Japanese Students/Fluents, Give me Your Advice!

Originally Posted by Minion

True, but on the other hand, the look of English words doesn't suggest anything about their meaning, whereas the way a Kanji looks might give a clue as to what it means.

Somewhat.
The problem is that with many kanji, to be able to understand what it means through the symbols necessitates that you know the history OF that kanji, because many times it makes no sense in modern understanding.
For example, the word for "cool" (as in temperature) is comprised of the symbol for water and part of the symbol combination for Kyoto.
Unfortunately, that makes no sense unless you understand that at the time of the kanji's conception, Kyoto was known to very hot and humid in the summers. Thus, splashing water in Kyoto makes sense. But only after you already knew the background.

Sorry Minion, but your analogy to the reading of only parts of words is somewhat inaccurate. The reason why we skim over words instead of reading them letter for letter is BECAUSE we have become very familiar and already have an understanding of the symbol combinations.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Minion

I guess I'm just more of a visual learner. I couldn't tell you how that kanji looks like a fish, but I can tell you that I'll never forget it now. I can't write all the kanji I've learned, but I've never forgotten any.

How many kanji will you be able to retain though, if you are putting a concerted effort into it?
You have probably been exposed to about 50, at the most, kanji symbols, and probably over an expanse of years.
One has to learn at least 500 to get by in common Japan, and about 1500 to be really involved in it.
And I am referring to a thorough understanding of the symbols in all of their possible contexts, included added to other kanji, other hiragana, etc. Not just a vague familiarity.

There's nowhere I can't reach.