College is a great time to pick up a new language, but sometimes there just isn’t enough time or class credit to spare. Instead of the traditional routes to learning a new language, like joining a club or spending a semester abroad, try some of these quick approaches to a more worldly vocabulary.

1. Talk to yourself

Practice with Duolingo.com, online instructional videos or iPhone apps like “Babbel.” Once you have the basics down, start practicing on your own. Take a study break to converse with yourself in American Sign Language. Next time you sing in the shower, try it in Italian. To practice writing, compose a journal entry or a note to a friend who understands the language you’re learning. A great way to learn is by pretending to be a foreign language textbook illustrator: Doodle breakfast foods or make a diagram of a car, and then label your work in Cantonese.

2. Take a foreign language course, but not really

You can still take classes without risking your grades — just audit a course. You’ll still be learning from a live instructor, you won’t receive credit and your transcript will show that the course was audited. It’s a great way to dabble in a subject that will require years to master, like a foreign language.

3. Talk one-on-one

If you’re getting serious about taking your language-learning skills to the next level, talk to the experts. Universities are full of people who want to help you learn. Check out University Tutoring Services’ walk-in hours or make an appointment for designated times to converse in the language you’re learning. Contact professors in the language department you want to pursue to learn about specific professional programs that are geared to your interests but also have a foreign language component to them.

4. Get your friends to do it with you

Next time you and your friends decide to revisit your childhood through Disney, try it in Arabic. Musical numbers with repeating choruses are ideal for learning simple phrases, and YouTube has plenty of clips with English subtitles. While you’ve got everyone together, try holding a game night in the language of your choice. “Apples to Apples” will be that much funnier. April Fools’ Day is right around the corner: Treat your suitemates to a dorm full of sticky notes labeling their possessions in Korean.

5. Make plans

If study abroad programs just don’t fit into your schedule right now, start planning ahead for another year. Celeste Lee, study abroad coordinator for the Office of International Programs, recommends professor Daryl Santos’ program for engineering students.

“It’s for students who want to go abroad after graduation to different research centers across Germany,” Lee said. “It’s an international collaboration.”

The Office of International Programs recommends plenty of other opportunities for post-graduation travel, some of which do not require any foreign language experience. The office is located in the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center, beneath the Hinman College Library, and holds study abroad walk-in advising hours Mondays through Fridays from 2 to 3 p.m.