A little background: I studied Japanese for about two years before getting n2. I then spent the next year consuming media (as per Reddit advice).
My usual day: review Anki on train to work. Listen to podcasts when walking from station to work. Read a novel on the train back. Whenever I learn a new word in convo, books, movie, etc., I put it in my Anki.
My past exes spoke no English so I got a lot of speaking practice. Even to this day with my current girlfriend who will correct me when I’m wrong.
I can understand a lot of podcasts, but I am lost in podcasts meant for Japanese listeners. Most of it seems like gibberish. It becomes very disheartening, and I often feel like I haven’t progressed much in the past year.
I was told by someone that if I continue doing what I’m doing for 10 years, I still won’t be fluent. I need to shadow and loop audios. Shadowing and looping like a robot seems awful to me. Doing that on top of all the stuff I’m doing now, seems extremely overwhelming. I go to the gym, have a social life, have a band, and practice coding. I do all this with a full time job.
I really need some help and advice. Is the shadowing and looping truly the missing piece? Is just time? 10 years a pipe dream while staying the course?
by Rooster_Kogburne