I thought Iād finally make my own log! I have been studying Japanese since 2019 I think, but the first couple of years were self-study. I took my first Japanese class in high school in 2021 (same year I started WaniKani), and chose to major in Japanese language, literature, and culture. As you can see, my WaniKani progress has been slow, and while my Japanese learning hasnāt been the most optimized and efficient route to fluency, thanks to my schooling and wonderful professors, Iāve been able to keep up a steady increase in ability and maintain what Iāve learned.
I first studied abroad in Japan my sophomore year of college, for about five months. My second time was two months, this past summer! I am currently applying for this yearās cycle of the JET program, and should find out soon if I have an interview or not. I have also gotten to be a TA for two Japanese courses, beginner and advanced, and will TA for an intermediate course this Spring. Iām writing my Honors thesis on host clubs and what aspects of Japanese culture have contributed to their existence and predation on vulnerable people in Japanese society.
I think Iāll also use this as a sort of general Japan and Japanese diary. I am happy with the progress Iāve made in this time frame ā I can read most manga with ease, read novels, have hours-long conversations without using any English. My closest friend in Japan doesnāt know any English. But I have so much further to go, and I want to eventually reach fluency! Iām going to try and build more consistent habits this year since I will be graduating, and wonāt have Japanese classes for the first time in a while. Iāve also taken every JPN class offered at my university, including an independent study, so I wonāt have consistent practice anyways besides speaking with my professors.
Thank you to everyone who may take the time to read my thoughts! I expect this to have some thoughts about my goals and life in regards to Japan as well as concrete WaniKani updates. Also, if there is anyone earlier in their journey who is curious about anything in mine, feel free to ask. é å¼µććć¼ļ¼
Welcome to the study log crew! It seems like youāve got a solid foundation and a good plan, so I donāt know that youāll necessarily need a lot of advice (nor am I often the right person to give it) but I look forward to your exploits!
I posted my New Yearsā Japanese goals in another thread, but I figure Iāll put them here as well:
Get to WaniKani level 50
Iāve been doing WaniKani since 2021 but taken sooo many breaks. Thankfully, because of my academic career, Iāve maintained all that Iāve learned and then some, but those things have gotten in the way of my progress on WK itself. I could push for a higher level but I donāt think thatās realistic with my schedule
Finish reading my first novel
Iāve read many parts of novels, and am surprised with how easily I can parse things! However, I have yet to completely finish one cover-to-cover. I think the mental load of reading in Japanese prompts me to pick something easier to do. But once I start, I always surprise myself. Iāve gotten far in some books, but quickly move on to new ones since I have a hard time aiming my motivation at just one. So, Iād like to finally finish one! The first novel I ever tried to read was ē§é5ć»ć³ćć”ć¼ćć«. At the time it took me a long time to get through a page, but that was years ago and itās a rather short book, so I think it would be a good candidate.
Read at least five manga volumes
I can read manga pretty easy, and itās enjoyable. However, I buy way more than I read lol. And similar to the novels, the idea of practicing my reading seems much more exhausting in my head than in practice, leading me to opt for easier forms of entertainment when itās really not that bad. So I want to finally read those pretty volumes on my shelf lol
Take JLPT for the first time?
I would estimate I could take N2 if I had a few months to focus on preparation, but Iām uncertain. N3 would be safer. But Iāve never taken the JLPT before (considered doing it last session but registration was full when I checked it). I think itās something Iāve always been nervous to do, and it involves a lot of hassle and has never been necessary for me yet. But Iād like to finally give it a shot and get over my testing fears
I applied for this cycle of the JET program, so that is my main focus and goal this year, but Iām trying to make sure I maintain my study regardless of the results. Iāll also be finishing my undergraduate thesis this year and graduating, so hopefully I can still manage all of it! I wouldnāt be surprised if I donāt reach all of these goals, especially depending on JET results, but I will push myself to at least get 3/4!
In terms of the goals, hopefully you can accomplish them all, of course. If not, just focus on making progress on the most important goals when you can, and donāt forget that goals are things that are important to you, and milestones are things that you use to measure your progress towards goals. As long as you know whatās important to you and what helps you figure out how you should allocate your time and effort, though, youāll do great!
I saw Marty Supreme last night, wasnāt prepared for a little Japanese listening and reading practice lol. Great movie too. Doing some kanji writing practice today for the first time in a while.
Just been chugging along on WaniKani. I got the JET interview!! So Iāve been prepping that. Busy busy busy. Thank you to my Japanese prof/thesis director who pushed back my revision due date so I could focus on the interview. This interview may be the most important task of my life thus far, so I really hope Iāll nail it. Iāve wanted this job for so longā¦!
I had my interview for JET yesterday!! Overall I felt that it went very well. There was a misstep on my part that I wish I could go back and adjust, but Iām reminding myself that thereās (typically) no such thing as a perfect interview, and I tend to get focused on negative details. I only started second guessing myself hours after the interviewāimmediately after, I felt that I did the best that I had the ability to do! Trying now to ease my worries and remember that no matter the results, I gave it my all and a rejection will not define me. Iām grateful that the panel was very kind, and it went by smoothly and quickly.
The two month wait is going to be a challenge, however. I will try to distract myself, and I have plenty of tough assignments to keep me busy :ā) I look forward to graduating.
Congratulations! (I mean, we donāt know if youāll be selected or not but feeling like you did well and not giving in to the nagging doubt about the one thing you think you might have wanted to change is praiseworthy in itself). If thereās something to be learned from that misstep (your words, it may not even have really been one), then hopefully you can grow from that experience, but youāve got a good perspective on this so thatās good. Hopefully you get to share that perspective as a JET teacher soon!
Made it to level 40! Only ten more until I reach my goal for 2026 (maybe I should aim for 55 instead?). I started reading the first volume of Given on my kindleālearning some music vocabulary.
Iāve been a Teacherās Assistant for an advanced Japanese course, so Iāve been helping the students learn causative and passive form this month. Praying theyāll stay strong for causative-passive. Learning all three of these together was hard for me, especially since I had to teach them to myself because of gaps in my classes. Besides the bi-weekly conversations with my professors and WaniKani, I havenāt been practicing as much as Iād like, but my schoolwork has been crazy busy. Now that Iāve submitted by first round of thesis revisions, Iāll try to read Given more often.
Only 5-7 weeks until JET results! If I donāt get in, Iāll wait ātil I graduate and look into alternate ALT options.
Iām sick right now though, so Iām going to rest and not rush through level 40. Iāll just focus on catching up on vocab, and take advantage of this rare free time to rest.
I just hit level 42! And have access to the special level 42 forums?? I never knew these existed until now haha. I also got my level statistics for the first time, if anyone wants to be encouraged by my own slow pace
Onto level 43! JET results should be in the next two weeks, and Iām so anxious for the resultsā¦ but trying to keep in mind that life will go on either way. At least itās exciting to have so much potential in my life ahead (but this wait has been pretty brutal. Nine months from applications to acceptance notification )
I havenāt discussed this here much, but I took a course on Shintoism the first time I studied abroad, and it really resonated with me. I didnāt go to shrines as much as I would have liked, but whenever I did go, I felt a strong draw to its practices. Lately Iāve wanted to pursue that more fervently. So, I started a new notebook that Iāll take notes in (in Japanese) as I read my way through Ohno Yurikoās ę„ę¬ć®ē„ę§čØéćć¼ć. I have a few of Ohnoās books on Shinto, as well as her oracle deck, but this one seems the most approachable from a Japanese standpoint, and has the most straightforward information on the major kami and their domains. So itās great Japanese practice, on something Iām passionate about! While I know most of the myths and practices already (Iāve read the Nihon-shoki and Kojiki in English already), I want to integrate those things into my life more fully. And I feel that doing so in Japanese helps me connect to the practice more authentically. I just hope that I can also be back in Japan soon too and connect with local shrines.
I get that completely. I had a massive burnout semester in college once (something about three different post Calc 3 math courses, some godawful programming language and I think something else I also hated) and then in the summer, I took an Eastern religions class and fell in love with both Taoism and Shinto. It just seemed to align with how I view the universe and my place in it.
Congratulations to the JET program, they are extremely fortunate to have you!
)
