Mapping time! Time to plot out what a week would look in more detail like with high accuracy, commitment to schedule, and the stamina to smash lessons on demand. Try this out for level four next week. See what it is like when it is not on paper.
Overly ambitious review cycle for levels 3-10
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Day 1
6am
- Kanji 0 (last level’s) to Guru one, unlocking next level
- Radicals from unlearned to A1
- Kanji 1 (first half) from unlearned to A1
- Vocabulary from last level unlocked, save for tomorrow.
10am - Radicals from A1 to A2
- Kanji 1 from A1 to A2
(2pm any incorrect reviews come up here, hopefully reaching A2)
6pm - Radicals from A2 to A3
- Kanji 1 from A2 to A3
(anything I got wrong twice in a row turns up here, reaching A2)
(10pm any incorrect reviews hopefully reaching A3 before I go to bed!)
Day 2
6am
- Vocabulary 0 time! Everything that unlocked from last levels second batch of Kanji, and those odd items that start the level unlocked. From unlearned to A1
- Possibly some leaches hitting A3 here… probably not A2, right? Right.
10am - Vocab 0 from A1 to A2
2pm - Any incorrect items. 2pm and 10pm can now be assumed as reviewing any items that are critical, if I don’t feel like leaving them to random times when I log in.
6pm - Radicals from A3 to A4
- Kanji 1 from A3 to A4
- Vocab 0 from A2 to A3.
Day 3
- Squash leaches
- Read ahead on the second batch of Kanji that are about to unlock.
6pm - Vocab 0 from A3 to A4
Day 4
- Squash leaches
- Read ahead on the vocabulary that is about to unlock.
6pm - Radicals from A4 to G1, unlock Kanji 2
- Kanji 1 from A4 to G1, unlock Vocabulary 1
- Kanji 2 from unlearned to A1
- Vocab 1 from unlearned to A1 (as much as I feel like before 7pm)
From 7-10pm - Take more of the Vocab 1 lessons, if there are any left over, from unlearned to A1. Call this Vocab 1.5
10pm - Kanji 2 from A1 to A2
- Vocab 1 from A1 to A2
Day 5
6am
- Kanji 2 from A2 to A3
- Vocab 1 from A2 to A3
- Vocab 1.5 from A1 to A2
2pm. Read ahead: Radicals + from upcoming level - Vocab 1.5 from A2 to A3
6pm - Vocab 1 from A4 to G1
Day 6
6am
- Kanji 2 from A3 to A4
- Vocab 1 from A3 to A4
2pm. Read ahead: Kanji + from upcoming level - Vocab 1.5 from A3 to A4
Day 7 - Read ahead: all the vocabulary from this level that is still locked. Vocabulary 2.
Nothing! Well, leach squashing probably.
Day 8 and Day 1 new cycle
6am
- Guru Kanji 2. Unlock Vocab 2. Unlock next level and new cycle.
Rambling thoughts on cycles
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- Leaving vocabulary a day after it unlocks keeps things balanced, at least on a macro scale.
- Day 1, 2, 4/5 are days with a lot of learning.
- Day 3 and 7 look much much lighter, with space to review, read ahead, and rest.
- I chose 6am because 1) If I get anything wrong, which I will, keeping to a 6/10/6/10 schedule means my brain is still awake at 10pm for that last review. Leaving it to 11pm, while entirely possible, will tank my accuracy. 2) I have been waking up anyway, and my phone is right there…
WHY EIGHT DAYS IS BETTER.
Guru and beyond start showing up on a weekly schedule. Do I want all my guru’ed items to show up on Mondays? Probably not. Taking care to NOT maintain a 7 day cycle will help. And give me a day to do other study.
Also, my Japanese class is at 6pm so my 6/10 cycle will be thrown off at least one day a week. Although technically only by an hour…?
Small batches or all at once, the eternal question…
Another option, do ~15-20 vocabulary a day, every day. In higher levels it averages 120 vocab a level, which would mean two batches of 60… it might be a bit much? So, perhaps divide total vocabulary by days spent on level… Right now I have 30 lessons. Kanji 2 will reach A3 tonight. That gives me three days before K2 is guru’d and the next level unlocks. If I learn five items at 6am/pm every day that would give a small and steady stream of reviews.
Reflections from the mid point of level four:
Being faced with 73 lessons at the level unlock was rather intimidating. The thought of smashing through them, possibly leading to poor review accuracy, is not enticing. Would it be faster? Yes, I think it would be. Would it be fun? Only in the right mood.
I currently have one radical I answered incorrectly twice. At first I was rather dismayed at it lagging behind by a day and a half (I did not abuse my re-answer script!) However, it only leaves one kanji locked, and actually won’t slow my level speed. It still sucks, but not as much.
This strict pattern will only happen if I spend a week in a high study mood, ready to learn ALL THE THINGS AT ONCE. It was useful to think through and plan out (I recommend everyone take some time to really think through the SRS and level cycle) but I am not interested in trying to stick to it.