I started level 2 April 21st, 2017. I just started 60 today April 15th, 2018 (Japan Time)!
I did the “fast track” though it wasn’t a perfect I’d say it was pretty fast.
It was hard but it was also really motivating and rewarding.
I did reviews in the middle of the night, on vacations, during intermissions of performances, even ran up a mountain I was in the middle of hiking because the only signal I could get was at the very top and I had to review Kanji… anywhere anytime you name it, I did it.
I’m very happy with WaniKani experience. Before doing WK I had seriously been neglecting my Japanese studies. Then I started to do WK and seriously neglected my grammar studies…
But even just learning Kanji really improved my understanding of Japanese. It was so much easier to understand and remember the pronunciation of new vocabulary. when I broke it down in the Kanji parts. Daily living in Japan improved so much when I could finally understand menus and signs all around me. (Reading difficult kanji is also a great party trick to impress Japanese coworkers.)
Hell I could even brute force my way into understanding Japanese sentences if I know enough words and understood the context.
Of course WaniKani isn’t perfect, but it was perfect for me. And honestly it’s taken me this long to really figure that out. Not even with studying, but excercise, or anything else that’s hard. The best program or plan of action isn’t necessarily the most efficient one, or the most reknown, or what-have-you. The best program is the one that makes you stick with it.
I’m not going as fast as you went (I don’t wake up for middle-of-the-night reviews, etc), so from my vantage point, that looks like it seriously took dedication. I wish you luck as your Japanese language studies continue!
Well, first, before I sound like a downer I just wanna say, congrats! With that said…
Isn’t this, like…dangerous? Don’t mountain hikers have to stay a few days at certain designated areas as they hike so their bodies can regulate themselves with the thinner air and they don’t…you know…die?
You’re probably right. Whenever someone mentions hiking I usually think of the really big mountains that everyone knows, but the vast majority of mountains that people climb up usually don’t even get close to that.
Really starting to be more serious in my grammar studies. Knowing Kanji makes it so much easier. I used to get so frustrated having to figure out what the kanji meant in each example sentence. Tae Kim and his giant vocab lists were definitely a struggle for me. Now I have little to no trouble at all! I can focus directly on the grammar point.
I’m planning on taking N3 in July, failing, then taking it again in December.
Good luck!
I did the N3 last December when I was only around level 34. Absolutely didn’t think I was going to pass but somehow did! I recommend the Nihongo Soumatoume N3 series. They covered pretty much everything.
and your dedication is so admirable, please treat yourself to some yummy food or something, you definitely earned it! 
Those last 10 rapid levels are a blessing and a curse huh xD!
