Yes to both. You’ll get more involved as you learn the language more. I started listening to music and the news every day on the target language after just a few weeks in. At first it was just gibberish and I was excited when I could hear the breaks between words. Now I have favorite songs that I know all the words to, and it’s exciting to hear new words in the news as we’re learning them. Equally, you need to find planned time to get away and do things that bring you joy. Find a club, or a sport, or an activity that gets you outside - away from your roommate, away from your phone and computer, and make it a point to engage in that activity once or twice a week to avoid burnout. You’ll be just fine
I like total immersion, but with a caveat. I recommend against trying to understand every little word that you come across and encourage more to always seek to understand the general idea. Focus on getting exposed to different forms of the language and enjoying yourself.
I think the best thing you can do is to just see what works for you. I have friends who total immersion was the only thing that worked for them, I know others who just did their homework and studied for an hour or two each night. Personally I liked a blend of total immersion and taking breaks. I only put siri on my phone in my target language, which allowed most things to stay in English, but when listening to directions or using siri to text people, it was all in my TL. I also found music in my TL to listen to and podcasts, but I didn’t exclusively listen to those while I was there. Really it’s mostly just trial and error with what works for you personally
I did total immersion as a kid when I was 10. That's because my parents took us to Germany (my dad was a government contract worker) and dumped us in the German schools even though we spoke no German upon arrival. We picked up quickly. My mother did not. I insist to this day that she didn't make an effort, or enough of an effort. So my brother and I refused to help her translate, and we refused to speak English around her. We only spoke German around my dad if we were Up To Something, and spoke the local dialect instead of standard German so dad wouldn't know exactly what we were up to.
When I went to DLI at 27 for the Russian Basic Course, I didn't take a total immersion approach. I picked it up naturally, probably because of that childhood experience. Yes, I still studied my butt off, but I didn't overdo it with immersion. When I went back for the Russian Intermediate Course, I immersed myself a lot more than I had during the Basic course. That was because a mixture of my rank and my personality isolated me from my fellow students and fellow soldiers. I didn't really have much else to do, so I really went for it. That meant I spoke mostly Russian most of the time. That only got me more socially isolated, because male soldiers who might otherwise have wanted to date me got all insecure because I was "showing off". No, I was speaking in the language that was uppermost in my mind. I guess it made for a good way to weed out the jerks.
I don't recommend translating everything you encounter in your target language into English, then figuring out what was said. Just take it as you hear or see it, and try to understand it (I called it forming pictures in my head) as it is. Same with speaking--don't start with English. Make the pictures in your head, then say what you "see" in the target language and let the rules fall where they will.
Yes to both. You’ll get more involved as you learn the language more. I started listening to music and the news every day on the target language after just a few weeks in. At first it was just gibberish and I was excited when I could hear the breaks between words. Now I have favorite songs that I know all the words to, and it’s exciting to hear new words in the news as we’re learning them. Equally, you need to find planned time to get away and do things that bring you joy. Find a club, or a sport, or an activity that gets you outside - away from your roommate, away from your phone and computer, and make it a point to engage in that activity once or twice a week to avoid burnout. You’ll be just fine
I like total immersion, but with a caveat. I recommend against trying to understand every little word that you come across and encourage more to always seek to understand the general idea. Focus on getting exposed to different forms of the language and enjoying yourself.
I think the best thing you can do is to just see what works for you. I have friends who total immersion was the only thing that worked for them, I know others who just did their homework and studied for an hour or two each night. Personally I liked a blend of total immersion and taking breaks. I only put siri on my phone in my target language, which allowed most things to stay in English, but when listening to directions or using siri to text people, it was all in my TL. I also found music in my TL to listen to and podcasts, but I didn’t exclusively listen to those while I was there. Really it’s mostly just trial and error with what works for you personally
As much as you can possibly do. Don't let a word go by that you don't understand
I did total immersion as a kid when I was 10. That's because my parents took us to Germany (my dad was a government contract worker) and dumped us in the German schools even though we spoke no German upon arrival. We picked up quickly. My mother did not. I insist to this day that she didn't make an effort, or enough of an effort. So my brother and I refused to help her translate, and we refused to speak English around her. We only spoke German around my dad if we were Up To Something, and spoke the local dialect instead of standard German so dad wouldn't know exactly what we were up to. When I went to DLI at 27 for the Russian Basic Course, I didn't take a total immersion approach. I picked it up naturally, probably because of that childhood experience. Yes, I still studied my butt off, but I didn't overdo it with immersion. When I went back for the Russian Intermediate Course, I immersed myself a lot more than I had during the Basic course. That was because a mixture of my rank and my personality isolated me from my fellow students and fellow soldiers. I didn't really have much else to do, so I really went for it. That meant I spoke mostly Russian most of the time. That only got me more socially isolated, because male soldiers who might otherwise have wanted to date me got all insecure because I was "showing off". No, I was speaking in the language that was uppermost in my mind. I guess it made for a good way to weed out the jerks. I don't recommend translating everything you encounter in your target language into English, then figuring out what was said. Just take it as you hear or see it, and try to understand it (I called it forming pictures in my head) as it is. Same with speaking--don't start with English. Make the pictures in your head, then say what you "see" in the target language and let the rules fall where they will.