thoughts of a second year french student

I'm at a point in learning French that I can start to explore a bit and my learning is less frantic, more assured. I have some confidence in my understanding and my speaking. I've built a basic foundation, so now I can start to  realize the architecture of the language. Now I get to find joy, to be rewarded instead of trying to write down every phrase I've learned, like my memory was only built upon what  I could record. I'm developing a hard won instinct for the language and a faith that it's sturdy enough for me to roam without getting lost.