Japanese Studies, Bachelor 2 subject

Tom Kleiner, second semester student in Japanese Studies. He is pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree, 2-subject programme. Tom’s second subject is Mathematics.

What made you choose this degree programme?

Even when I was a child, I found the samurai fascinating. My first brush with the Japanese culture was in a judo club. As a teenager, I learned about the Japanese pop culture, in the form of music and anime, and my fascination with that remote country and its culture increased. This is why I wished to learn more about the language and history of Japan.

In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?

The fast pace in the language courses came as a surprise. But you get used to it soon enough.

Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?

The thing I enjoy most is grammar, because of its logical and simple structure, as well as language history, because I get very excited about the evolution and changes of word forms.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

The greatest challenge has been to consistently memorise kanji, i.e. the characters.

What would you like to become after completing your degree?

My goal is to work in an enterprise that collaborates closely with Japanese companies, so that I would be able to travel to Japan on business. I would also like to work directly in Japan.

Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?

Don’t neglect your vocabulary and kanji studies, or it will become really difficult to struggle through your degree course. It is definitely worth it.