Rebecca is a weekly Club 75 Blogger as she documents her journey through the CPA Exam. She has been a member of Another71.com's Club 75 since June 2010.
Well now that one holiday has come and gone I am back to FAR full force. I am hoping to be done with the lectures by the weekend. However, I am not sure how this will turn out.
I am on one of my largest audits right now that has a very strict deadline and have been working late to get the job done.
Sometimes I wish I could just study for a living! If I dont have to work this weekend, I plan to spend it with my face in my Wiley book until I get through the lectures.
I am just sick of letting this exam defeat me and need to come up with a solid form of attack.
Over the holiday I did some thinking. I kept asking myself what I had done so differently when I passed audit (which I lost credit for today) and regulation. I do not necessarily think it is what I was doing as I am doing the same study routine. I think it is what I have been neglecting.
When I passed those two I still made time to go to the gym each day which has been one of my biggest routines for years. Once I started studying for BEC I stopped going. This might sound funny or some kind of cop out, but I think it is really part of the reason I passed those exams.
This is the way I look at it. Now when I get home from work I start studying the minute I walk in the door until my husband puts a plate down in front of me as a reminder that I am a human and need to eat. Then I am back at it until bed time. Before, I would stop at the gym on my way home from work and workout for an hour for some alone time to think and clear my mind of my work day.
Well needless to say, on Monday I went to the gym and ran a few miles. It was the best feeling in the world. When I got home, I ate and I had the most energy I have had in a while and was able to study and concentrate for a much longer period of time.
Call me crazy but I think that one hour of down time, even if it means putting in extra time during the weekend, is going to help me past this beast known as FAR! Anyone else feel the same way? If I have to give up my social life, I can at least break a good sweat on a daily basis! Or maybe this is just all the turkey and sweets I ate talking? Either way I am for it.
I hope all of you testing today rock your exams! Also, good luck to everyone waiting for their scores next week. I hope the last quarter of the year treats you better than it treated me!
Until next time,
Rebecca
Rebecca, I always enjoy reading your blogs and I can totally relate to everything you say and are going through. You are amazing to me that you bounce back so quickly with the right attitude. When I failed BEC twice with scores of 74 and 73, I was so discouraged that it took me months to get back at it. You're my inspiration and encouragement. I wish you nothing but success in the near future!!
Thanks Chris I really appreciate your kind words. The way I look at it is this, if I can help or relate to one person through my blogs and make them realize that they aren't alone in this process, I met my purpose on here. Believe me I don't always have the right attitude. There are days where I want to cry and just flat out change professions. But really, what for? So I can tell people that I gave up? That isn't how I roll :) Keep at it and I wish YOU nothing but success as well!!
Rebecca, This blog speaks some serious truth. I too, have had an exercise routine for years. I vowed when I started studying for the exam that I would continue to exercise throughout the entire process because not only is it my stress relief, but it's literally the only hour in the day that I can completely zone out. Sure enough, I have passed all the exams, only having to retake one in the entire process. I have tried to tell others in my firm also taking the exam about how important it is to exercise and stay healthy, but they say that they "don't have time." So good for you for realizing this and I hope that you keep it up because I firmly believe that it can have such a positive impact your performance on the exams. Good luck!!!
When I finally passed FAR I would come home from work, eat dinner and watch my shows on DVR (but just for that hour I was eating) and then hit the books. I completely agree with you... we need that mental break. It kept me from feeling like I was completely losing my life and it made it a lot easier to stay on track and keep going. Best of luck to you!
Another one in agreement with the excercise theory! I worked out nearly every day while studying for AUD & REG and did fairly well with those. I felt like I focused better while studying. With BEC & FAR I've just felt totally burned out and have not been to the gym nearly as much as I had been. Maybe I need to get back into a more regular work out routine to keep me focused :) Good luck with your future studies and exams!