Be careful of mistaking education for preparation.

If you want to learn to speak Spanish, start speaking Spanish. Read a grammar book. Watch tv in Spanish. Learn vocab words. But do it all in tandem with speaking the language.

Do not do all of this studying for several years before you are “ready” to start actually speaking. Otherwise, you’ll end up like me—someone who took Spanish through all 4 years of high school, took AP Spanish senior year, got As and Bs on exams, but can barely hold even a basic conversation in Spanish.

When learning a skill, the most important thing is to do the skill over and over again. Use studying as an assistance exercise that helps you figure out what to do and how to do it. You’re ready to start practicing now. Stop preparing.