1. SIMPLIFIED OR TRADITIONAL? CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER!

There are two different systems of Mandarin writing – traditional and simplified. Simplified characters were created by decreasing the number of strokes needed to write the character, changing its form. For further explanation regarding the differences between simplified and traditional Chinese, kindly visit Differences Between Traditional and Simplified Chinese | Taiwan Education Center (umy.ac.id)
People debate whether it’s better to learn the more complicated but beautiful traditional Chinese script, or to follow the widely used simplified version. Overall, it is a personal choice and depends on where you want to live and why you are learning Mandarin. Do you want to live in mainland China? Do business in Shanghai? Study in Taiwan? Teach in Taiwan? It is possible to learn both, but as a beginner you should stick to one system to avoid confusion.

2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE MISTAKES

One thing is guaranteed when you’re learning a language; you will make mistakes – it’s unavoidable, so it’s best to accept this fact right from the start. Be brave in taking risks at times, you can step outside of yourself, face your fear, and create a different persona for the language you are learning. Remember, it’s not how many mistakes you make that matter. It’s how many times you learn from your mistakes so that you can correct yourself and become better. That applies not just to learning a language, but to life in general.

3. FIND BUDDIES WHO ALSO LEARN MANDARIN

People learning Chinese who are also your friend are a great language partners because if they are students like you, so you may feel less embarrassed making mistakes with them.
There will be no need to structure the learning sessions between both of you. You could just hang out after class when the material is fresh, and use all the words and idioms you’ve just learned. You don’t need to worry too much about being right or wrong, but focus on just opening your mouth and trying to use the language as much as possible. This kind of practice might makes you be more confident.

4. CHINESE TV SHOW OR MUSIC!

Consuming Chinese pop culture is an enjoyable and interesting way to build your vocabulary, also a great chance to test your listening and comprehension away from the classroom syllabus.
What you should watch or listen to depends on your preferences and language level. It could be a popular Chinese animated TV series,  Xǐ Yáng Yáng yǔ Huī Tài Láng (“Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf”), easy for anyone with a basic grasp of Mandarin to follow. Focussing on the TV Show could get you emotionally involved with the storyline, which gives you added incentive to keep watching.

5. SPEAK IN FRONT OF A MIRROR? WHY NOT?

Many people were nervous about talking because they thought they looked awkward when they spoke. Sometimes you might feel like something happens to your mouth when you speak Chinese as if it moves in crazy ways that it doesn’t when you speak other languages. It also makes you become aware and overthink about words you’ve just spoke or the way your mouth move.
It’s just as important to be physically confident about speaking Chinese as it is to have a strong grasp of the vocabulary, pronunciation, and tones. Speaking in front of a mirror and seeing how your mouth forms Chinese words can help with this. Watch yourself speak, relax your facial muscles, and practice being angry and sad and happy in Chinese. When you realize you don’t look like a fool, fluency will start to come naturally.

6. FIND YOUR IDEAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The best way to learn how to swim is to jump into the water. The same goes for learning a language. By far, the best thing that you can do for your language learning is to spend time in a country, community, or club where people use the language and you are forced to speak it. It can be as simple as going to your local Chinese supermarket and asking where a certain item is, how much something costs, what brands are good, etc. By immersing yourself, you will absorb knowledge faster.

7. KNOW THE BASIC MANDARIN TONES

Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, which means that different tones can change the meaning of a word, even if the pronunciation and spelling are otherwise the same. It is essential to learn the different tones if you wish to speak Mandarin Chinese correctly.
Mandarin Chinese has four main tones, as follows:

• The first tone is a high, flat tone. Your voice stays flat, with no rise or dip in the way it sounds. Using the word “ma” as an example, the first tone is indicated using the symbol above the letter: “mā”.
• The second tone is a rising tone. Your voice rises from a low to middle pitch, as if you were asking someone to repeat something by saying “huh?” or “what?” The second tone is indicated using the symbol “má”.
• The third tone is a dipping tone. The pitch goes from middle to low to high, like when you say the letter “B”. When two third tone syllables are near each other, the second one retains its third tone sound while the first takes the sound of the second tone. The third tone is indicated using the symbol “mǎ”.
• The fourth tone is a lowering tone. The pitch goes rapidly from high to low as if giving a command e.g. stop! Or as if you’re reading a book and have come across something new and interesting and are saying “huh”. The fourth tone is indicated using the symbol “mà”.

It’s actually recommended to hear the tones demonstrated by a native speaker since it’s hard to get an idea of what they sound like purely through text.