Give yourself a realistic first goal
During the first few sessions, aim to recognize tile families, follow turns and understand why everyone uses the annual card. Those are concrete skills you can improve.
You do not need to know every special situation in advance. A teacher can explain less common calls and exceptions when they come up in the right context.
Practice little and often
Five to fifteen minutes of tile identification can be useful between weekly games. Sort suits, identify winds and dragons, and then ask yourself simple recognition questions.
If you own a current card, practice looking up general categories and reviewing its printed instructions. Avoid relying on old card pictures or unauthorized copies found online.
Ask better questions
Instead of asking “Why am I so bad at this?”, try “Which tile family am I mixing up?” or “Which step of the opening exchange is confusing?” Specific questions usually lead to actionable explanations.
Ask to discuss strategy after a hand if you are playing in a regular group. During a designated teaching game, participants may be happy to pause more often.
Make the social part count
Learning with encouraging people changes the experience. Find a beginner-friendly group, attend a community class or invite a patient friend to teach you.
Some days the tiles will not cooperate. You can still enjoy conversation, recognize something faster than last week or make a more thoughtful decision. Those are meaningful improvements.
This is independent educational information, not an official rulebook. For definitive American Mah Jongg play, consult your current official annual card and the rules used by your group.