If I ask someone about what important qualities a college student must have, they will tell me about everything but vocabulary. It’s one of the most necessary academic investments but very often overlooked. 99% of the people who walk out of college into the corporate industry for jobs are judged by their vocabulary and speech delivery. It’s fascinating, right?
The careful choice of words one makes and a broad vocabulary can make a great impression on people and help beyond expectations. It enhances communication skills, makes one a better speaker, a convincing leader and most importantly a better conversationalist. It grants you respect and credibility, both of which helps a college student start off a successful career.
But, the misconception that it’s too hard to learn new words or that you have to read Jane Austin to improve vocabulary is far from the truth. Here are 3 simple ways to help you smoothly add some new words to your conversations:
Learn One New Word A Day
This is the most successful proven method of adding up words to your vocabulary. Find a new word every day and memorize it the first thing in the morning. Understand its meaning and the context it can be used and then try coming up with sentences. No matter how packed your schedule it, this only takes 5 minutes of your day and gives you the entire day to use and practice the word.
There are many apps and websites that can help you with the process. Apps like PowerVocab or websites like vocabulary.com can make it easy by delivering a new word every day straight on your laptop/smartphone screen. There’s no hard work in learning words!
Read, Read and Read
By reading, it means reading actual books made of paper and not the digital version (although you can do that too). It’s more effective learning if you have a book in your hand, highlight words and you can just understand the meaning of new words by reading the material around it.
The best of reading for vocabulary can be done with magazines, novels, newspaper editorials and creative journals as they tend to have a creative writing style. You will find new words as well as interest content that will definitely help you crack the boredom.
Dictionary is Your New Best Friend
The first indispensable resource that one can invest in long-term learning is a dictionary. Similarly, I would suggest a thesaurus for synonyms and antonyms of words by making a connection between their meanings. The following are some suggested titles one may consider before purchasing:
- Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary;
- The New Oxford American Dictionary;
- The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus.
Insider’s tip: Put a new word on a sticky note every morning and stick it to your laptop or table or the place you see the most. No matter how busy your schedule is, you will glance on it several times throughout the day and remember it.
Make vocabulary improvement a permanent habit in your everyday routine and have fun with it. Add them to your facebook status, write them down in your journal, add them in your blogs and make them a part of your better personality.
