Hey everybody! :D

[Shadowstar108]

I've been trying to learn Japanese on my own (my girlfriend inspired me to do it), but I've been having some issues with learning... i feel like i can't focus on studying the language. Anybody here have any tips for inspiration for an upper beginner?

[phreadom]

How "upper beginner" are you? Could you give us a bit of an example?

I think I'm roughly upper beginner myself... but not the best on advice for studying. I tend to watch Japanese tv dramas and hang out in the chat to maintain at least a basic level of exposure (as well as watching NHK programs about Japan on a pretty regular basis to keep me inspired and learning cultural context etc).

And hello! Welcome to TJP!

[Shiroisan]

What phreadom asked... Basically, university courses for most languages will get to the end of upper beginner in a year's worth of study...

Not so, with Japanese. At my university although they still call year 1 "beginner" and year 2 "intermediate" Japanese out of convention, the truth of the matter is, (and I saw it with my own eyes), both years use beginner-level text books.

So the question is, are you really through a second textbook's worth of knowledge already?
The reason I ask is, if you were really able to get that far you'd probably already know how to study- at least somewhat well.

Are you lower beginner?