Congratulations to all those before me, but I have made it. Way too much procrastination along the way, but here I am ! やった！

After what seems like forever, as of now, 1 in the morning july 13th 2009, I'm officially done!

It actually took me just under two years to finish this thing (and I can tell you the book itself is falling apart at the seams), but I will excuse myself with studying full time japanese and masters in engineering at the same time, and being tied up elsewhere for the entire summer

Got most of the readings down as well, along with 2722 helpful and well-researched words to showcase the readings and use of most kanji.

It's a great feeling to finally be done. I hereby congratulate myself, along with everyone else who is now feeling, or have already felt, the same thing.

I just finished. Actually, I did the entirety of the book in just under 2 months, so... I think I still have a lot of work to do to retain everything I've learned. Anki is magical, let me say that much. Doing this in under 2 months takes a LOT of time and focus, and I have, indeed, spent many hours reviewing every day, and I have no life. Hopefully now I can leave the house again. I hope to finish RTK 3 by the time I get back to school!

Asriel wrote:

I can't believe that I made it. I knew it was coming, but I can't believe I'd actually be here, posting in this thread....

I started in February sometime, went pretty decently until about the end of march, and then progress was slow.

Then in the past 3 days, I did ~100 a day in order to zoom though, finish up, so I could finally get it out of the way.

Writing that final period in my notebook of stories is incredible.

Congratulations to everyone came before me, good luck to everyone who comes after me.

Edit: Zorlee, I better see you in this thread soon!!!! I was disappointed to not see you in here before me. If you don't show up I'll be even more disappointed!

I'm there, baby!!!!
And I actually finished two days ago!! Woho! Started late April, Finished 13. July.
But check this: I had made a commitment to finish on monday, but suddenly realised the day before that the book went to 2042 kanji instead of 2000 - I don't know why I always thought it contained 2000, but whatever.
On monday, my boss called me early in the morning in panic - there was a sick kid at work, and I had to sub for him... Arh.. There goes my final day, I thought!

BUT NO!!!

I came home around 17:00, and thought: "I'll finish this thing today, no matter what!"

I had 187 kanji to learn in one go. I knew it was dumb. I knew it would be painful. But whatever!

Now, I started off, and thought it went pretty okey, right until midnight. Then I had some serious trouble staying awake, and still around 90 kanji to learn. I went up to the local 24/7 gas-station, and bought a huge supply of Red Bull, Coffee and Dr. Pepper.
DON'T EVER DRINK THAT COMBO, WHILE LEARNING KANJI!!!!!!!!!
I drank a whole frickin lot of that stuff, and I started to shake like crazy, obviously the coffein kicking in. At around 1 in the morning I couldn't focus with two eyes, so between 1 and 4:30 I did all my learning holding one of my hands over my left eye, to focus with my right. Then suddenly, after drinking my last Red Bull, my stomach said: "NO MORE!!!!" and the kanji learning went back and forth between the toilet.
At around 4:30 I lied down in my bed, dead tired, shaking, half-blind left eye, extreme stomach pain, yet smiling like crazy: I FINISHED!!!
(And believe it or not - I didn't forget'em all! I still retain a retention-rate at around 90%.)

PS: Did I mention that my internet connection crashed earlier that day, so that I couldn't use the stories on this page for the last 187 Kanji? No? Oh well... Take that into consideration as well, hahaha!

Thanks man!!
You'll be getting a mail from me soon, when I start up KO2001, something along the lines of: "HEEEELP!!! NOW!!!", hehe!
Keep up the good work yourself! Now I'm off to start my kana learning...!

Zorlee wrote:

BUT NO!!!

I came home around 17:00, and thought: "I'll finish this thing today, no matter what!"

I had 187 kanji to learn in one go. I knew it was dumb. I knew it would be painful. But whatever!
...
DON'T EVER DRINK THAT COMBO, WHILE LEARNING KANJI!!!!!!!!!...At around 1 in the morning I couldn't focus with two eyes, so between 1 and 4:30 I did all my learning holding one of my hands over my left eye, to focus with my right
....
dead tired, shaking, half-blind left eye, extreme stomach pain, yet smiling like crazy: I FINISHED!!!

PS: Did I mention that my internet connection crashed earlier that day, so that I couldn't use the stories on this page for the last 187 Kanji? No? Oh well... Take that into consideration as well, hahaha!

Oh my goodness. That is one of the most amazing kanji-learning stories I have ever read. Here I was sitting in a coffee shop for a few hours, with the only discomfort was wondering if the workers thought I was weird for sitting there alone for hours on end...

I am simply amazed at that story. 17:00 - 4:30. That's like 11 hours, right? 5 p.m. to 4.30 a.m.??
WOW, congratulations!!!

Thank you guys so much!
Yeah, I was kind of amazed myself, I didn't know I had it in me... But I never, ever, EVER want to drink Red Bull ever again. Seriously, just the thought makes me wanna puke, hahaha!
(Dr. Pepper on the other hand... Mmmmm!!! )

Congratulations Whatsifwhateveryournicknameis - it feels great to finish, doesn't it?

Last edited by Zorlee (2009 July 18, 6:23 am)

Yaye! I finished it today!

I feel a lot more ready for Japan than before... !

Congratulations tralala! Good job!
And to you too, akimoto impressive that you're going right on into RtK3 :3

Last edited by Whatsifsowhatsit (2009 July 18, 6:56 pm)

Whatsifsowhatsit wrote:

Congratulations tralala! Good job!

Thank you very much!!
Only a person who has finished RTK himself can tell how good it really feels

It's a whole new feeling of being literate

Mission Accomplished

Finally I have the right to post in this thread! Just finished and ahh... what a wonderful feeling. I was nearly exausted close to the end, but I am so happy now!

Took me exactly 5 monthes of concentrated effort to make it to the end. First 500 in 2 weeks, from 500 to 1000 in a month, from 1000 to 1500 - 2 monthes, and 1,5 monthes for the rest. Had some motivation problems around 1200-1300, when I understood that it will take longer time than I expected.

Want to thank everybody here for the fine stories and, what is even more important, for the encouraging atmosphere you created on this forum. It would be so much more difficult to finish without you. Thank you ファブリス for creating this wonderful site.