People use scripts to reorder their lessons for many reasons! Most people trying to go full speed use them so that they can learn the radicals and kanji as soon as they become available, then spread out the vocab lessons over several days while they’re waiting to guru the kanji. It’s a way more sustainable study schedule then trying to binge 70 lessons at the beginning of a level to get through the old level’s vocab as well as the new level’s radicals and first batch of kanji all at once.
However, there’s a danger to this: some people get too tempted by the power the script gives them, and end up skipping their vocab lessons and just learning the kanji. This is generally a bad idea because WK only teaches one or sometimes two readings with the kanji, and then teaches the rest through vocab. When people caution against reordering or talk about the dangers, this is what they’re referring to.
But trying to go fast isn’t the only reason to reorder your lessons! I am very much not trying to speedrun this, haha, and the method I mentioned in my post is something that I like to do because I don’t like learning kanji in huge batches, and I get demotivated trying to chew through a bunch of old vocab lessons at the beginning of a level before I can start learning new content. So spreading out the kanji lets me learn kanji every single day except for the last few days of a level while I’m waiting for my final kanji to guru (I let myself take it a little easier then and do just 10 vocab lessons a day until I level).
There’s a more in-depth description of using scripts and controlling your level up speed in the ultimate guide to WK, which I recommend reading if you haven’t looked at it yet
Thank you!
I also find the vocabulary super valuable because I can use it directly in my Japanese course. So I definitely wouldn’t want to neglect them!
I have the feeling that what kept me from leveling up was a handful of kanji that I got wrong very often in the reviews :') But doing all the radicals when they are available seems like a good idea to increase the speed at the beginning of the level, but to not overhelm me! Maybe I should just give it a try this level.
That makes a lot of sense - thank you!
I read the ultimate guide two month ago, so re-reading it shouldn’t hurt! I also definetly don’t want to speedrun and would be fine with not reaching a certain level this year, but setting a goal really motivated me, so I’ll stick with this idea as long as it has a positive effect and doesn’t burn me out.
Re-ordering the Kanji and Vocab lessons the way you do it, seems very smart! I tend to get a bit confused with learning 15 Kanjis at once (esp. Reading-wise) and I like to learn vocabulary, so I definitely will be trying your “method” the next days!
Thanks to the other replies here, I think you already have a pretty good idea on how they work, but in case some more clarification is helpful… just keep in mind these important points to leveling up as quickly as possible:
Radicals must be done as soon as they’re available. From then on, they will move on to Guru in about 3-4 days (assuming you don’t make any mistakes) and unlock the second round of kanji.
The second set of kanji must be done as soon as possible. The sooner you send them to Guru, the sooner you can level up.
The first set of kanji released with the radicals can be done anywhere between when they’re first released until the hour your second set of kanji are released for the quickest level up.
Here’s a visual of my strategy when I think I can speed through a level (typically because I’m already familiar with some of the kanji already so it’s less overwhelming for me. Otherwise, I don’t recommend speeding through if you genuinely want to learn for the long term.)
Thursday 7PM - Level up and radicals become available. Use reorder script to do all the radicals + kanji and vocab to total no more than 15 lessons. (Ex: If there’s 6 radicals, I’ll do maybe 5 kanji and 4 vocab lessons.)
Thursday 11PM - Review to send radicals to Apprentice 2.
Friday 7AM - Review to send radicals to Apprentice 3. Do 10 kanji and 5 vocab lessons.
Saturday 6AM (I forget how many hours later but it’s approximately one day later) - Review to send radicals to Apprentice 4. Do 10 kanji and 5 vocab.
Sunday (any time) - Do remaining kanji from first set + vocab that adds up to 15 lessons.
Monday 5AM (Again, I forget the exact time, but it’s about 2 days later) - Review to send radicals to Guru, thus unlocking kanji set 2. Do all the remaining kanji lessons immediately.
Monday 9AM - Kanji review (Apprentice 2) + vocab lessons
Monday 5PM - Kanji review (Apprentice 3) + vocab lessons
Tuesday 4PM - Kanji review (Apprentice 4) + vocab lessons
Thursday 3PM - Kanji review (Guru) + vocab lessons
I didn’t list them but of course, you’re also doing reviews for the first set of kanji and the vocab too. I just wanted to illustrate the other points to show how you can level up quickly. But this is an ideal schedule that assumes: you will never make a mistake and you will always be available to do the reviews at those times. Chances are, it won’t go smoothly every time, but you can see how you can maybe speed up your progress while also dividing the lessons so they’re evenly balanced.
Thank you so much again! Even though levling up as fast as possible isn’t an option for me right now, I think implenting some of the tactics you described into my process could give me the slight boost I need to finish the manly race to level 30 this year
Will definitely come back in the next weeks and re-read/try out the tips all of you shared!
Conversely, if you want to go as slow as me you could set the script to always give you any available vocab lessons before any available kanji lessons, and all available kanji lessons before any available radical lessons. And then just do 10 lessons a day when available (I still do all radicals in one batch when I get to them tho).
Good luck with your studies, whichever strategy you choose
I don’t like to use any scripts like this because I’m trying to channel some zen. I tell myself that even if I get something wrong because of a stupid typo, it’s not important what wanikani level I’m at, but it’s important how much I’m learning and what I can apply. So if I have to see an item again sooner, or if it takes an extra day to level up, maybe that’s a good thing! It gives me time to really try to learn the things I get wrong, or use them more in real world applications! But that’s a personal choice I consciously made, to try to subvert my own perfectionist streak. To each their own!
Yay, I levelled to 13. I started the Study Buddy Race at (half-way through) level 9. I’ll likely slow down if it gets more difficult. I started reading manga at the beginning of the month, too, and learning all the kanji/vocab has really helped.
Just lvl up to lvl 9. Took me something like 15 days. I always have only 1 Kanji to Guru for two days at the end of each lvl.
These 166 Lessons waiting for me <3
Can’t wait to hit the lvl10-milestone though.
Which manga did you start ? One of the beginner book club perhaps?
EDIT : Finally got some profile picture of my king Bojji.
Leveled up to 15 which is the halfway point for my target goal for this year. I’ll probably go full speed through this level too since I recognize more than half of the kanji. Then when I get closer to 20, I’ll slow down a lot.
I always think about slowing down a bit after every level up… but I also want to take advantage of the last two months before going back to work!
I’m reading ちゃお (it’s a しょうじょ (manga) magazine for girls 8-14, so quite simple, with hiragana beside all the kanji). I’m also reading a couple other kids magazines, キャラぱふぇ (Character Parfait) and ぴこぷり ( Pikopuri).
I was too late for the Absolute Beginner’s Book Club, so I started with the Beginner’s Book Club. I’m reading Death Note right now, which for me consists mostly of looking up every second word and not understanding a lot of the grammar. I’m continuing with it though, because I’m fifty pages in, and have already learnt a lot of vocabulary (and some grammar) just from repetition. I’m able to follow it mostly, because of all the pictures (plus I watched the anime). I would like to join the Absolute Beginners Book Club when it comes up.
You already read various stuff. That should keep your motivation high!
I just bought Happiness Volume 1 for the Absolute Beginner’s Book Club, it starts in March if you ever want to check it !
Yeah, i was very surprised Death Note belonged to the Beginner category. I have the whole series of mangas in French and there is so much text and vocabulary in every bubbles! Good luck with that !
In this way everyone can “feel” his/her own progress compared with people around similar levels (before, it was like swimming in the middle of the sea).
