In a year, I plan to go to Japan, and expose myself to the true requirements of the language. I did that with China, and I realized almost everything I was being taught at school as useless, while at the same time I was able to intuitively understand a ton of random casual talk even if I couldn't make out the actual words.
I think a certain Chinese girl thought I was psychic or something because I knew what she was saying without understanding her words individually.

The irony is, I'm actually psychic and I didn't know it yet.