I’ve entered full vacation mode which in my case translates into full-time Korean studies. I was set back after a minor bout of food poisoning keeping me tied to the bed with a bucket safely within reach for three days after coming back home. I lacked the strength and energy to read anything, let alone anything in Korean. Now I’m back up and running (well at least walking) so from today I have started following my thoroughly laid out study plan only three days behind schedule.

The plan is ambitious but TOPIK is only a mere 100 days away and I’m in for a pretty rough work ride come August. Here’s what I resolve to do every day over the next four weeks:

  • Morning Learn or review 2 grammar points from Intermediate Grammar in Use + re-read one issue of TTMIK News and practice specialized vocabulary.
  • Noon Practice two of the following: hanjas for building vocabulary, studying with my TOPIK 쓰기 book, read/re-read textbook chapters, do TOPIK exercises.
  • Afternoon Listen to two TTMIK iyagis and write down useful sentence structures and make notes of new words. This is followed by one hour of listening practice using podcasts such as 책 읽는 시간 or YouTube’s 세바시.
  • Evening One episode of a Korean drama ^_^

I further plan to work through a full TOPIK paper once a week and have a session with my italki teacher every 4-5 days.

Like a clever person once wrote: Keep busy. The worried person must lose himself in action, lest he wither with despair.  

With this plan I hope to have effectively side-stepped the risk of worrying about either TOPIK or work. I simply won’t have the time ^_^

Posted on 12 By 소희 Study methods Posted in Study methods, TOPIK

소희

I'm a Danish girl living in Korea teaching economics at Sogang economics. When I'm not working I love to learn Korean, discover this beautiful country, read and blog about my experiences and thoughts. Follow me at www.sofietokorea.com :)

12 Comments »

    • Jeg er heldigvis ovenpå igen. Det er utroligt, som man lærer at sætte pris på små ting som at kunne føle sult og spise almindelig mad 🙂 Efter Canada-turen har jeg ikke andre ferieplaner så nyder at kunne fordybe mig i det koreanske. Det er skønt når man som mig er nødt til at føle at man udretter noget, selv når man har fri. Regner du forresten stadig med at melde dig til TOPIK i London til oktober?

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      • Det siger du ikke; deli-belly er ikke til at spøge med. Jeg har desværre ikke fri. I denne uge skal jeg arbejde 6 dage 😦
        Jeg må nok erkende, at jeg har været lidt ude af den koreansk-mæssigt, men som min bror siger, hvis ikke denne gang, hvornår så? jeg arbejder mig langsomt igennem Harry Potter og der er da ord, som jeg genkender fra side til side, hvilket er ganske positivt, men jeg kunne godt bruge en 6-7 timer mere per døgn.

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      • Haha nej det er bestemt ikke til at spøge med! Det lyder som om du har rigeligt at se til. Jeg håber at du også får lidt tid til at slappe af. Jeg arbejdede mig igennem hele sidste sommer og det hævner sig altid senere, hvis man ikke giver sig selv den nødvendige ro. Det med 30-timers døgn har jeg selv ønsket i mange år! 🙂

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      • Du har helt ret, og jeg prøver at holde mig selv i skak ved at lave nogle aftaler med veninder/melde mig til fitness hold efter min arbejdsdag for at være sikker på, at jeg ikke bliver hængende i overtid. Sidste år arbejdede jeg 184 timer i juli (fratrukket frokostpauser) og 2013 blev det til 198 timer (igen fratrukket frokost). Et tredje år uden sommerferie/fri-aftener i det tempo magter jeg simpelthen ikke…

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      • Uha, det lyder voldsomt. I det mindste er du opmærksom på at få booket fritid i kalenderen 🙂 Jeg håber du også finder tid til det koreanske. Det kunne nemlig være superhyggeligt at møde dig i forbindelse med TOPIK. Som det ser ud lige nu regner jeg med at tilmelde mig i august. I og med at prøven er om lørdagen, tænker jeg at flyve til London fredag og hjem søndag. Jeg regner med at tage afsted alene, da min mand som regel arbejder i weekenden.

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  3. Hello! glad you’ve gotten better.
    I’ve been wondering if you’re gonna take the beginner topik (1급/2급) or the intermediate topik? (3급/4급)? and if you have an idea if it’s possible to skip the beginner level and take the intermediate exam right away? I’m planning on doing so.

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    • Hello and thanks for stopping by my blog 🙂 There is no rule requiring you to take the beginner before the intermediate level. I myself am studying for the intermediate, which will be my very first TOPIK attempt. I just did a mock test (old format) for practice this weekend. The results weren’t horrible, but I definitely also spent waaay more time that I will have at the actual test. How long have you been studying Korean?

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      • Oh! i see. Thank you for clearing that out i wasn’t sure if i could or not haha..I’ve been studying korean for a year and 7 months now! almost two years. i’m in the awkward stage of being too lacking for an advanced intermediate speaker and better than a beginner intermediate speaker. which is why i still can’t decide which topik to take haha! what about you?

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