I agree that going slow isn’t supposed to be a goal, however I think that it is most important to have a consistent schedule. Everyone has different situations but consistency is key to reaching your goals.
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Going slow is not something to be proud of
I spent a year on level 24. I’m not proud of it. I was lazy and intimidated by the climbing review count, which in the end only took a few weeks to get back to zero. If I think about it, it feels like that year a waste of time, even though I was in the middle of finishing my computer science degree, feeling a little burnt out, and I learn Japanese just for fun. What I am proud of is that I overcame the laziness and got to level 60.
Going fast is great, but not giving up is better.
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Going slow is not fine? Well damn, only been 3 years and I am level 2
I mean, I was level 16
Then level 3
Then 12
Then 1
Then 6
Now 2
Am I proud of level 2? Meh
Where would I be if I didn’t reset? Well I enjoyed a stint in hospital when I hit 16 and came back to 2000+ reviews. So if I didn’t reset, I would probably be at level 16 with a bit more than 2000+ reviews.
Do I feel like I have made progress? Well I have survived being in Japan without a translation app or similar so I would guess it is survivable.
Ah well, one day I will have gold instead of purple
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Yeah I know it’s kind of an unfair comparisson since children are at an advantage in this case. But we need a standard to act as control here.
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Are you trying to prove something to us, or to yourself?
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I’m going as slow as I possibly can right now. Learning more kanji isn’t going to help me pass the JLPT N3.
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I disagree, personally 
Sorry for barging in here, and sorry if this point was already made, I haven’t completely caught up in the thread yet.
I think it’s perfectly fine to encourage new users to be slow. People worry way too much about their speed, and less on actual learning. People trying to go full speed when they can’t handle it are the reason so many people burn out. There’s nothing wrong with going slow, and most people need to.
Anyway, once again sorry for barging in. Learning is not a race, so everyone should do whatever works for them
TLDR:
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Hey crunder. What happened? (on the hospital thing) Also you can comeback to our slack anytime. btw we joined the same day lol.
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Well it is relevant, because at that time four years ago, you already wanted to learn kanji. At the two week level pace you mentioned you could have learned all 2000+ kanji that WK offers twice over. Compare yourself to a slow user who reached level 60 at a slow pace over that same period, and they know more kanji than you do.
I started learning Japanese in Nov 2017. I started WK in Dec of the same year. I have had slow levels and fast levels. And I have had no schedule. But I am prepared to take the jlpt N3 this summer, and hopefully N2 by this time next year.
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I wanted to learn kanji but wanikani stopped being a priority at that time. That’s it. Basically point 3.
Don’t worry, it’s OK to go slow if your priorities change.
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I wasn’t going slow though.
Gee. Sorry my brain isn’t as big and wonderful as yours that it takes me a little over a month for each level.
must be nice.
Trying to “go fast” is what made me quit wanikani for like a year when I was like on… level 2. Some people just learn/retain at a slower pace .
I intentionally only do about 5-10 lessons a day (and skip weekends) because I KNOW I will get overwhelmed otherwise. I still do all the reviews every day though. Because yeah, I want to learn and retain and the reviews help me with that.
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There are tons of kanji in later levels of WK that I have already learned just through studying. Also (especially) from earlier levels that you learn to recognize just from studying. Aside from all other reasons already mentioned, learning kanji through WK might not be the priority.
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It’s sounds like you think it’s better to (for example) do no levels for 2 years, then go fast for 2 years and finish, rather than go slow for 4 years and finish at the same time. However, the earlier you learn something, the more time it has to sink in, which makes going slow for 4 years the better option.
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Seriously? Wow.
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I am also happy with platinum. In fact, I will often strive for platinum, and once I get there take a break. Play a few games later, and if I drop below platinum, I now have a goal again. I could be probably go diamond, but I’d rather Wanikani. Some people just want to stroll into reading Japanese. That’s ok. I’m fierce about wanting to learn it. That’s ok too. I think SpookySpooks just needs to realize that their reasons aren’t his, and them taking their time doesn’t diminish what he’s doing. He may be reading years before they are, but if that’s ok with them, or if never getting there is ok with them, no problem!
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Honestly he started with this sarcastic remark that didn’t have anything to do with what I said.
I it would be interesting to know, what is the average and medial level up speed? But how much would it actually say? I guess people who use WK are very different: for some english is mother tongue for others not, some have learned Japanese at least a little others not.
If someone who started learning Japanese with WK as Tofugu suggests and finished WK with less then 3 years, I want to hear about that person.
I might be wrong, but it looks that SpookySpooks point is “don’t drag my motivation down by saying that going slow is ok, because I can only keep me motivated when my goal is to go as fast as possible.” But it ignores those who motivate themselves differently and those who had restarted because their initial speed was too hasty.
It seems to me that Spooky want’s to be angry with they self and so is angry with everybody who disagrees that the anger is the only way to go.
I am official WK slow goer who has not learned japanese before - 1 moth per level (7 new words per day) and I am absolutely consistent (lifetime subscription from new years sale). My reason for that is, If i do not use learned words I will forget them, to use them I need to study more then just kanji, and it takes time. So in addition to WK words I learn 15 new Genki cards (recall or recognition). And I still struggle to bring me to do the Genki practice exercises.
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With my method I get about 100+ reviews a day. because. AGAIN. I don’t just automatically remember everything instantly. I get things wrong and I get more reviews.
Please refrain from being rude and try having just a pinch more empathy/understanding for humans that are not you.
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