plan your perfect year!
If you create something using today’s color palette, don’t forget to share it with us!
Cool Job: I’m A Game Designer For “Kerbal Space Program 2”
Working in the gaming industry is not all fun and games, according to Sydney Adams, a Senior Game Designer in Seattle. “It has not been an easy process by any stretch of the imagination,” she says.
Sydney, 29, got her start in gaming as an intern at Wizards of the Coast, where she worked on games like Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. In 2022, she got hired as a Senior Game Designer at Take-Two Interactive, a game publishing company that puts out hit games like NBA 2K and Grand Theft Auto. She’s currently building the game Kerbal Space Program 2 under the sub-labels Private Division and Intercept Games.
Like many kids, Sydney grew up playing games and developed a passion for them at a young age. “My mother was the one who introduced me to games — she’s been a gamer since the jump,” she says. Her mother would play the original Legend of Zelda on the old school console Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and host lively Scrabble nights with friends.
It wasn’t until Sydney graduated from college that she realized making video games could be a viable career: “I always enjoyed games and play, but I didn’t actually think I was gonna become a Game Designer,” Sydney says.
A Game Designer is sort of like the conductor of an orchestra, Sydney says. While a Game Designer might not be “playing all the instruments,” they have to understand the overarching vision of a game and what needs to happen to build it. “As a Game Designer, I’ve been in charge of creating stories and characters, building the world out, creating missions, giving characters motivation, writing dialogue,” Sydney says. “You can pretty much do anything or be asked to do anything.”
Curious what other types of careers you can have in game development? In our new free course Introduction to Game Development, you’ll get introduced to the various tools and processes that game development teams use to take a game from an idea to the screen.
Here’s how Sydney learned the skills to become a Game Designer, how she broke into the gaming industry, and her advice for aspiring Game Developers and Designers.
What got me interested in the job
“I went to Stony Brook University, and I got an English degree. I thought I was going to do law, because I like logic puzzles. I remember having to read tort law for like a good month, and I could just feel my resolve crumbling — I was like, I can’t do this forever. I took a gap year and explored my options.
It didn’t occur to me that I could do game design until I started working with kids during my gap year and realized how much games impacted them. I was a Community Habilitation worker for kids with special needs. We worked on things like life skills and play therapy.
When you’re dealing with small children who are very impressionable, their behavior can fundamentally change depending on the games they play. If they’re playing games that teach you to eat with a fork, then they’re going to ask for a fork the next time they eat. I thought, I wonder if it is possible to create games that can positively influence future generations?”
How I got in the door
“I went to Parsons School of Design and got a design technology graduate degree. Grades alone are often not enough to break into an industry. I got a quick reality check realizing that in order to get to the next level, I really need to beef up my resume with things that matter.
I had to support myself, so I had multiple jobs, some of them less glamorous, like serving, but I also got to work as a Game Master at an escape room and I got a job as a Unity tutor. I was like, How can I get as close to doing what I want to do as possible? Working in the escape room was interesting, because I got to get a bird’s eye view of watching how people interact with puzzles.
I was volunteering for as many projects that I could outside of work. There was this arcade in New York called Babycastles that supported students and other end users in the area by giving them a space to display their games. I made a physical analog game called Magic Girl Mecha, where we combined Sailor Moon and Gundam tropes. I was able to put on a resume that I got a game in an arcade, people played it, and I had enough footage showing whether or not it worked.
I had been applying to jobs at like 30 places a day, because I wanted to be super aggressive about it. I finally got an opportunity to do a 2-month paid internship in Washington in R&D for Magic: The Gathering, which was a turning point. I was a little bit familiar with MTG, but I wasn’t super entrenched in it. I was like, I will become a guru as soon as possible. I was playing as much as I could, really trying to internalize and learn the different segments, and really polish it. I had a fundamental understanding of game design, and that helped me.
After the two months, I think I proved myself, my ability, and willingness to learn enough that Wizards of the Coast signed me on as a contractor. So that’s when I officially took my suitcase and I moved to Washington. Over the course of four or so years, I eventually got promoted to full Game Designer at Wizards of the Coast. It was definitely a grind.”
What I actually do every day
“When you’re working at an indie [independent video game], you’re always going to have your head down, because you’re often going to be wearing several hats at a time. Now that I work in a AAA company, they’re larger, they have more capital, so they function more like a typical job with roles that are segmented into teams that are dedicated to things, and people who have oversight and structure.
A typical day for me is usually working on whatever assignments I have for my sprint, which could be creating missions or quests, giving feedback on things that are in the game, or trying to debug things that may have gotten knocked out of place. I use C# and a set of custom tools.
If you’re at the beginning of the project versus the end of the project, it makes a huge difference in your day to day. I am currently on a project that is towards the end of its cycle. Back when I was on earlier [stage] projects there would be a lot more meetings, getting everybody on the same page, figuring out what the pillars of the project are, talking about world-building, and divvying up tasks.”
Here’s what you need to get started
Achieving this level of success in the gaming industry has been the “journey of my life,” Sydney says, but it’s come with a fair share of mental hurdles. “When I first started I think I was very nervous about being myself — I wanted to fit in, I wanted my opinions to be valued,” she says.
Game development is a male-dominated industry — 71% of Game Developers are men, 24% are women, and 3% are non-binary, according to global data from the International Game Developers Association. Data on race and ethnicity shows that 2% of Game Developers are Black while 69% identify as white.
While it’s common to feel impostor syndrome in a new job, those feelings are compounded for women, people of color, or individuals with non-traditional educational backgrounds. “There is a level of mental fortitude that is required when there is no one else like you in an environment and you have to prove value,” Sydney says.
If you’re interested in a career in gaming but don’t know where to start, consider taking our free beginner-friendly course Introduction to Game Development. You’ll learn about different types of games and the technical tools that Game Designers use to bring them to life.
In addition to learning the programming languages and game engines for game development and crafting a portfolio, it’s also important to network and “immerse yourself in the environment,” Sydney says. Go to gaming conferences, participate in game jams, and find small opportunities to participate in building games in any way you can, she says.
And finally, don’t stop playing different games, particularly ones that are outside of your comfort zone. “If you’re someone who wants to be in games, some of the best things you can do is keep playing many different types of games,” Sydney says. “What game design really is is designing for an audience — and that audience may not be you.”
C# Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy
C# is one of the most popular programming languages. It can be used for a variety of things, including mobile applications, game development, and enterprise software. Knowing C# opens a great deal of doors for you as a developer.
