what up, i'm from kansas, and i'm just getting back into chess after a break during college.

i am pretty much starting over at the basics, and currently i'm going through the ruy lopez for white and black, however i always had problems studying solo. any tips on how to improve on my own?

my friend will play online, and go over openings, but i find that half the time the lines played against me i haven't even covered, and while it is good experience, it still feels like i haven't learned much :/

anyway, hope to improve in the up coming years along with everyone else, and good luck crash on your canadian nm