I’ve really enjoyed creeping on reading other study logs, so I figured I’d throw another on the pile!
Learning Background
My dad went to high school on a military base in Japan, but never learned to speak any Japanese. But when I was growing up, he had all kinds of fun stories that he loved to tell. I watched Sailor Moon and Card Captor Sakura English dubs growing up, and one or two other anime, but I’m generally overwhelmed by the hyper nature of many anime (Chill recommendations always welcome!). I do enjoy reading manga and watching dramas.
I had the opportunity to take a few years of Japanese classes in high school, and I loved it! But Japanese wasn’t available at my college, then grad school and life got in the way. But when I got a taste of some fun money (almost 15 years later), I jumped back in to learning Japanese!
2019
o January – re-started in-person classes once a week for fun.
o October – Started WK.
2020
o March – started organizing study group w/ assignments for classmates after classes were cancelled.
o April – Fell off the WK wagon due to pandemic depression. (Study group continued)
o June – Dragged myself back on the wagon!
o July – started iTalki free-chat sessions.
o August – Study group imploded. Took a two-week study break. Japanese classes resumed online.
o September – Study group modified and re-formed.
o October – Added one on one grammar lessons.
Books Used
• Genki I & II – used in formal in-person classes
• Kanzen Master – used in study groups
• Nihongo Sou Matome – used in study groups
• An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese – spot reading when wanting something different
• Tobira – working through with private lessons
• Pattern Betsu Tettei Drill – used in study groups
• Preparatory Course for JLPT Listening – used in study groups
Current Progress
iKnow: (Starting vs. Current vs. not done )
Core 1000
Core 2000
Core 3000
Core 4000
Core 5000
Core 6000
WaniKani: (Starting vs. Current vs. not done )
Pleasant
Painful
Death
Hell
Paradise
Reality
BunPro: (starting vs. current, roughly 10 per box)
N5: 111/111 vs. 111/111
N4: 91/178 vs. 116/178
N3: 26/219 vs. 30/219
N2: 3/210 vs. 5/210
N1: 0/51 vs. 0/56
• Note: this study plan is on steroids during pandemic and will likely get less intense at some point
Goals:
Visit Japan for the first time (Oct 2020 plans were foiled)
Pass JLPT N3 (Maybe N2?) December 2021
Read 魔女の宅急便 - Chapters
Read all of Sailor Moon Manga - Vols.
Read all ofよつばと！ - Vols.
Theres a lot of stuff I used to watch as a kid that I dont know I could handle watching now - sailormoon, cardcaptors, superpig (lol). I’ve been watching Shirokuma Cafe recently and loving it. I also watched the first episode of Flying Witch and it also seemed pretty good.