[suzieemac]

So after I took my first exam (AUD) on August 12th, the recovery period was tough to say the least. I decided to schedule my exams on Fridays in the afternoon, because I am off Friday-Sunday. It benefits me because I don’t really have to make a big deal about taking the test if I don’t want to share it with people and I can go into the test while everyone I know is at work. Also, I can use Friday morning for practice questions before the test.

Anyway, I ended up needing the entire four hours for the test, and the headache that followed me out of the testing facility was horrendous to say the least. I always get bad headaches after taking tests but this was on another level. My husband and friends greeted me with a bottle of wine that night and I relaxed and ordered takeout, but I spent the ENTIRE next day in bed/on the couch. I slept until from midnight Friday until 1pm Saturday and then napped from 6pm-8pm, not once removing myself from the couch. Then that night, I got another 8 hours of sleep. By Sunday, I was able to somewhat rejoin the world but going to work Monday was also rough. I couldn’t compare this to the worst hangover I’ve ever had lol. I got a massage after work Monday which was the perfect reward, and all of this after what I consider to be a very fair and expected testing experience! I didn’t feel like there were any surprises on the test. But walking out, I just kept thinking, I can’t believe I have to go through this three more times!

Has anyone else had a similar experience, and if so, what did you guys do to wind down afterwards? I feel like people who don’t know anything about this test think you just pop in, click some buttons on a computer and leave, and that I’m being dramatic when I look like a walking zombie afterwards and want nothing to do with people lol.

AUD - 8/12/16
REG - 10/7/16
BEC - 11/18/16
FAR - TBD

#300before30 - Pass the CPA exam before my 30th Birthday.

[Anonymous]

That sounds like a migraine. I don't get bad ones (as migraines go at least lol – my partner gets MUCH worse ones), but what you're describing definitely sounds like a bad migraine.

So, on the bright side, this might be an isolated incident and might not repeat itself. On the flip side, you might be prone to such migraines being triggered by the exams, so you might want to be prepared for it for the future!

I never had such an extreme reaction to an exam, so I can't fully sympathize. I was ready for a good relaxing evening after one, but wasn't as totally out of it as what you're describing. But, whatever it takes to recover and be ready to continue, do what's needed! My wind-down would be picking up dinner on the way home (I had an hour and a half drive each direction; by the time I drove there, took the test, and got ready to drive back, I was ready to eat!), and then my partner and I would often watch a movie or play a (not-thinking-intensive) game or something like that, then I'd head to bed on the early end. Usually just knowing it was over made me unwind a lot!

Are you resting well during your study period? One thing I did make sure I always did was to keep rested since I can't function well without my sleep; maybe catching up on a lack of sleep factored into your large amount of post-exam sleep?

[suzieemac]

You're right – It may have been sleep catch-up. I find that if I miss an even an hour of average sleep, I have to make it up somewhere along the line. I was up until 2am the nights leading up to the test, running on straight adrenaline. I work 8-4 and I'm usually up by 6:30am. So, 5pm-Sleep was study prime time. If I was up late the night before I would make myself nap in between work and going to sleep especially since I am aware of when I can't focus and that studying in that state is useless. Usually an hour-long nap would help and get me to where I was able to get more studying done. I'm going to try to get more sleep the week of my REG test, but I get so engrossed in studying that it gets difficult to turn it off.

AUD - 8/12/16
REG - 10/7/16
BEC - 11/18/16
FAR - TBD

#300before30 - Pass the CPA exam before my 30th Birthday.

[Author]

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