My daily Japanese study routine

A lot of people seem to think studying a language can be extremely hard, but I don’t think that’s the case at all. I agree that it takes time and energy, but I think that any hobby is a skill, and it takes time to learn it properly. I don’t think learning a language is much different to learning how to play a sport like soccer or getting good at a challenging video game. All you need is a few basic resources and the right attitude.

I study Japanese pretty much every day now. I keep trying to keep up the same routine as much as possible and make it a part of my daily life. For example, I watch at least one 25-minute episode of an anime show almost every single day. I listen to Japanese-language songs and podcasts on the train, when I’m cleaning, or when going for a walk. I read a simple Japanese news story to keep my reading level sharp and I try to talk with people in Japanese when I can make the time. Having a balance between reading, writing, speaking and listening is the secret to making sure all areas of your language-learning brain are being trained equally and effectively.

To be honest, I feel that trying to make language learning a part of your life is one of the most important parts of learning and one of the most effective methods. Learning a language is not just about reading a list of vocabulary in a book; it’s about living and breathing your life in the language. Thats how you picked up your native language after all, so living with the language is necessary, not just memorizing and cramming it in and then regurgitating it on a test and forgetting about it later.

I love studying at a cafe or a park. Choosing an environment to study in is very important because you need to be comfortable to concentrate and think about the information going into your head step by step. Get a nice snack or a cup of coffee (I recommend a large size), adjust the lighting to how you like it (in the open or under a tree), maybe put on some music (in that language, of course) and try your best to make the aesthetic of studying seem more romantic or fulfilling than it may be at a glance.

Overall, as long as you are enjoying the experience of learning a language, I think things will come much faster to you if you can find joy in the learning process. Learning a language is like a marathon, not a sprint, so you have to pace yourself and have a long-term plan with short-term progress goals in order to make progress. It can take a lot of patience and be repetitive at times, but I think the rewards of living a new life in a new language outweigh the challenges. As long as you keep going and never give up, you will eventually reach your goal.

Kailey