I just remember the movie “Dead Poets’ Society” where the student had to get up in front of the class and recite a whole passage in French.
Not exactly the way I'd go about "seizing the day."
When I was learning French, you had to go out of your way to see or hear something in French. Now, with cable and DVDs it's a lot easier.
I think the school was trying to "immerse" us in French and have us pick up the language by just soaking it up and not having to put in much serious effort, but if you only hear the language for three or four hours a week, you aren't going to take in and retain much.