Japanese learning experience...

I learned some Japanese on my own and later on in university. What I learned on my own were things like hiragana, katakana, some basic kanji, and simple grammar. I think with online resources, you can pick the basics up easily. However, I feel like classes are what help you practice your speaking more, plus it's good to have a teacher who is able to give you feedback and encouragement. I was lucky enough to have amazing professors that were able to help me out a lot. Outside of class, I practiced Japanese by looking up things I liked and challenging myself to read them in their original language (manga, novels, magazines, song lyrics, visual novel games, etc.) I think reading is really important since it exposes you to new vocabulary terms and kanji. Plus, it's a lot of fun! Just find something you like reading and try to learn while enjoying yourself. Good luck with your studies.