Exams starting, scared

[tongue_of_colicab]

So almost 2 months ago I started a new study and now the first exams are up this week and next already and im somewhat scared for them. I never had any problems with my other studies, though that might be because all of them were low ranked and even a monkey could have passed them if you ask me but its different now. A part of the exams includes Japanese language and though I really like it, im not much of a language person to say the least (I hated french and german in high school).

Tommorow I have a listening test, and I've been practicing with the textbook cd's but its hard. My teacher told me we would get alot of things involving numbers and dates. Now the words itself arnt that hard, I know them. But when Japanese people start speaking them on cd, its much harder especially phone numbers. I always lose track halfway.

I'll also have writing, reading and speaking exams. And my dumb self just keeps putting words in the wrong order and whats worse is that non of my books does much about explaining when and why you´d use a certain word order but that might be because the sentence we practice with are more complicated and longer than those in the books. Which sucks because essentially I dont have a way to read back why I did it wrong and the teachers arnt that much of a help since they want to get rid of like 75% of the students anyway.

So its scaring me, I dont want to fail them, but, well, I dont really know its just that weird feeling I get not really knowing. And I´m slooow. I dont know why, but when learning some things I need to be told like 5 times before I finally see the light. Its not that I dont get it, its just that it takes to sink in or something. But when they give me some word list, I can learn like 2 pages in 1 hour but then when you need to use it it always takes me longer before I finally really get it why it should be like that.

 

[KimB]

I've always found it interesting when people find it easier to memorize than to understand. For me it's always been the exact opposite: understanding comes easy, memorization is difficult.

For what you're describing in Japanese, it's sounding to me like you're properly memorizing the words and their translations, but are having to translate those words every time they are spoken, instead of understanding them for what they are.

What you might try is practicing while attempting to think of some image, sound, or other representation of the meaning of a word or phrase, to try to build those direct associations between the words and their interpretation. Dunno if that'll help, but it's an idea.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Yeah my brain needs to translate everything. As far as I know this is what will happen just about always once you start learning a new language. Its only 5 weeks ago I started learning words and sentences so it will probably stay like that for a while. English for example, I dont need to translate anymore, my brain just knows the words but than again I've been hearing english for the bigger part of my life on Dutch tv and in music.

Using images works, we also use them sometimes in class. But I know most words, if you ask me for train, office, 22th day of the month etc I know the words, its just that my brain still needs that time to go search for the translation etc. Especially with numbers this is bad, that is what i'll be listning to tomorrow, but things like hearing phone numbers, prices etc goes pretty fast and I find it hard to do that on the fly, I get like halfway and than I lose it because im listening but at the same time have the memorize and translate. And I have to do all at the same time otherwise you will miss things.

 

[KimB]

Right, I think it's mostly about practice. But I think you can reduce your practice time potentially by focusing on directly associating the words with their meanings, instead of their English translations. Another thing to bear in mind is that the way human memory works, if you memorize something right now, and then come back in 30 minutes to an hour or so, you may have a hard time recalling it. But if you come back the next day, you may find you remember it very well. So a good strategy is to study the night before the exam, make sure you get plenty of sleep, and then at most have a small refresher before the exam.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Im going to try that. I've been trying to do some studying this night. Only my brain is worthless the later its gets. I have a hard time learning. But if I learn in the morning I learn alot better and even remember things while I often forget things that I learn in the evening. But its just to bad this doesnt help alot for listening exercises. I listend to the cd a couple of times now and I hope that will do. I have no clue how they are going to take the exam, I hope I get something like a headset (and maybe even get to pauze when I want it, but that would be asking to much I guess) because up to now we've been practesing with some crappy cd player with wortless sound volume.

 

[Davros]

Tommorow I have a listening test,

Id worry, your not very good at listening ask anybody

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Your not exactly helping me here Davros, better know your going to take the blame if I fail now

And there is a difference between not listening and being stubborn. To bad that wont help this time.

Teacher: You wrote a 7, it was a 1.
Me: No
Teacher: Yes it was.
Me: Noooo
Teacher: Here, listen. See, 1.
Me: No its 7, I say so.
Teacher: /Facepalm.

 

[suryad]

Try to relax. If you are a bundle of nerves, it will make matters worse.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Just came back, as expected I think it didnt went exactly good. On the plus side, I know why. It wasnt that I couldnt understand it (well, that was the case with one exersise, but the 1920's sound recording tech they used for the voices didnt really help) but it went just too fast. They did all the exersises right after each other, no pauzes, no nothing which for me just makes it impossible. I get dates, times, numbers all trown at me and you dont even get the time to write something down. Even in dutch it wouldnt be that easy to do and than I can understand everything! let alone in a language ive only started learning 5 weeks ago.

One girl that had to redo the exam from last year even said it was alot harder than last year and alot of my classmates also had the Hmmm im not sure feeling so atleast I know its not just me.

I spoke to my teacher after it and fortunatly he said that it will only count for 1/3 of my grade. the other 2/3 will be from the speaking and translation exam which I will have next week. I think i'll be better at that. I'll have some more time to think and ill be allowed to ask if they can repeat what they said (though you only get 10 minutes so its still not easy).

All in all I dont have a terrible feeling about it. I doubt i'll get a 5.5 (out of 10) or higher but it wasnt the epic fail I expected and I think I could manage with the speaking test. Now the only worry is the writing test, I know the words and all, just hope I can put them in the right order.

 

[suryad]

Nice!

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Well, Nice would be when I didnt had any problems. This is more like fail but not a hopeless fail.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Well exams are over. Reading and writing went pretty good I think. But today I had my oral exams (?) and I totally fucked up. I spend 3 hours practisch last night with our japanese guest teacher and that didnt went to bad but today was just horrible. I spoke horrible, put all the words in the wrong order and the stupid thing is I couldnt even correct myself while I knew how to say things but my mind just went blank or something.

I'm really angry. I didnt expect to do super well, but I didnt expect to totally screw up either, they didnt even let me finish because it was just so bad and I dont now expect that.

I got a chance to retry next semester but than I have to nail it right away because if I dont manage to get 6+ on each of my japanese tests I get kicked out and you can only retry once.