Hello, first of all im at the very beginning of Japanese language learning...im facing maybe the biggest hurdle which is to start again after several months of studying (relaxed) done a few years ago...

Currently im trying RTK1 of course, thats why im here, and will try to add a grammar book to it...my first problem is that it seems i can only dedicate like half an hour or even less to RTK before headache starts, and im not joking, i really feel the pain and lose concentration :-(

Im not sure where or why i get this, guess theres no easy way out :-(

And then i have also a curiosity, why do some kanji, at least those at the beginning, have this amazing ability of being easy to remember and some others still flee from memory? The brain is really an odd machine :-(

Maybe my post doesnt make much sense, but any advice is welcome :-)

I think pick up Japanese girls would really help. And getting Kanji tattoo would be a good idea too. I got all 2136 of them.

warakawa Wrote:I think pick up Japanese girls would really help. And getting Kanji tattoo would be a good idea too. I got all 2136 of them.

Thank you for refraining from posting stuff like this.

@Binomag
Pain? Weird... Do you have eye problems maybe? I know a friend who gets headaches due to her neck when she sits in a bad position, not your case I guess? You should find the cause and get it checked. Maybe it'll just disappear with practice, I don't know...

Half an hour is better than nothing I guess, you can use a textbook like Genki or Minna no Nihongo or Japanese the Manga Way at the same time.

About the memory, I have noticed it's not really "known/forgotten", but there are degrees to the level of forgotteness and knowingness. So even if you have forgotten a kanji, you actually got better at it (even some leeches seem to work that way); so don't worry (be happy ;P).

warakawa Wrote:I think pick up Japanese girls would really help. And getting Kanji tattoo would be a good idea too. I got all 2136 of them.

Are multis even allowed on this forum? (hint: the TV stream thread gave away your email address, matching the username of another user who suddenly stopped appearing when you came.)
EDIT: This user was actually banned two days before you registered.

@TS, maybe you should take a break when you feel the pain? I usually did 5 minute learning, 5 minute break, and repeat, until I've learnt about 30 kanji. I'm done with it now though. Try out different techniques until you find a way to study that suits you.

Stian Wrote:Are multis even allowed on this forum? (hint: the TV stream thread gave away your email address, matching the username of another user who suddenly stopped appearing when you came.)
EDIT: This user was actually banned two days before you registered

Who?

Thanks for the replies, yes i do wear goggles, but usually i can read for hours (of course in our alphabet), but looking the kanjis in either RTK1 or on ankidroid seems to burn me out (exhaust me) and give me this silly headache, i'll try asap to do morsels of it at a time, think is a good advice :-)

warakawa Wrote:

Stian Wrote:Are multis even allowed on this forum? (hint: the TV stream thread gave away your email address, matching the username of another user who suddenly stopped appearing when you came.)
EDIT: This user was actually banned two days before you registered

Who?

I saw your post before your edit

Stian Wrote:I saw your post before your edit

What?

Binomag Wrote:Thanks for the replies, yes i do wear goggles, but usually i can read for hours (of course in our alphabet), but looking the kanjis in either RTK1 or on ankidroid seems to burn me out (exhaust me) and give me this silly headache, i'll try asap to do morsels of it at a time, think is a good advice :-)

Maybe you look at them as symbols from hell and put yourself in a bad mentality when studying them? I'm not lying to you when I say that down the road you'll enjoy them (but maybe not studying them) and will have a good feeling of achievement when you start to master them, you'll see the patterns and how these weird devilish symbols make a lot of sense

Nonetheless, I admit that sitting down and going through a pile of symbols can kill us of boredom, so you can try splitting it into 20 mins sessions, as suggested by other users.

Good luck!

Edit:

warakawa Wrote:Who?

Seems like a post worth reporting...

warakawa has some wisdom under that. Picking up girls isnt for everyone but some thats good enough motivation. The point being make goals for yourself and work to accomplish them. Ask if knowing all 2140 some odd kanji meanings is what you need right now. Maybe some vocab and grammar structures is more satisfying for you right now.

I understand the pain... I got/get the same thing I'm in my second round of RTK after letting it slip away while abroad (ironic). The same kanji that gave me trouble give me trouble again but i take it as a sign to redesign my story for them and take time while breezing through the ones that click well. Also splitting task into manageable proportions is a good idea.

Example: Do reviews first in set review time boxes. say 30 reviews. You complete them take a break for however long you want. Come back when you feel like you should do 30 more. once reviews are done add new kanji in sets. 5 or 10 kanji per set. when you reach your goals stop for the day even if you think you can do more.


My goal involves managing future reviews to prevent burn out. I like to have between 100-200 reviews for the next day in kanji. so i make sure for the next 3 days i wont go over by adding new cards.


Pain is burnout entering the body. be weary.

[Zgarbas]

Burnout is normal. Don't force yourself too much. If half an hour is all you can do then only stick with that. Try adding another 10 minutes next week. I used to get headaches from just looking at 2 pages of Japanese at first =). Just work your way slowly and try not to worry too much.

As for easily remembered Kanji, there's just no way around it. Some will always present problems, and some are memorable for various reasons (Back when I still had trouble remembering stuff like 月 I instantly memorized 鳥 because it looked like a guy taking a poo). All will get in your head in due time =).

Seriously though, don't worry too much. It'll just add to your burnout.

Btw, guys. If you run across any new users which post in warakawa's style would you mind filing a report stating as such?

Binomag Wrote:my first problem is that it seems i can only dedicate like half an hour or even less to RTK before headache starts, and im not joking, i really feel the pain and lose concentration

Count days, not hours. Your goal is to review the kanji daily. It doesn't matter if it's just a few minutes, make the review as short as you need. The most important thing is to make it a daily habit. Turn off distractions, let go of whatever else you think you could be doing instead, focus on the review, be mindful. Slow down.

Binomag Wrote:And then i have also a curiosity, why do some kanji, at least those at the beginning, have this amazing ability of being easy to remember and some others still flee from memory? The brain is really an odd machine :-(

Here's your answer:

Thanks for all the kind replies :-)

While we are at it, i can add this. So far my only foreign language is english, and if i want to use it as a comparison to learning japanese, many years ago i took english up on my own, with a dictionary on one side and an english source on the other (as an anedocte, when i was like 13 i used to play Zack McKraken on my C64 :wub). That way, passion grew and vocabulary as well, the more i read the more i learned, with my trusted dictionary (an ooooold one, it was my mother's one from when she was at high school go figure). Sadly, i cant seem to do the same with japanese, and that puts me in a sort of conundrum, dive into kanji in hope of being able to read first, but then i tell myself what im going to do without grammar? Or maybe its the sheer effort to start make things rolling? Back then i was young, fresh mind, no high school joints :p while now im old near 40s and with a full time job and plenty of excuses :-)

Still i like japanese and Japan, guess i just have to carry on :-)

I do 1 hour blocks of studying, there abouts... then have a 30 minute break. I repeat this a few times. Do 30 minutes of studying or whatever you feel comfortable with and have a break e.g. 20 minutes study, 10 minutes break and if you feel more comfortable with it raise the amounts.