Hi there!
I was wondering if I’m the only who is learning kinda like in iterations?
Let me explain.
I see a lot of people saying that they are learning for hours each and every day. Which is quiet admirable to be honest. I wish I was like this. And they pass JLPT N5 or even higher within months. It used to stress me out a lot.
It took me a while to become more relaxed about this and I started comparing myself less with others. I focused more on figuring out what my own way of learning is.
And it seems to be quiet simple: I learn a bunch for like 1-2 months. I try to read a book atm, I message people on tandem, i learn grammar, vocab and do my Duolingo every day. But then all of a sudden i feel overloaded and take a break for like a month. Only doing Duolingo (i don’t want to lose my streak). And then i come back. And i honestly feel like a lot of the stuff I’ve learned prior has settled. It’s kinda like: i climb up to this plateau with a lot of effort and need a break to rest. And i get my strength back and my previous experience helps me on my way to the next plateau. If that makes sense?
Is there anyone else relating with this way of learning?
I’m still a beginner, can’t say which level because i don’t really compare myself. But it’s getting easier and easier to have little conversations about everyday life and it’s getting easier to read and to understand things. Tiny steps, I’m a slow learner, but I’m proud of every single step.
6 comments
I don’t think it’s strange. Whatever works for you is the best method.
I am like this too, it’s like my hyperfocus on the language can only last a couple of days/weeks and then even if I try to study nothing sticks, so I’ll just wait for the next wave to hit me to go on. But as you said, a little reading here and there, a little anime or movie every now and then help me to stay on track even if I don’t pull my notebook out everyday.
Good on you! Keep going!
Do whatever works for you, as you stated in your own paragraph you’re comfortable with your pace. It’s not a race or a competition. If you want to walk to the finish line and take breaks every 5 minutes you can do that. So it depends on your goals and how fast you want to get there. It’s not strange, so keep it up.
The only thing I will say is that for you to “burn out” consistently and then require breaks tells me there is an underlying reason for that. That you may not be enjoying the process at all, it feels like work so you burn out?
I will speak for myself here, but I am one of those people who “study” 2-5 hours a day (recently) but I’m going to tell you it never feels like studying. I’m just consuming content (reading, writing, and listening) I would consume even if I wasn’t actively studying. I consume and immerse in what I love and that in itself is just passively leading to absorbing the language.
The difference between now and 6 months ago is that instead of only consuming for enjoyment, I now employ a range of studying routines to improve the efficiency of my absorption. On a personal level it has felt that it’s been 5-10 times quicker now that I am adding a bit of active study on the side and while I’m consuming I pay more attention to things and notate them down (to look up later). It does not interrupt my enjoyment much, if it all.
So if you find yourself needing breaks, then I might say that what you’re doing to study isn’t enjoyable for you. This is probably most important part about learning any language is that you want to engage with it. It should not have to be strictly for study but for leisure.
>all of a sudden i feel overloaded and take a break for like a month
That’s what we call being burned out. It’s common when have to deal with deadlines. The only thing I can advice is to either change the way you’re doing things to make studying more bearable, develop effective coping mechanisms, lighten the load, or push back the deadline.
If you can’t keep the pace you’ve set for yourself, unfortunately, something has to give.
What you describe doesn’t sound strange to me at all. I think some of it has to do with why you’re learning Japanese. If someone wants to work in Japan, then sure, I can understand putting that nose to the grindstone and getting your certifications ASAP.
If you are learning for pleasure, because you want to be a tourist in Japan “some day”, or because you want to watch Japanese entertainment or read Japanese books in the original Japanese, then what does it matter if you take your time?
You’re fine doing things your way!
I do my Anki deck every day no matter what, to make sure I don’t forget the vocab I’ve learned. But other than that I’m quite sporadic like you
I’m not sure what a duolingo streak is but that sounds very manipulative and counter productive.