Collaborative post: Learning the business language

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If you have tried studying a new language, this will certainly feel similar. A lexical string of words that are nowhere near familiar can induce confusion and anxiousness in some people, while inducing excitement and adventure to others. Our field’s language, like any other language, has two categories: formal and informal, which are utilized in different circumstances. Learning them will require constant application in real life.

We believe that learning something requires you to have some certain level of affinity towards it. For example, someone who enjoys football improves the fastest, mainly because of the effort they put into it. Also, psychological conditions may also affect their learning capacity, which can be represented by how CSE 101 (prerequisite for Broad business college application) students have a large grade gap between the top students and under-performing students. The under-performing students are more likely to have dislike towards computers or technology in general, while the more successful students are commonly the ones that are more analytical.

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If you have a problem with liking the language and want to force yourself to like it, what can be better than incorporating it with your hobbies? For example, if you like watching movies, you could watch movies that are related to the business field, like Wall Street and The Social Network. Or if you're still in school, there are often clubs and organizations related to the business field where you can surround yourself in a fun, yet educational environment. Doing something fun to learn would make the process so much easier.

If you are studious, you could read a dictionary on it. Resources like these can be found online on websites such as investopedia.com. You could then apply these jargon in your business class’s essays or general writing in order to memorize them.

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The last one, which is certainly not the least effective learning method, is to learn from the field itself. If you are forced to enter an environment that you’re not comfortable with, you are forced to adapt to it. Similarly, you could apply to a job in the business field, and learn from co-workers and apply it with them.

To summarize, all these learning methods will certainly require you to apply the jargon from the language practically. It will definitely also require putting yourself in an uncomfortable position. While there are many ways to learn the language of business, they all go hand in hand to become fluent. Like entering university for the first time, it will certainly take time to adjust, but eventually you will be comfortable.

~Erin, Evan, Aaron, William