Anxious about moving/ going to language school

When I made the decision to move to Japan I was excited/motivated all the way through because I would rather waste my life going for my dream than to waste my life not going for it. If you ask everyone on the older side, they will always mention regretting the things they didn't do rather than the things they did. It's better to regret doing than to regret not doing.

I’m in almost the exact same position as you (emotions, life circumstances, language capability and all, 23F), and moving today to go to language school in Tokyo! It was tough leaving my life behind, but I realised that I’m lucky that I love my friends and family enough that it hurts to leave them. It’s not like moving to language school necessarily has to mean you’ll live in Japan forever, so you’re not leaving them permanently. I thought to myself it’s better to do it now when young and fulfil your dream (albeit how scary it is) rather than look back on your life when you’re older/settled down and realise that you didn’t achieve as much as you would have liked to. I hope this consoles you at least a little bit :) the last month or so after getting your COE flies by really quickly, so please make the most of your time spending it with loved ones! I’m sure we’ll both have a blast in Japan.

I felt similarly to you, im 1 week out from my flight to japan for language school and my nerves have calmed down now that ive said my goodbyes and started looking into the area I will be living. But like others will say, your young taking 1 year to go try something won't ruin your life if it doesnt work out the way you hope, but never trying could lead to future regret down the road. Good luck with whatever you decide to do though!

I think it's pretty normal to have doubts as it gets closer to a major life change, especially when you're young. It's also extremely easy to stay where you are because, as you said, it's comfortable. Many people live their entire life this way. They're the types that will tell you, "Oh, I could never do what you're doing" when you mention your plans. Some amount of fear when it comes to making a change is good. That fear is there to protect us, and has been shaped by our upbringing and societal expectations. It also holds us back. It's necessary for growth, as it forces us to either give in to the doubts, or push ourselves to overcome them. We don't know what we're capable of until we try. There's nothing forcing you to stay the whole year if you're not enjoying it; you can leave at any time. I do think you'll regret it more if you don't go though, as it's a great opportunity for personal growth. You may look back on it and realize it's the best decision you ever made. Or maybe it will be the worst. Realistically, it will be somewhere in between. Ultimately, your experience will be what you make of it. It's easy to make friends at language school, as you're grouped into classes with other foreigners. You can stay in that foreigner bubble if you choose, but you'll get so much more out of the experience if you venture out of it. That said... if you're content where you're at in life, then there's nothing wrong with staying where you're at. You can learn Japanese on your own, or take classes in the evenings or weekends. There's also nothing preventing you from attending language school later in life, if you so choose. Many people attend in their 30's and later (I was one of them). The only thing to be aware of is that life's obligations tend to increase the older you get, so it may be more difficult to take a year off. There's no wrong choice here. At 22, your life is pretty much just starting. If the main concern is not having traveled, then as an alternative, why not do a trip to Japan? Maybe plan it with your friends to go in a year or two. You'll get a feel for the country and the culture, and you can then decide if you want to attend a language school, which you'd still be able to do before 30. Or maybe it'll reaffirm that language school was the choice you should've made, and you'll feel some level of regret for not attending when you planned to... but hey, that's life.

Self doubt is natural anytime you are going to do something that will change you. You are at a good point in your life to do something like this. I went to Japan at 49. I wish I had gone in my twenties. It would have been much easier. Commit to your plan. Find out what is on the other side of your dream.

Hey, I was in the EXACT SAME situation as you though I'll be moving to Japan next week for language school. I still doubt my decision honestly because I'm giving up my stable corporate job for a dream that might not work out. However, I would rather fail than wonder all my life what it could have been had I went to Japan when I could. You're young, you have plenty of time to make mistakes and get your life together! Travel NOW because when you're older and have family commitments (aging parents, spouse, children, pets, etc), you won't be able to do something like this. I'm rooting for you! Truthfully, many have said Language School was the best time of their lives.

Moving around the world to a very different country where you don't speak the language is absolutely challenging, and many people struggle with homesickness at first. But big leaps like this also build your capacity to handle change and navigate difficulty. By doing something hard in your early 20s, you'll be improving your life path because you'll have built the muscles to try new things and face your fears. When stuff comes up in your 30s and 40s you'll have the resilience and capacity to handle it. The only thing that might be worth staying for right now is your job - IF it is something with a career path. If it's not your future career, it's just a job you like, then I'd say it's still worth leaving it so you can get that valuable life experience. Other than that, if you do language school in Japan for a year or two, you'll be able to go back home and slide back into life pretty easily. You'll be keeping up with your friends and family back home via the internet, and in job interviews you'll be able to talk about "a challenging problem you faced and how you solved it" with way more interesting answers than most young folks have. It's worth conquering your fears to get that life experience. I'm in my 40s now, and the life skills I developed living solo in Tokyo in my 30s still come in handy.

Same here but on week into Japan now, and I felt the same. Suddenly questioning it right before leaving but I feel like it’s an opportunity you take if you can and it’s better to go for it than regret not going !

You got this you only live once!

It doesn't matter, find a group in the place where you are living. This group can be all foreigners or mixed with Japanese, if you are going to Tokyo, I can introduce you to the group I had entered in, they are very helpful, you can share your stress,  the things you are worried about, everyone will share the information they had  or do something to help you. In addition, most of the people in this group are bilingual even trilingual. I myself can speak 3 languages, if you need help, you can dm me.

I can really relate to how you’re feeling. When something has been your dream for so long, it’s scary when it finally becomes real. It sounds like your life has improved a lot recently, which makes this decision even harder. But at the same time, this opportunity isn’t just about studying Japanese — it’s about experiencing something you once truly wanted. There’s a concept from the book “Die with Zero” that really fits here: the idea is to invest in experiences when you have the time, energy, and freedom to enjoy them the most. You can always build a new routine, find new friends, and even get another job. But the chance to take a year abroad at 22 is something that doesn’t come around easily again. Of course, it’s completely normal to feel anxious. Going to a new country where you don’t know anyone or speak the language is a big step. But that’s also where a lot of growth and memorable experiences come from. If this was something your past self truly wanted, there’s probably a reason for that. And if you don’t go, there’s a chance you might keep wondering “what if?” Whatever you decide, make sure it’s a choice you won’t regret later. But from an outside perspective, this sounds like a rare opportunity worth taking.