Hey guys, Monday-Friday I am driving about 40 mins to my college and 40 minutes back everyday. Is there anyway I could do some active studying during this time? I realize I could passively listen to music and podcasts... but I wanted to do something that involved me constantly learning new words and grammar... so... any ideas?

I don't suggest doing anything actively while you drive aside from driving. It would be just as bad as texting while driving.

lol i was looking at this: http://www.playsay.com/ but i really wonder if that would be any good... it's just a whole lot of time that i thought i could take advantage of somehow... If only there was some way to make Anki appear holographic-like on my windshield

zachandhobbes Wrote:I don't suggest doing anything actively while you drive aside from driving. It would be just as bad as texting while driving.

+1 for this. You don't need to be trying to operate an iPad in your lap to do new anki reviews while you drive.

Listening to podcasts should be more than enough. If you're using the Kore series or KO2000 you can always put those audio sentences into a play-list as well and listen to them for review as you drive. There's also a service (the name escapes me) which provides a giant list of JLPT vocabulary and audio files for your ipod that you could listen to.

If you'd like to interact with what you're listening to, you can always repeat after your podcast or try doing an audio course every drive. Pimsular or similar.

Edit: play say is the service name that escaped me. You posted about it as I typed my reply

I agree with others. Why not use this time as your "listening" time to train your ears to get used to real, natural Japanese spoken by native speakers. That is a skill that is just as important as any other and needs training just like all others. And you should certainly be able to learn new words and grammar while doing this, too.

I can't think of anything safe that is active to do while driving aside from maybe having audio you can shadow along with.

Depending on your level I would reccomend 毎日聞き取り50日. It's a series of daily stories. The first two books are faily easy. (like a bridge between N4-N2, so basically N3) I learned a lot of helpful words.

http://www.whiterabbitpress.com/product....267&page=1

If you are a high level student I would reccomend the older brother.

http://www.whiterabbitpress.com/product....267&page=1

Good luck!!!

Another vote for passive listening only. I have a 30-40 minute drive to and from work every day, so I'm in a similar situation. Tried drills (the JSL ones) and shadowing (the green book from White Rabbit), and both caused me to lose concentration to the extent that it was dangerous (one near rear-ending, one red light run). Like zachandhobbes said, it's like texting while driving - not really safe or responsible.

Audiobooks, podcasts, audio rips from tv/movies - it's all good so long as you don't have to think a lot to 'participate'... or participate at all.

what's wrong with public transport :S
Think about the planet geeez

liosama Wrote:what's wrong with public transport :S
Think about the planet geeez

It's not always feasible or convenient to do so.

Though you can do whatever you like while u r taking public transits since u don't have to pay attention to the road condition. I love it.

zachandhobbes Wrote:I don't suggest doing anything actively while you drive aside from driving. It would be just as bad as texting while driving.

Exactly, well said.

auxetoiles Wrote:Audiobooks, podcasts, audio rips from tv/movies - it's all good so long as you don't have to think a lot to 'participate'... or participate at all.

Seconded (or whatever number-ed). There's a big list of podcasts hanging around:
http://forum.koohii.com/showthread.php?tid=5572

Pick a few and try them out. I recommend this entry: 「荒川強啓 デイ・キャッチ！」 - “Arakawa Kyoukei - Day Catch!” (reply #6) or, more specifically, the メキキの聞き耳 segment, if only for it not being mind-numbingly boring or painful.

I wouldn't recommend JapanesePod101.com podcasts while driving though. If I can't do basic tasks at work and pay attention to it, I shouldn't be driving with it on.

Is the situation you presented absolutely mandatory? I mean, must you drive to school by yourself for 40 minutes or are there other options?

I know what it's like to live in a small town (grew up in a town of 1000). When I moved to college there was a bus in my area, but it took about an hour vs the 20 minutes it would take to drive to school. I took the bus for a host of reasons, but one main reason was that it actually gave me time. It gave me back about 20 minutes of driving time, plus about 5 minutes allocated to finding parking. It actually gave me an hour each way in which I KNEW I was going to get something done.

Do you go to the same college as someone in your neighbourhood? I suggest you alternate driving each other to the campus. If you don't go to school at the same times, just carpool on only those days that it is possible. My feeling is that it is better to have someone chauffeur you at least some of the time, than no time at all. However, I am an efficiency freak and abhor spending time transporting myself to things. I like all of my time to be my own.