Remove the laces from your shoe. Put both ends of the lace in the bottom holes going from the outside to the inside. This should create a bar across the bottom two holes on the outside of the shoe. Pull the ends of the lace up to tighten it. Make sure the lace is centered and that both ends are the same length. Bring the left shoelace up through the second hole from the bottom. This should be the hole just above the hole it went into. Then bring the lace across and push it down through the hole straight across from it. This should make a bar across the front of the shoe on the outside. Bring the right shoelace up through the third hole from the bottom. This should be the hole just above the hole the left lace went into. You will then thread the right lace down through the hole immediately across from it, the same as you did with the left end. This should make the second bar. Continue to thread the laces according to this pattern: bring the left lace up through the hole just above the previous hole you worked with, and down into the hole straight across. Then bring the right lace up out of the hole just above the hole the left lace went into, and bring the right lace down into the hole straight across.  On the underside, your laces should run alongside the tongue of the shoe without crossing it. Make a bow as you normally would, but hide it under the tongue of the shoe. Cross the left lace over the right lace, and bring it down to twist the laces. Now make a loop with the right lace, and wrap the left lace around the back of the loop, bring it forward, and push it through the hole under the loop. Grab the original loop and the loop you have just made, and pull them until the bow is tight. Some people find having the bow under the tongue makes their shoes painful to wear. If this is uncomfortable for you, you can try pushing the bow under the sole of the shoe or to one side of your foot instead.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Put the ends of the laces into the holes closest to your toe. Make your first "bar" by bringing the left shoelace up and across to the right. Make your second "bar" by bringing the right shoelace up and across to the left. Continue making "bars" up the front of the shoe. Tie a bow on the inside of the shoe.


Learning a language is unlike learning any other subject. Your knowledge must build and become as intrinsic as possible. Practicing every day is the only way you'll be able to maintain and improve your skills.  Incorporate review in your learning until it's solid. You cannot build complex sentences if you've forgotten how to structure simple ones. Even if it's just for half an hour, it's worth it. Get your mind thinking in French. Developing habits makes it harder to quit. Depending on your source, about 30% of all English words originate from French. If you're just beginning, an easy way to dive in is to familiarize yourself with the concepts.  Often, the "fancier" verb is French and the "normal" verb is German. Think "start" versus "commence"; "help" versus "aid"; "understand" versus "comprehend." The French for those verbs is, respectively, in their infinitive form, "commencer," "aider," and "comprendre." Certain word endings are giveaways that they're French. Think words with "-ion," "-ance," or "ite." Television, billion, religion, nuance, endurance, granite, opposite -- those are all French words. Not English. French. Well, English, too. Never let your vocabulary stagnate. As your knowledge grows, take time to incorporate new phrases into your phrasal pool. Think of a new topic. If you're lacking in time vocabulary, zero-in on that department. If you need to learn the names of food, concentrate on that. Expand yourself. Quelle heure est-il? (What time is it?)Bon, heu, je ne sais pas...(Uhh, I don't know...)Oh, non ! Il est déjà 17 h ! Je dois étudier mon vocabulaire de français ! (Oh no! It's already 5:00! I have to study my French vocabulary!) The biggest difference between English and French is that French conjugates their verbs to match the tense and subject. Generally speaking, verb charts go in "I, you, he/she/it, we, you (plural), they" order.  Start with the simple present of -er verbs (manger - to eat): Je mange - tu manges - il/elle/on mange - nous mangeons - vous mangez - ils/elles mangent  Simple present of -ir verbs (choisir - to choose): Je choisis - tu choisis - il/elle/on choisit - nous choisissons - vous choisissez - ils/elles choisissent  Simple present of -re verbs (vendre - to sell): Je vends - tu vends - il/elle/on vend - nous vendons - vous vendez - ils/elles vendent  Often, the ending of words is not pronounced. "Je choisis" sounds more like "Zhuh schwazee," and "ils mangent" sounds like, "eel monge." Learn the other tenses later. Once you've mastered the simple present, continue onto the passé composé (past tense). If you're around others, they might get irritated, but it's worth it! They don't have to understand you, only you have to understand you. It's a bonne idée, isn't it?  French is a language that's highly encorporated into English. In addition to using simple phrases like, "Bonjour !", "Merci beaucoup," or "Je ne sais pas" that some people know, use slightly more difficult ones when talking to yourself -- or let your roommates catch on!  Où est mon sac? - Where is my bag?  Je veux boire du vin. - I want to drink some wine.  Je t'aime. - I love you.    If you say to yourself, "Oh, I see an apple!" translate it to French - "Oh, je vois une pomme". Practice this whenever you get a chance - in the car, in bed, in the bathroom, everywhere. If living there isn't an option, then visiting is the second-best. If you have the finances and ability to take des vacances, bring your books and CDs with you!  Talk to the locals and experience the culture. Sitting at the McDonald's next to the Louvre (or the Starbucks, for that matter) won't exactly get you the educational or cultural experience you're looking for. You don't have to go to France to find a wealth of French speakers. However, know what dialect you're looking to mirror; going to Quebec will expose you to a French culture, but you'll hear Quebecois down the street--and it may be hard to understand!
++++++++++
One-sentence summary --
Practice every day. Learn cognates. Memorize new phrases. Review verb conjugations. Think out loud. Travel to a French-speaking country.