Good luck to the JLPT takers this Sunday.

I will be taking the N1 exam in December. I decided to shock myself into studying by taking a mock exam. I sat down in front of the 2009 JLPT N1 exam and let my brain work.

The result? A predictable fail.
Not a gigantic fail, but a fail all the same.

Kanji/Vocabulary: 69%
Listening: 82%
Reading/Grammar: 52%

I think its clear what I need to work on... ;/ The reading section was quite intense considering the time limit. I need to learn to speed read...

In my defense, I haven't studied much of the JLPT N1 grammar terms as its full of dead Japanese that isn't really used.... grrr :/ I find it really frustrating studying anything to do with level 1. When I ask friends/language exchange partners/colleagues what a grammar point means by saying the example sentence, I always get the same response; 'Nobody uses this. You don't need to learn it.' Thing is, I do need to learn it...

But, why...?

Its not because I want to work in a Japanese company. (JLPT N2 required)
Its not because I want to go to a Japanese university. (JLPT N1 required)
Its because I'm mad. (Insanity required)
Simples. *squeek*