Habits

I think the most helpful advice I can give, at this point, to someone studying Japanese or any language is this: if you've got a sustainable habit, DON'T BREAK IT.

Look at me. I had a busy week in February and allowed it to knock my studying off track. Since then, it's been one thing after another, and I haven't gotten back into the habit.

It's never a good idea to take a break. Sure, emergencies come up, but if you are committed to learning the language, find a way to keep studying every day.

The second most helpful advice I can give you is: don't become locked into one way of studying.

Contradictory? Not really. If you've got a sustainable habit, then there's no need to change it. If you have the time to learn, practice, and memorize 100 kanji a day, then do it. However, if you find that you don't have that kind of time every day, don't say this:

"Well, if I can't do it completely, I just won't do it at all."

If you can't study your normal 100 kanji, then that habit was not sustainable. Change it. Study 1 kanji a day.

/preach