Passing JLPT N5

So paiseh after telling my teacher that I passed she requested for my scores and the next week I saw this on the information board! *shy shy*

I've always wanted to sit for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) but somehow never gotten around to.

This year I ended up sitting for N5 after being encouraged by my teacher at A To Z Language Centre where I had just finished Level 4 and will be continuing Level 5 at.

Registered for the July 5th session somewhere end of March (I think it was a day before registration closed) and finished Level 3 at the centre before getting busy with work.

Got my sister to buy me this book when she went to Kinokuniya:

image from Kinokuniya Malaysia

..which I only went through once and decided it was too difficult for me. LOL. I tried the sample questions on the official website as well, which were mind-boggling. Basic particles questions were easy, but when it came to the questions where they provide a few blanks and you need to find the most suitable word for a particular blank, that was confusing.

Things got worse when I missed all classes in June because of work and Japan trip. I had no class the day before the test (my classes were on Saturdays) and TRIED studying but to no avail. I think I managed to do last minute studying at night.

I sat for the test at the Confucian Private Secondary School. Had a short panic moment when I didn't know where to park as the school was having orientation for its 6th Form students! Luckily there are ample parking lots at the multilevel parking lot of the Malaysia  Basketball Association!

Phew.

The test caught me off guard with its kanji (漢字) because I was told by my teacher there wouldn't be any kanji at all, but the first few questions had simple kanjis like face parts, directions and etc.

Knockout terus man. Therefore I did what I do best: tembak.

I didn't go to Chinese school nor learnt Mandarin formally so I hope that explains why I don't know Chinese characters. And we don't speak Mandarin at home as well. My encounter with Mandarin was through music. While Hong Kong dramas for Cantonese. Heehee.

I had trouble with particles too - when or how to use で, に and を. 

I found the comprehension (reading passage and answering related questions) hard as well. I actually couldn't really understand the questions and some answers given for me to choose. Of course the choosing-suitable-word-for-that-one-blank questions killed me haha #drama

So it was a miracle when I passed after checking the results online, which were released end of August.

I know the scores are nothing to be proud of. But still FULL MARKS for Listening section?

WOW my ears must have gotten an upgrade that morning.

Received the certificate a few days ago!

Registered for the December 6th session this year for N4.

(Note: registration is closed for this session)

Hope I'll be more hardworking and improve my scores!