That's very good actually. Composition is tough, and without understanding of various sentence pattern, one won't be able to construct an essay or letter properly. It means your Uni is pretty hardcore (the lecturer).

Try to look for language schools nearby such as one near your workplace, whereby you can attend after work. Optionally, a centre that you'll need to drive to on a weekend. I'll be honest - I drive about 45min to class every weekend from home. It's a distance away but I don't dislike the drive. After awhile I got used to it and this has become a routine for me.

Hahaha similarly I've left the anime scene quite some time ago. Only follow 1 or 2 manga series, which I read every 3-6 months or a year to let the chapters pile up. You'll need to make a trip to Japan to re-ignite that fire in you. Before my first trip to Japan, I've kinda lost interest in Japanese and was chasing Korean instead (thanks to all those good dramas out there). However after that first trip, I went on a second one and since then the desire to learn came back. Soonafter I started looking for a centre, making calls and checking the schedule, fees etc.
1. Yet to! They're a bit deep after i actually read them... and every line I'll need to search several times. A bit too tedious so end up i'm leaving it aside, and will read only when I'm 70% proficient and able to understand. Next time I'll look for simpler novels/ books aih.

2. Yes, RM10 is really worth it. You can try out the app before purchasing... only buy if you think it'll help you, and it's caters to your learning.

NHK for school? Maybe you can try that out first. Also, try looking for ラジオ日本 in Apple Store. Android has it... it's Japanese radio channels - a variety for you to choose from and listen to.

For Japanese keyboard, you can use "Go Keyboard". It's widely used by the Japanese. With this app, you won't be able to use romaji  all these are habitual and you're doing something out of your comfort zone. Will take some time to get used to, so slowly change your habit and go for only Hiragana. I still remember when I was a kid (around standard 3), I really wanted to improve my English so every night before bed i'll read the dictionary. It's weird but it did help me expand my vocabulary.

Awhh you don't have to study if you don't want to. After work, just take it easy and try to listen to some Japanese podcast or watch a dorama. Otherwise, just play with an app (eg. like the Kanji app). Don't treat this as "studying". Treat is as a game or entertainment while learning something. When you change that mindset, you'll be able to get into it better.

Nope, mine is local tutor. Prefer it that way... he explains well and always give us a lot of exercises to do in class. When we get into class each time, first thing in the morning we'll have to do kanji/ grammar/ sentences arrangement exercises. It's very local style to drill us, and i learn better this way. Probably too used to the local school method. Our education's problem hahaha

It's okay to have an ugly handwriting; no one is perfect. Mine isn't nice as well... but as long as my sensei can read it it's fine.

Particles is not easy to master. As you level up, there will be other ways to use the same particles as well ...I'm still making mistakes occasionally due to all these 'exceptional' rules. Maybe you can share what problems you're facing with particles (and which one), and probably someone can answer you.

@burgerramli N4 JLPT is around RM115.  The price is standard across the board.

@melvin That's awesome! Getting you guys to write essays and letters in Japanese. I want to get to that level, definitely. If just for the kicks.
About the anime and manga part, it's fascinating. I understand that we should be focusing on formal Japanese first, but at the same time, we will eventually end up having to figure out informal japanese too? I'm not sure, feels like it's more of having to be aware and smart when watching whatever tv shows to not confuse yourself. 

I'm currently at chapter 20 of Minna no Nihongo, and that chapter is starting to teach about informal Japanese.

I should go around checking out those links and see. I don't really watch much anime, just a few that I find meaningful on and off. Not really a hardcore japanese entertainment person.

I managed to get my hands on a kids fairy tale book though. It was interesting to read it now and then, and finding myself understanding more of the sentences each time. It's mostly all those familiar fairy tales, fox and the sour grapes etc.
About kanji, I think it's a different kind of challenge for people with background in Mandarin. It's easier to remember but definitely, gotta be careful with the meaning of the Kanji, since they are different in meaning sometimes. But overall, i personally am thankful I have a background in Mandarin, makes for easier learning for me.

Sorry.. What CBA means? Lol

I'm currently working in a known Japanese organization. Hence even though my company laptop is English version, I just installed the MUI. Some of my colleagues was given Japanese keyboard laptop edition, so our MIS change the language from Japanese to English. Ahh, should have swapped the laptop, *facepalm*

I do use Google translate.

Quite couple of times tempted to buy the Japanese keyboard while I was in Japan but skipped as not top priority, but when come back to KL, regret didn't buy. Ha ha ha.

I do still have all the Japanese text book, Minna no Nihongo and the exercises. But kept somewhere already..

Always wanted to return back to study, but need to do a placement test... Kind of rusty and don't want to start back from ground zero.. Huhuhu

Netflix show Japanese content?

I watched all without subtitles right now even though not 100% I understand what they are saying. At least to catch their keywords.

In terms of speaking, totally not good as no one to practice speaking with.. :'(