I always talk about how important it is
to stay in contact with Japanese, so you may be wondering what I did
in my own journey. Here's an overview of a generic day and how I
tried to bring Japanese into contact with all parts of my life.
In the morning before class/work...
After waking up I
usually jumped straight into my sentence and kanji reviews. I had
managed to get into a mindset where I would complete my reviews every
day no matter what, so I generally added new kanji/sentences first.
It didn't really matter how many kanji or sentences I added, as long
as I kept moving forward and didn't overload myself. In order to find
sentences, I would sometimes read manga in the mornings or use lists
of words I'd encountered the previous day in my reading. Depending on
how ambitious I was feeling, my morning review sessions with Anki
could last up to two (highly enjoyable) hours.
After finishing my
reviews and adding new material, I'd typically grab some manga and
read while eating breakfast and getting ready to leave.
Alternatively, putting on Japanese music or a TV show in the
background also worked. Once ready, I'd head off for whatever
obligations I had for the day.
Along the way...
I'd
put on Japanese music in my car. I really enjoy music while driving,
so I never used podcasts, but the morning commute would be an amazing
time to listen to those. Mindlessly singing along with Japanese music
is a great way to work on pronunciation without any effort. After
moving to the city and beginning to use public transit instead of my
own car, I switched from my music to more manga and novels. I usually
brought my Nintendo DS along so that I could
look words up if I really needed to do so. I would also keep a list
of good words that I encountered.
Once in class or at work...
This was always
the hardest time to stay in contact. When possible, I'd put on my
music or read a book to pass the time (such as in between classes).
I'd also attempt to take notes in Japanese, or at least try to think
of the Japanese word that I'd use in a situation. During these
periods, bringing along a sheet of paper with new kanji or kana and
doing writing practice would also help keep me in contact. Doing some
basic quizzing with paper flash cards also works. It doesn't have to
be much, just printing out a sheet of the newest material you've
learned and using it to quiz yourself is enough.
Heading back home...
I'd do the exact
same thing as when I left. Music, manga, TV shows, podcasts,
whatever. Anything Japanese that you can put on in the background
while you drive or that you can actively enjoy (if you aren't driving
or get stuck in traffic).
Once home...
I
usually had homework that needed to be done and studying for my
tests. Since I couldn't very well read manga while studying, I'd go
back to playing music, podcasts, or TV shows in the background. Once
finished, I'd return to my TV shows or manga/novels and enjoy them
actively. I'd add more words to my list of vocabulary words if I
found them. Sometimes I'd return to Anki and add more sentences or do
some more reviews if I failed to complete them all in the morning. No
matter what, by the end of the day my reviews were completed.
Another thing I
made sure to do was set aside an hour before bed for reading. You
don't necessarily have to do this, but I felt like reading was the
most important thing I could do in my Japanese learning. So if I had
been too busy during the day to actually get any reading done, I at
least had this hour period at night that I'd get to do some.
And since you may
be wondering, I'd also put in a good bit of time searching for new
media. I had an amazing appetite for manga, so I was constantly
searching online for more series to pick up. I recommend doing the
same, as it keeps you stocked on new media to enjoy and gives you
something to look forward to experiencing.
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What Japanese podcast do you listen to? I know some on traveling to Japan, but I didn't really know any all done in Japanese, if you could help, it would be much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and <33 it. I've been trying to find a way to incorporate japanese into my studies and this is such a good way without making it *boring*
ReplyDeleteAt what time did you get up in the morning to accomplish a 2 hour review, and have time for breakfast and commuting? I ask because unlike a lot of other blogs on this subject, you seem to have actually had a working person's schedule rather than a world travel's.
ReplyDeleteI like to take my time getting ready in the morning, so as a general rule I'd wake up 2-3 hours before I had to leave. Studying as you do other things that don't require a lot of thought is best if you're pressed for time. Don't worry too much about having a fixed amount of time or a schedule, just do something Japanese whenever you can.
DeleteI like the idea of getting reps done before work, I have a long commute so I'm lucky if I can wake up early enough to open Anki @_@ But my whole car ride is full of Japanese audio. We seem to have a lot in common for methods! If you're interested in checking it out, I'm a writer for the blog mikotoneko.blogspot.com. Of course you're way more advanced than all of us, sensei! :)
ReplyDeleteFinding a way to fit in 5 minute blocks of reps during the day is surprisingly effective. I like to use AnkiWeb on my phone (using the website is free).
DeleteI tried to check out the site, but it said that it didn't exist.