Things You'll Need:
- Time
- Energy
- The ability to schedule
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Step 1
Figure out what type of learning works best to you. If you done any self study or classroom learning think about which method has been most successful. Do you do better with a community of learners or do you do well with textbook work? Knowing this will help you with choosing materials.
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Step 2
Get your materials. Find a book, video game, audio book, podcast, or online community. If you need more than one, this could take awhile if you want more than one tool. If you are limited by funds then gravitate towards the free tools like podcasts and websites. That way you can get the most on a dime.
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Step 3
Set up a regular study schedule. If you set aside an hour a week, minimum, then you will be able to work distraction.
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Step 4
Find a way to integrate study into your empty time. Can you burn your podcasts for the drive to work? Would you be able to study flash cards when you wait in lines? Make use of this dead time whenever you can to add to your studies.
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Step 5
Consider immersion with anime. If you use a site like Hulu, you will be able to watch free anime. This will give you an opportunity to hear conversations with native speakers, as well as some basic cultural insights. Just be aware that many of them are far out, and for extreme comic value.
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Step 6
Consider a pen pal. Many sites let you sign up for free.
