I took Mandarin in college for two semesters. I’ve nearly mastered pronunciation, but my vocabulary and listening comprehension are extremely limited. Unfortunately, living in China won’t be an option for me any time in the near future, so my plan is this: 1) study vocabulary daily using “Chinese in a Flash” flashcards, 2) watch Mandarin television (drama and news) daily, looking up 5 new words per day that I hear, 3) dine at my local Chinese restaurant 2x/week and request that they only speak to me in Chinese, 3) hire a private tutor, 4) continue my college Mandarin studies through four semesters. I’m confident that within a few years I will become fluent if I stick to this routine.