Tips for when studying is the last thing you want to do!
1. Write out on sticky notes the name of objects in your room, then go ahead and stick them on everything. Next time you turn on your light, make yourself look (or at least glance) at the word. Next time you open your drawer, look at the note. Any time you turn on your lamp, your laptop charger or your speakers, youāll always have that vocabulary there and youāll learn each of them in no time.
2. Play the radio/podcasts or a Korean show for background noise. Most of us donāt like to sit and scroll through Facebook in total silence. I recommend ģķ¼ė§Øģ“ ėģģė¤ (which is available on youtube!) as it is centred around children and any vocabulary you pick up will be helpful. Others include:
ā¢ 2 Days 1 Night
ā¢ Hello Counselor
ā¢Ā ģ“ģģ§ ģ°°ģ¤
ā¢ Hello Baby
3. Write down phrases on flash cards. Break down the words. Some people have more success reading phrases on flash cards rather than just single vocabulary. Stick these in a place youāll sit at often, or you could also stick them on items they pertain to just like in tip #1.
4. Just once a day, when youāre out and about or even just at home, search the dictionary for a word. Say youāre out eating, and you donāt know the word for āto orderā. Whip out that phone, search it up and try to commit it to memory. One word a day is 365 words a year, and odds are youāll pick up more than that anyway!
5. Google Play has a selection of multi-language books. Buy a Korean and English childrenās book and try to read it (if youāre up to it). The English translation will always be there, so itās less brain power for you to go and search up everything you donāt know! Plus, you might learn some small phrases in the process.
6. Watch Korean YouTubers. YouTube is fun to watch, so why not watch it in Korean? - ģźµėØģ (Korean Englishman) is an English man who is great at Korean, he always has English and Korean subs on. By the end of a few episodes youāll know what ā ėØģėµė¤ā and āģ“ģ ģė¤!ā Means! - Ponyās Makeup is a great channel if you love makeup. Youāll pick up makeup related vocab and phrases, as well learn new techniques and styles. - Maangchi is a Korean lady who teaches you how to cook Korean food. Itās mostly in English but she talks about Korean words sometimes. - źæķ¤ is another cooking channel, however thereās no talking, only the blissful sounds of soup boiling and onions frying! She puts small instructions on her videos in both English and Korean. Take notes!
7. Download a widget on your phone that gives you a new word every time you swipe to unlock. Simple, easy and there in your pocket.
8. Fill your social media with Korean. Follow Korean study blogs (though donāt rely on them 100% as most are run by non-fluent speakers), follow Korean daily vocab twitters and Facebook pages. Everything you see will be Korean and youāll start to pick up on words that you see all the time.
9. Donāt feel discouraged if you havenāt studied for a week. Donāt feel like youāre the worst at Korean, or that youāre so far behind everyone else. Everyone learns differently and at different paces. Me, Iām competitive and need to absorb as much as is humanly possible in a short amount of time. Others stick to a schedule. Some learn stuff here and there. There is no right and wrong way to learn. Do you. Remember, just one word a day equals 365 a year. 2 words a day is even more!
