So because language learning is an eternal struggle, here's some of my progress from this month and the things I've learned during the past 8 months
1. 70% listening, 30% vocab/grammar/writing
Studying a language is 70% listening practice and the other 30% is memorization. I picked up my Japanese studies this year after having watched anime for years, and I noticed that it's so much easier to make progress. I've internalized around 500-1 000 words and some basic grammar, so getting through N5/N4 was a breeze - in 2 weeks I achieved the same level that took me 3 months in Chinese. I can watch anime without subtitles and easily understand what they're saying (when did this happen? No idea!) because I understand the expressions and slang, all which would not be possible if I hadn't spent so much time with media.
I often have a hard time focusing on watching shows etc. because of how much of a critic I am, but it's the most important thing. Immerse yourself.
2. Reset your learning schedule if it gets too overwhelming
This is something I only learned this week, as I'd been stubbornly holding onto those 900+ word reviews waiting for me back in Ninchanese.
I've been at a standstill for the past 2-3 months after studying the radicals because of some personal responsibilities, and I never got around to learning any new vocab, I was just too busy trying to keep up with what I had learned previously.
But now I've reset my schedule, and I FINALLY feel like I'm making progress again. Sure, my memory might be hazy for the latter parts of HSK 4, but you know what to do about that? You immerse yourself with listening practice so that they will stick with you when you hear them be used IRL :)
The first bit is very good advice that I simply cannot take, but perhaps others can. But I'd actually like to take a moment to talk about *why* I can't, and why I study language anyway.
I've been watching anime since I was 12. I never liked dubs, so it's always been in Japanese. But here's the problem: I cannot process auditory input right without focusing 100% of my energy on it, even in English. And if I can't do something in my native language, I cannot expect myself to be able to do it in another. It comes tied to ADHD or autism or something, I think, I know I knew at one point but I forget now. So while I do watch anime, I still do it with English subtitles. I don't know enough kanji to make use of Japanese subtitles yet, and if I'm watching something, I don't really want to be googling every kanji I don't know and pausing midway. I have noticed that I understand MORE of the Japanese audio! There are words I recognize all the time, and sometimes even entire sentences! But, like in English, I only comprehend a fraction of what I'm technically hearing. This also makes conversation practice difficult, because words that I know very well (including practice listening!) I can miss because my brain sometimes hears gibberish instead of language.
What I do instead of listening is I try to read! Reading a book, I don't mind looking up kanji, because it's not a constant game of pausing and playing that frankly hurts my ears (because of my issues processing auditory input), which means I can actually kind of relax while reading. And eventually, through this, maybe I'll feel comfortable using Japanese subtitles on my anime some day. For now, I'll just enjoy it how I can.
Anyway, this is mostly jsut a reminder that not everyone can study optimally, and that's okay! It doesn't make the pursuit of language any less worthy. Take the time to figure out what works best for you and apply it. Everyone has weak areas, and especially if you have dyslexia or auditory processing disorder or something similar, please be lenient in the areas you're weak. You cannot expect yourself to be better than in your native language.
