I’ve been studying Japanese off-and-on since 2017. Since then, I’ve finished Genki, passed JLPT N4, finished Tobira, and then got caught up in a pattern where life interrupts me, I stop studying for months at a time, then come back and just about manage to catch up before the cycle repeats and I stop again.
Just before my last break, I decided to give WK a try, and got 3 months and 8 levels into it. That was 10 months ago. Thankfully, I remembered to set WK to vacation mode first. I’ve been back for about two weeks and I’ve just about got to the point where I’ve been able to add new lessons again.
I’d eventually like to sit the N3, but I’m a middle-aged mom with a preschooler and house to take care of, plus other creative hobbies I want to save time for. That’s why I decided to start this log to remind myself to pace myself. Even if WK is all I can do right now, I’ll still get there eventually if I take it one step at a time. The name of the game is minimal-effective-dose, so I can keep it going even when things get tight.
That said, here’s my plan:
Between 10 - 15 lessons per day, keeping apprentice items under 100.
Reviews 4 times per day: Before work, over lunch, after work, & before bed.
On days when I’m in the office, during the commute home, after I’ve finished my reviews, do some reading/listening on todaii.
For now, dedicated grammar study will have to wait until WK is done.
I did 10 lessons today, bringing me up to 99 apprentices this morning.
レベルアップ出来た！ I’ve reached level 9.
From now on, the plan is to divide each level into two phases:
Remainder of last level’s vocab and this level’s radicals. Batched proportionally based on how many of each are left. That way I won’t develop a huge vocab backlog, and still front-load the radicals.
This level’s kanji and vocab, batched proportionally based on how many of each are left.
I was able to get through 2 articles on Todaii over the commute home yesterday, including the comprehension quiz.
Also, I mentioned other creative hobbies in my previous post. Currently, my focus is on crochet and learning to knit. I’ve been wondering if I can find Japanese knitters/crocheters on Bluesky I can follow for some bonus reading during hobby time. Japanese crochet patterns are usually charted, so beyond details about the yarn and hook used, not much reading there. I haven’t tried Japanese knitting patterns.
As a slow learning 10-15 items a day feels like a lot though, especially when busy. Don’t forget that scaling down is always possible and is not a defeat if need to re-pace yourself! You can also try reducing the items and doing immersion for half of your study instead, while I am experimenting with it (wachting anime with Japanese subs), it feels like things start sticking more due to it.
That said, your schedule looks great, as it is tied to things you are already doing making it really part of your schedule. May you learn a lot and have fun studying!
Did 15 lessons: 12 level 8 vocab, 3 level 9 radicals. I’m up to 77 at apprentice, so I think I can handle another 15 tomorrow.
I got through 4 articles on the train yesterday, although I’m thinking of ditching migii and moving back to NHK easy or tadoku graded readers. Before my break, I was also watching ‘comprehensible japanese’ on youtube. Still trying to find that balance. I might alternate between the two. Either way, I have until next Tuesday to decide.
Finished the last 6 level 8 vocab, the last 6 level 9 radicals, 1 level 9 kanji and 2 level 9 vocab. Apprentices are at 83.
I’ve decided to switch to the free tadoku graded readers for my commute reading time. Preferably ones that have audio/video available. I was doing level 3 before my break, so I’ll drop down to level 2 for now and see how it goes.
I installed 10ten to my phone and tablet so I could read NHK Easy news and downloaded one level 2 graded reader to my tablet for the commute home today. Today is the first of 3 days in a row in the office, so I should be able to get a bunch of reading in. I’m hoping it will help refresh my mind on grammar.
I finished the last of the level 9 kanji today, so I’ve got 2 days of pure vocab before level up.
I got through two graded readers on the train, and had time to watch the video for one of them.
I had my apprentices down enough to take 15 level 9 vocab this morning. I’ll start the radicals/previous level vocab split starting tomorrow. I finished all of the level 2 graded readers I had downloaded over my train ride home, so next week I’ll be watching the accompanying videos. I also didn’t feel like digging out my tablet to work on my crochet yesterday evening, so I got a bunch of extra reading done. I finished all of yesterday’s NHK Easy News articles.
