The Japanese. Language. Proficiency. Test.
This test does exactly what it sounds like. It measures one’s ability to read, write, and understand the Japanese language. There are five levels of the test with N5 being the easiest, and N1 being the most difficult. This test has haunted me for four years, from the day I signed up for my first Japanese course as a freshman. I’ve avoided it for so long.
Finally, about one hour ago, I registered.
This has been one of the most difficult things for me to do. I have never in my life felt confident enough to sign up for the JLPT. To me, it kind of seems like I’m going to test how much I’ve been paying attention for the last four years. If I fail, I’ll feel like I’ve wasted my time. At the same time, I think I’ve got to see where my level is, and figure out what I need to work on.
Every one of my friends who has taken the JLPT, no matter the level, have passed. I have signed up for the N3, which is middle of the road in terms of difficulty. I’ve purchased study books to practice for the test and I’m in my second semester at my foreign university. I just hope it will be enough. This is so important to me because nobody in my family can speak a second language. I want to be the first one to show that I can do it! I chose a really hard language but I’m determined!
So I don’t have many photos to post right now, as I’m just about to finish my second week of my second semester. However, here’s a picture of how I felt after buying the JLPT application. It’s a summary of how I’ve been feeling lately. I would love to hear some stories of how others have felt. One big reason I chose to study abroad was because I wanted to master the Japanese language. I can only hope I’m actually at the level I want to be at! For now, I need a bit of a breather.
