I'm Looking Forward to It!

6 phrases from “I'm Looking Forward to It!”

Each phrase has a plain explanation and real lines from the show. Tap “Hear it” to jump to that moment.

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00:00Intro

RyanMia, why are you smiling so big today? Did you win the golden lottery ticket?

MiaHaha, no, Ryan, I did not win the lottery! But I am holding something super exciting in my hand right now!

RyanLet me see! Is that a bright blue train ticket and a colorful ocean hotel reservation printout?

MiaYes, it is! I bought a high-speed train ticket to the seaside coast and reserved a charming sunny room for four whole days! I look forward to it so much!

RyanThat is amazing news! Looking forward to something is our super hero phrase for today! Everyone feels happy when they look forward to a special event.

MiaThat is so right! Today we are going to learn six awesome, cheerful phrases all about future plans, excitement, vacations, and goals.

RyanOur main hero phrase for today is look forward to. And we also have five more great everyday phrases: count down, can't wait, make plans, save up, and time flies.

MiaAll of these phrases will help you talk about your weekend plans, holidays, upcoming goals, and special dreams in natural, clear English!

RyanPlus, in our second part today, Mia is going to share a surprising scientific fact about why looking forward to a vacation makes your brain happier than the vacation itself!

MiaYes! Scientists studied human brains and happiness levels, and the results are truly fascinating! You will be amazed when you hear the numbers!

RyanI can hardly wait to hear all about it! Science always has such cool surprises for us! But first, Mia, tell us all about your upcoming beach trip! Where are you going and why are you so excited about it?

MiaOkay, so for the past three long months, I have been working very hard every single day in the office answering emails and typing reports.

RyanYes, I saw you sitting at your computer desk for long hours every afternoon! You really worked so hard every day!

MiaExactly! My eyes were feeling tired and I really needed something fun and special to look forward to!

RyanThat makes complete sense. Everyone needs a fun reward and a relaxing break after working hard for months!

MiaSo last night, I sat down at my kitchen table, opened my laptop computer, and booked a small cozy cottage right by the ocean!

RyanWow, a small cozy cottage right by the ocean? That sounds like absolute paradise on earth! Did you get a room with a lovely balcony?

MiaYes, I did! The cottage has a white wooden balcony, big glass windows, and you can hear the peaceful ocean waves from the bedroom window.

RyanThat sounds so peaceful and relaxing! What are you packing in your travel bag for the trip?

MiaI am packing my sun hat, my favorite books, comfortable sandals, sunglasses, and a small camera to take pictures of the blue ocean.

RyanI can picture it already! Swimming in the warm sea water and eating Italian gelato by the wooden pier is my absolute favorite beach memory!

MiaOh, gelato by the pier sounds delicious, Ryan! I definitely want to try strawberry and chocolate gelato on my first day!

RyanWhat are you planning to do when you arrive at the cottage on your first afternoon?

MiaI am going to walk on the soft yellow sand, read my favorite storybooks under a large umbrella, and watch the bright orange sun set over the water every evening.

RyanOh, that sounds so lovely, Mia! I look forward to hearing all your travel stories and seeing your photos when you come back!

MiaThank you, Ryan! When you look forward to something, it means you feel happy, excited, and eager about something good that is going to happen in the future!

RyanYes! For example, I look forward to eating a delicious dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant tonight!

MiaOr a hardworking student might say, I look forward to finishing my final exams next Friday!

RyanExactly! Having something fun to look forward to gives you so much positive energy during a busy, stressful work week!

MiaThat is so true! And speaking of looking forward to things, this brings us right to that incredible scientific study I mentioned earlier!

RyanOh yes! Tell us all about the science of vacations and happiness, Mia!

MiaWell, researchers at Erasmus University in the Netherlands studied over fifteen hundred adults before and after their holidays!

RyanFifteen hundred people? That is a huge scientific study! What did the scientists find out?

MiaThey discovered that the highest level of happiness occurs BEFORE the vacation actually starts!

RyanWait, really? People feel happier BEFORE they go on vacation than DURING the vacation itself?

MiaYes! The anticipation of looking forward to a trip gives people a massive boost of joy for weeks before they even pack their suitcases!

RyanWow, that is amazing! Just thinking about your future trip makes your brain release happy chemical signals every single day!

MiaExactly! The simple act of looking forward to a fun event brightens your whole week and reduces daily stress!

MiaNow let us dive into our second phrase for today! Ryan, what do you do when a big exciting event is getting closer and closer on your calendar?

RyanI smile, cross off the dates, and start to count down the days!

MiaPerfect! To count down means to count the days, hours, or minutes remaining before an exciting event happens.

RyanFor example, my birthday is in five days, so I am starting to count down the days until my birthday party with my friends!

MiaExactly! Another great everyday example is, school children always count down the weeks until summer vacation starts.

RyanI remember doing that every June! I had a paper calendar on my bedroom wall and I marked every morning with a red marker!

MiaThat is a classic habit! Counting down makes the wait feel fun and exciting instead of boring.

RyanIt really does! When you count down, every single morning feels like opening a new present!

MiaNow, what about our third phrase today, can't wait?

RyanOh, can't wait is such a popular, super common everyday phrase! To say you can't wait means you are extremely excited and enthusiastic about something!

MiaYes! For instance, if your best friend buys tickets to a fantastic music concert, you can say, wow, I can't wait to see the live show!

RyanOr if your mother is baking your favorite warm chocolate chip cookies in the oven, you can smell them in the kitchen and say, they smell delicious, I can't wait to eat one!

MiaThat is a mouthwatering example, Ryan! I can't wait to try fresh local seafood and smell the salty ocean breeze when I visit the beach village next week!

RyanOh, fresh fish, grilled shrimp, and salty ocean air by the sea? That sounds amazing! Saying can't wait expresses strong joy, enthusiasm, and eagerness!

MiaThat brings us right to our fourth phrase, make plans.

RyanAh, make plans is something everyone does every single week! To make plans means to decide on future activities or organize details for an event.

MiaYes! For example, Mia and I make plans every Monday morning to write new podcast episodes for our wonderful English listeners.

RyanOr you can ask your classmate at school, do you want to make plans to study together at the city library this weekend?

MiaYes, or when you call old friends from high school, you can say, let us make plans to have a fun dinner together this Saturday evening!

RyanMaking plans helps you organize your weekly schedule and ensure you have fun things to do with your friends!

MiaNow, Ryan, what about our fifth phrase for today, save up?

RyanSave up is such an important financial and personal phrase! To save up means to keep your money over time instead of spending it, so you can buy something special.

MiaYes! For example, Mia worked hard for months to save up enough money for her ocean cottage vacation!

RyanOr a college student might say, I am trying to save up my money to buy a new laptop computer for my university classes.

MiaI used to put small coins into a glass jar on my desk every Friday to save up for my first bicycle when I was young!

RyanMy little brother did the exact same thing! He saved up all his pocket money for six full months to buy a yellow skateboard!

MiaThat is such a sweet memory! To save up requires patience and effort, but buying what you wanted feels so rewarding and satisfying!

MiaAnd our sixth phrase today is time flies!

RyanTime flies is a famous phrase that almost every English speaker uses! Time flies means that time seems to pass very quickly, especially when you are having fun or staying busy.

MiaYes! For example, when you are chatting with a good friend at a cozy coffee shop, three hours pass in ten minutes, and you say, wow, time flies when we are together!

RyanOr parents often look at their growing children and say with a smile, my goodness, time flies so fast!

MiaOr when I play guitar or play football on Sunday afternoons, four hours fly by in a single flash!

RyanThat is so true! Whenever you enjoy what you are doing, time flies before you even notice!

MiaNow, Ryan, time for a fun discussion! Team Ryan versus Team Mia! How do you personally like to plan your vacations?

RyanOh, Team Ryan is all about spontaneous travel adventures! I do not like to make detailed plans ahead of time. I just pack a light backpack, buy a plane ticket, and figure out what to do when I land!

MiaWhat? No detailed plans at all? Team Mia is completely the opposite! I make plans months in advance! I write down every restaurant, every train schedule, and every museum visit in a neat notebook!

RyanHaha! Spontaneous backpacker versus organized planner! Which team are you on, dear listeners? Are you Team Ryan or Team Mia?

MiaNow let us do a quick, surprising Oh Moment guessing game! Ryan, what percentage of people say that planning a future trip helps reduce their daily work stress?

RyanHmm, reducing stress by making travel plans? Maybe fifty percent?

MiaMuch higher than fifty percent! It is actually seventy-five percent of people! Seventy-five percent say that simply making plans for a future weekend getaway makes them feel less stressed at work!

RyanSeventy-five percent? That is a huge majority! Making plans really is great natural medicine for the mind!

MiaI completely agree! Remember, giving yourself something good to look forward to keeps your spirit positive and bright!

MiaNow it is time for our fun practical challenge section! I am going to give Ryan six real life everyday situations, and he must answer using our six phrases! Are you ready, Ryan?

RyanI am born ready, Mia! Hit me with situation number one!

MiaSituation number one: Your favorite music band just announced a world tour, and they are playing a concert in your city next month. You bought your ticket today. What do you say to your friend?

RyanI jump up and down with my ticket in hand and say, I just got my concert ticket, and I look forward to the show so much! We are going to have the time of our lives!

MiaOutstanding answer, Ryan! Look forward to expresses perfect excitement for that concert!

RyanThat was a fun one! What is situation number two?

MiaSituation number two: There are only three days left before Christmas morning. You have wrapped all your colorful gifts under the green tree. How do you describe what you are doing?

RyanI look at the wall calendar, point to the dates, and say, there are only three days left, so I am counting down the days until Christmas morning!

MiaSpot on! To count down shows you are eagerly watching the calendar!

RyanI love counting down to holidays! Bring on situation number three!

MiaSituation number three: Your best friend from college is visiting your city tomorrow after two long years apart. How do you express your feelings to your family?

RyanI smile warmly and say, it has been two whole years, so I can't wait to see her at the airport tomorrow!

MiaExcellent choice! Saying can't wait shows deep affection, joy, and eagerness!

RyanI love reuniting with old friends! What is situation number four?

MiaSituation number four: You and your family want to go camping together next Saturday. You call your brother to decide on the campsite and delicious food. What are you doing?

RyanI pick up my phone, call my brother, and say, hey brother, let us make plans for our Saturday camping trip!

MiaBeautiful! To make plans is exact for organizing a fun group activity!

RyanPlanning a camping trip is so much fun! Give me situation number five!

MiaSituation number five: You want to buy a high quality bicycle for your weekend outdoor rides, but it costs five hundred dollars. What step are you taking every month?

RyanI put fifty dollars into my piggy bank every payday and say, I am saving up to buy that wonderful bicycle!

MiaPerfect! To save up clearly describes putting money aside for a special goal!

RyanAnd now for the big final question! Situation number six!

MiaSituation number six: You spent the whole afternoon playing fun board games and eating pizza with your closest friends. Suddenly you look at the wall clock and notice it is ten o'clock at night! What do you exclaim?

RyanI look at the clock in surprise and say, phew, I cannot believe it is already ten o'clock, time flies when we are having fun!

MiaSix out of six! You passed the practical challenge with a perfect score once again, Ryan!

RyanThank you, Mia! That practical challenge was so energetic, fun, and useful!

MiaThat brings us to the end of today's wonderful episode! But before we say goodbye, let us do a quick recap of our six phrases!

RyanOur main hero phrase was look forward to! And we learned count down, can't wait, make plans, save up, and time flies!

MiaAll six of these phrases will help you share your excitement, make future plans, and talk with native speakers with confidence!

RyanNow here is your small daily mission for tomorrow!

MiaTomorrow, think of one fun thing you want to do this weekend, call a friend, and say out loud to them: I look forward to our weekend!

RyanYes! Give your mind something happy to look forward to, make plans with someone you care about, and enjoy your week!

MiaHaving positive goals and fun plans makes every single day brighter!

RyanThank you so much for listening, practicing, and learning English with us today, everyone!

MiaKeep practicing your English every day, stay cheerful, and remember to look forward to good things! See you next time!

RyanBye everyone! Take care and have a wonderful day!