JLPT and self-discipline

I passed JLPT N2 !! （≧▽≦）

For you who didn't know about JLPT, JLPT is an acronym for Japanese Language Proficiency Test, organized by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services. The tests are divided into five levels, from N1 through N5, with the N5 being the easiest. Fluent can be construed as N1 level, while business-level could be translated as N2 level. More info about JLPT is on the website.

I thought I won't passed, yet I did ! After the test, I felt so depressed as I couldn't answer all of the question. I felt that I would be 100% failed. But I passed! Yay! I myself surprised when I check the website.Thanks for everyone who helped me with my study, and thanks for all of you who congratulate me, I'm really grateful and proud to have all of you.

I didn't take any formal Japanese lesson (yet I took N2 on my first try), so maybe all of you curious where I could find my study material. Here's some of it :

1. Renshuu  (renshuu.org)
Renshuu is the best online training site I ever visit. Renshuu in Japanese means training. The site provide Kanji quizzes and Vocabulary quizzes for each JLPT level, Kanji Kentei quizzes for Japan's kanji proficiency test, textbooks-based study (Genki, Youkoso, Tobira, etc), games (Shiritori, Mashups, Haiku, etc), communities, forum, and more. I recommend you to be a user because they will provide study statistics and  marked the course you have had.

2. Ejje dictionary (ejje.weblio.jp)
There's a lot of dictionary site provided in this cyber world, but this site would be my number one as it works like Thesaurus, it gave you synonyms, examples, and related-words. My method is "skip the dictionary, use Thesaurus".

3. Social media
Internet era, people. Follow some Japanese people on twitter and try to understand what they are talking about. If you have enough courage, try to make conversation with them. Go youtube, and watch Japanese language tutorial (or watch their television program, or watch dramas) to learn how they speak. The easiest method is searching for people (or videos) with same interest with you, maybe manga, anime, drama, j-pop music, it could be anything else. Enjoy what you do, enjoy what you learn :)

4. News portal
Go to Japan's news portal, such as NHK's NEWS WEB EASY, SANSPO, etc. As I said before, try to read and understand what they are talking about. And the most important of all, things you have interest on. If you don't have interest on Economics, then don't read economic thingy or you will be so sleepy in the middle of your study. Go read information about your favorite artist, or maybe about your favorite animal. It would be help for your kanji study (because news filled with difficult kanji sometimes).

That's all. Yes, just that. And the most important thing is your self-discipline. Make sure you study in daily basis, 10-min each day, or maybe just once a week. If you don't train it, you will gradually forgetting the vocabs. And, if you want to train how to write, buy books and write. Practice-practice-practice, yes, practice make you perfect, and I'm sure your effort won't betray you.

I will take N1 this year ! Wish me luck and let's do our best together (^o^)/