If you are currently reading this, then you know English. You might think that was a silly statement, and it might be. But you would not be able to communicate with the world around you with ease if you did not know English.

English to all of us is a foreign language. None of us grew up knowing how to speak fluently in English. We spent many years in elementary and middle school trying to learn it. Many of us are still learning. The art of learning a language like English does not come easily, but it definitely comes with benefits.

The world of languages is complicated, and I am not only referring to the grammatical aspect. Language brings culture with it, and culture brings values and traditions. That is why when people take time to learn another language, they are not only learning words and phrases, but also a new culture.

“One of the goals of TCU is to create global citizens," Dianne Hobbs, a Spanish professor, said. "An integral pathway to becoming a global citizen is to know a second language and its culture.”

Learning a new language cannot be a waste of time. It is simply a matter of being sensitive to another culture. Yes, it may be time consuming, but never is it time wasting.

“Employers find it an advantage for their employees to know Spanish,” Hobbs said.

Living in Texas, everyone probably hears some Spanish on a daily basis.

"Its very crucial to know Spanish in Texas where I’m living and in California where I’m from since it’s such a popular language," Crista Salas, a sophomore kinesiology major, said. "It helps you complete your job.”

But knowing the language helps in more areas than just the United States.

“Spanish is the world’s fourth most spoken language and the number of Spanish speakers in the U.S. is over 40 million,” Hobbs said.

The world today is choosing to be bilingual. What will you choose?

Nikasha Chandhok is a sophomore economics and journalism double major from New Delhi, India.