What’s up NINJAs!

My name is Joe; I am 28yrs old, married to an incredibly supportive woman, Father to an amazing two month old boy (who by the way, doesn’t care about the CPA test) and finally a Future CPA.

I am just a NINJA newbie, starting my CPA Journey on February 27th of this year. My first test is April 7th, and I WILL (hopefully) be passing BEC (yah you know me!).

My goal for this blog is to bring accountability and humor in my studying as well as giving anyone who reads this comfort that someone may actually be worse off than you!

With this being my first experience, I have the opportunity of giving you a live look at how I am approaching each section of the CPA. My study materials include review course books and videos along with the NINJA notes and Wiley MCQs.

I am utilizing the ELL plan and have been studying Monday-Saturday with a day off on Sunday. I modified my ELL plan slightly because I am a morning person and do my best work before noon. So each morning I wake up at 5:15am and get to work by 6:15am. From 6:15am to 8:15am I study for 2 hours. I then start work at 8:15am until lunch at Noon. I utilize my 1hr lunch break as an opportunity to eat at my desk and crank out MCQs as efficiently as possible.

After lunch is over I work until 5pm and stay at work for an additional 1hr to review more CPA materials. On average, Monday-Thursday I study 4hrs a day and Fridays I take off for lunch and leave work at 5pm. This doesn’t leave me much time to spend with my Wife and Son, but as I mentioned earlier, I am extremely fortunate to have such a supportive wife who definitely has a harder Monday – Friday than I do taking care of our son!

From 6:30-7:30pm I spend time playing with my son before getting him ready for his Bath, Book, Bed routine and typically from 7:30pm – 10pm my wife and I spend time together. Saturdays have been by far the worst days of all. Saturday consists of an 8am-5pm review course held at the Holiday Inn. I am not sure if I will continue my entire CPA prep attending these courses, but for the time being they have been a good way for me to reread the chapters I have already gone over.

I just reread what I wrote and immediately wanted to delete it as I barely could get through it. Unfortunately for me though, that’s my current life so I have no choice but to keep it as is! Fortunately for you, this is the intro post and I will avoid information like that going forward!

I do hope to get feedback from all of you. I have never gone through anything like the CPA exam and would love to hear about what worked in your journey towards becoming a test or two closer to being a CPA.

Talk to you all soon and Good luck!
Joe

BEC – 4/7/2012