Name: Yuuko Okada                                                                                                                               

Year: 1996

 

     Our English teachers in junior high school taught us English so that we can understand it easily. For example,  they made word lists and drew pictures. To make us understand grammar, they explained it over and over again and gave us many exercises and homework. It was fun for me to do my homework, for example, to memorize words and to translate English into Japanese. That is why, I began to like English. Maybe thanks to teachers, I came to like English.

     In high school, we had many English classes and then we read many stories. To read them had both good and bad effects on me. The good point is that many stories taught me new things that I have not known. And so I learned a lot. And as I read many stories, I was able to read them faster and to understand the content faster than before. So it was fun for me to read many stories. The bad point is the following. Though we had many English classes, there was only one conversation class. So it was difficult for me to speak and listen to English. I wanted to be able to speak English fluently. That is why, I wanted to enter university.

     Before I came here, I was expecting that everyone was able to speak English fluently. And so I was worried about myself. But I did not study English very much after I passed the entrance examination. In fact, some of my classmates can speak English very fluently. So when I talk with them, I am nervous. But they usually speak English slowly so that I can understand them and so recently I can be relaxed. Of course, there are classmates who are at my approximate level. It is fun for me to talk with them. But I think that they have improved their ability to speak English since April. Because we had many chances to use English in the classes and even outside the classes, for example, on the telephone and with E-mail.

     Before I came to the university, I was expecting that there was almost no homework. But in fact, there is a lot of homework to do. In the first semester, because I was not used to the new life in Nagoya (school and dormitory life) and I had a lot of homework to do, I was very confused. Then, many old friends who also specialize in English at other universities said to me, "We have almost no homework. I am enjoying new life." When I heard about it, I was very disappointed. But when I told this story to my friend in the dormitory, she said, "I have decided to go to the university to study. Of course, I have many aims. But the first aim is to study." She encouraged me. So I was able to be relaxed. And I remembered that I have decided to go to the university because I would like to speak English fluently.

     I was surprised at many interesting classes. I enjoy speaking English while being videoed. After I watched myself speaking English, I know what I should improve. And I can see how I have improved.

     And I enjoyed juggling,  sending E-mail,  listening to Beatles' songs and so on.

     I would like to enjoy the rest of my school life. I would like to enjoy many classes and absorb  many new things that I have not known. I would like to speak English fluently. And I would like to have a lot of friends and keep their friendship after I graduate.

     During vacations I would like to travel to many places near Aichi and go abroad. To travel, I need money. So I will do various part-time jobs. And through working, many experiences will make me grow, I think.

     For the next three years, I will do whatever I would like to do because  I do not want to regret my school life when I look back on that later.

            The first goal that I would like to come true is to speak English fluently. To do so, I will use English as much as possible. Finally, I would like to tell next year's first year students the following. For school life you should do whatever you would like to do so that you may not regret your school life later.