I finally sat down and filmed the full recap of how I’ve studied beginner Mandarin Chinese on my own—because you’ve been asking me about this since 2022, and I really wanted to do it properly. In this video, I walk you through why I started Mandarin in the first place, what my actual timeline has looked like, and the exact resources I’ve rotated through as a self-studier (apps, textbooks, graded readers, and tutoring). If you’re overwhelmed by “where do I even start?”, this is basically my honest blueprint—messy bits included. I also share my full study process: how I balance immersion with structure, how I approach vocab and grammar without burning out, and what I do when motivation dips (because it does). I talk about whether Japanese helps with Chinese, the mindsets and struggles I’ve had along the way, and where I think my current level sits (upper beginner) plus my next steps—especially around consistency, input, and progressing toward tests like HSK. The big takeaway: you don’t need a perfect plan, but you do need a sustainable system you can return to.