The 2019 365 Day Language Challenge - Sign Up and Discussion

[Cavesa]

starting 1.1.2019, German

[PeterMollenburg]

I don't understand the 20 day thing. Can you please explain it for me. I could understand if you had to do double or triple the next day but what is -20 days thing about? Are we talking about a game here with winner has 365 days, but 2nd place person has 345 days?

Because this can't be monitored it would seem exponential growth might be more appropriate. So, miss 1 day 90 minutes next day, miss 2 days 360 minutes required ((90+90)*2), miss 3 days and you owe 900 minutes ((360+90)*2). Missing 3 days means you have to do 15 hours of work on Day 4, so I figure most people would not skip a day.

Ditto rdearman's question

Its like you read my mind from across the world lol. Was planning to do this for 2019 as well so will be nice to see how others do. Tho that -20 days seems a little high but I guess its like that to make you really think about if it worth it to be lazy and skip a day

ロータス hit the nail on the head. Basically, let's say you're up to 100 days in a row, but on day 101 you miss a day of study. You get penalised 20 days, so your 'score' becomes 80. On day 102 if you study properly again, you score would be 81. The idea is to punish you (by taking 20 days of your 'score') for skipping a day. Were the time to simply increase, the next day to 60 minutes, as you, rdearman, suggest, then I think it becomes problematic again, it sets one up to fail. The idea is to discourage one from missing days so we remain consistent. If we end up missing a couple and have to do 90 minutes, I think we're just more likely to avoid study altogether. Additionally if someone 'wins' with a total of 365 days worth of study but actually missed days and caught up on the following days, I think that goes against the idea of the challenge- to study every single day.

Losing 20 days to me seems more appropriate. Okay, perhaps 20 days is too extreme, as has been suggested, but I am, as ロータス suggested, really trying to discourage missed days. Perhaps, however 20 might do exactly what 60 or 90 minutes might do. That is, it might encourage people to simply give up after being in a position that seems too difficult to catch up or remain in contention.

These rules of course are open to negotiation, and I don't want to claim this challenge as 'mine'. Thus, if people agree that 20 should be changed to 5 or 10 day punishment for example, or increase one's time to 60 minutes the next day, despite what I think. Well, basically these ideas are open to discussion. Any thoughts, anyone on these two questions-

Should the 20 day 'punishment' for skipping one day be changed? What to?

Is missing 5 days (total) too small of a number to result in elimination? What should it be?

I'm actually reconsidering this "elimination" thing. Perhaps losing a large chunk of days, really renders one too far behind to win anyway, but at least you can continue participating.... I think I'll remove this rule... Hoping for some feedback (anyone that is).

[PeterMollenburg]

question of my own: Can you join with "generic language" as your daily? 30 minutes a day 365 days for me is a great challenge, but I can't commit to a particular language right now. It may be Esperanto or Italian or Russian. Certainly can't do all every day but I can do one every day, just not the same one.

Great idea btw. Good luck all!

I want this challenge to be inclusive, so yes, you can join with a generic language, if you feel that will motivate you to remain consistent across the board day in day out. Does this make it unfair for others? Not really, if you choose one language it's the same as 'generic', in that it's one 30 min block each day of study that's required. You just happen to be changing languages within that block. But to clarify, if you choose two languages, Say German and French, then it's one hour a day, 30 min of each language, not 30 min of any (i.e. two languages or more, stated as so, are not generic). Thus, generic is generic, stated languages are stated languages. You can't change midway through.

Given IronMike has posed this unexpected question and given my response above, if anyone would like to change their multiple languages to just 'generic', then please let me know asap.

Edit: I've added this new addition to the rules

[IronMike]

question of my own: Can you join with "generic language" as your daily? 30 minutes a day 365 days for me is a great challenge, but I can't commit to a particular language right now. It may be Esperanto or Italian or Russian. Certainly can't do all every day but I can do one every day, just not the same one.

Great idea btw. Good luck all!

I want this challenge to be inclusive, so yes, you can join with a generic language, if you feel that will motivate you to remain consistent across the board day in day out. Does this make it unfair for others? Not really, if you choose one language it's the same as 'generic', in that it's one 30 min block each day of study that's required. You just happen to be changing languages within that block. But to clarify, if you choose two languages, Say German and French, then it's one hour a day, 30 min of each language, not 30 min of any (i.e. two languages or more, stated as so, are not generic). Thus, generic is generic, stated languages are stated languages. You can't change midway through.

Given IronMike has posed this unexpected question and given my response above, if anyone would like to change their multiple languages to just 'generic', then please let me know asap.

Thanks Peter!

[PeterMollenburg]

Thanks Peter!

You're welcome

So, I take it you're in. I'll sign you up for generic 1st Jan. If I've misunderstood, lemme know and I'll remove you.

[Ani]

How about 7 days for missing a day?

Realistically, we're probably all going to miss a day. A death, a hospital visit.. shoot a migraine would probably get me.. a set back of a week seems like a good consequence, but not severe enough to cause the "ahww f**-it"'-s

AND, even if it doesn't count for the competition, someone that made it through the year with only a couple days missed might be motivated to continue into next year. If I had a 40 day penalty for two days, I'd probably just start over at the first chance.

[CarlyD]

How about 7 days for missing a day?

Realistically, we're probably all going to miss a day. A death, a hospital visit.. shoot a migraine would probably get me.. a set back of a week seems like a good consequence, but not severe enough to cause the "ahww f**-it"'-s

AND, even if it doesn't count for the competition, someone that made it through the year with only a couple days missed might be motivated to continue into next year. If I had a 40 day penalty for two days, I'd probably just start over at the first chance.

When I first started with my 175-Day Challenge, I had no penalty clause. Missing even one day meant failure.

It's surprising what you can figure out when the stakes are high--and clear. You could still flip through flashcards, even if you feel lousy and are not sure that you're really absorbing the information. You can carve out 5 or 10 minutes here or there a few times even on a super busy day.

I found the success was in not stopping for a single day, for any reason.

[PeterMollenburg]

How about 7 days for missing a day?

Realistically, we're probably all going to miss a day. A death, a hospital visit.. shoot a migraine would probably get me.. a set back of a week seems like a good consequence, but not severe enough to cause the "ahww f**-it"'-s

AND, even if it doesn't count for the competition, someone that made it through the year with only a couple days missed might be motivated to continue into next year. If I had a 40 day penalty for two days, I'd probably just start over at the first chance.

Good suggestion, I think I will change it, but I'll wait to see if there are any other replies. As mentioned in another post, I think I'm going to eliminate the possibility of elimination as well. I don't see the sense it eliminating people for missing too many days, they'll be far enough behind anyway.

[Ani]

I found the success was in not stopping for a single day, for any reason.

I've found the success is in continuing to come back even when life's not perfect.

[PeterMollenburg]

How about 7 days for missing a day?

Realistically, we're probably all going to miss a day. A death, a hospital visit.. shoot a migraine would probably get me.. a set back of a week seems like a good consequence, but not severe enough to cause the "ahww f**-it"'-s

AND, even if it doesn't count for the competition, someone that made it through the year with only a couple days missed might be motivated to continue into next year. If I had a 40 day penalty for two days, I'd probably just start over at the first chance.

When I first started with my 175-Day Challenge, I had no penalty clause. Missing even one day meant failure.

It's surprising what you can figure out when the stakes are high--and clear. You could still flip through flashcards, even if you feel lousy and are not sure that you're really absorbing the information. You can carve out 5 or 10 minutes here or there a few times even on a super busy day.

I found the success was in not stopping for a single day, for any reason.

Well, there is the option of no penalties, as well. You miss a day, you lose a day off your ‘score’.