A lot of your learning will happen when you immerse yourself in the society. The following are some common tips to help you get comfortable... 

1. Make real Chinese friends. The more time you spend speaking Chinese with people who are native at it, the better you will get.

2. Watching Chinese TV. There are some great martial art, drama, news and more on TV. In street stands or DVD/VCD shops you can pick up some good Chinese movies.

3. Read magazines or newspapers. Take the public transportation and learn to read the signs.

4. Talk a lot. Taxi drivers in Beijing love to talk and they make for wonderful conversations. Your receptionists in your dorm building will gladly chat it up with you as well. Teachers love getting to know their students.

5. Try to write. Writing is the hardest of the language and even though you may be fluent at it, be able to read it, it will not translate into being able to write. So any chance you get to practice writing, you should. Write postcards, letters to your family back home, write notes to friends in Chinese, perhaps even get yourself a hand-writing recognition PDA or cell phone and SMS in Chinese via writing. 

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