[TheLumbarYard]

I took REG last Friday and dove right into FAR this week. I am trying to study F2 in Becker today and woke up feeling exhausted and have been having trouble all day staying focused.

What do you guys do to get back on track? Every thing I think to do to recharge just ends up keeping me out of the books longer because I don’t want to go back.

AUD - 78
REG - 76
FAR - 82
BEC - 80

[okcpa2015]

@InLumbarYard 3 things have keep me on track since I've started studying for the exams.

1. The easiest way to get out of a study slump… is to simply just start studying.

2. Set a schedule and stick to it.

3. When I'm studying have a goal in mind and make it a game. Examples: Finish this lesson, do 100 MCQs, etc…

FAR - 91
REG - 88
AUD - 98
BEC - 88

[Anonymous]

I try to take a short break & move around. Sometimes I will do 3 burpees, or 10 jumping jacks. Sometimes I will just go outside & stare at something in the distance to refocus my eyes. Every once in a while I will take a walk around the block if I feel like… well, I don't know the word, but it's like this in my head: I haven't been focused, and I really need to get some work done, but I really really don't want to, but I have to concentrate or I will regret it, but I am sick of studying…. you get the idea.

And now sometimes I come over to another71.com!

[MaLoTu]

No advice, just empathy! I also took REG last Friday. I am “studying” for BEC but feel so out of it.

[Thrawn]

I always took a month off or so after I took an exam before I started studying for the next one. In-fact I didn't study from April (after reg) till July. Gave me a breather.

BEC 87 Feb 14
REG 84 Apr 14
FAR 82 Nov 14
AUD 86 Feb 15

[spartancpa15]

I think it's good to clear your head before starting the next exam.

I took REG on May 30, and I'm taking a week and half break to relax before I start BEC. Actually, I'm going to start it back up the day after scores are released.

FAR - Aug '14 - 90
AUD - Jan '15 - 91
REG - May '15 - 93
BEC - July '15 - 85

Used CPAexcel exclusively
Master of Science in Accounting (focus in Tax) May '15

[Anonymous]

I took AUD again last Friday then went to San Francisco for 5 days with my family. I got back last night at 6pm, unpacked, showered and was back at Starbucks this morning at 5:30am studying for FAR. Keep good habits going.

[Anonymous]

Normally I would say take a few days off, but your exam is 7/14. That said, FAR is a marathon and F2 is very demoralizing. You need to plow through that one – I promise that it gets better.

In addition, I find it helpful to have a daily schedule that says exactly what I need to get done each day. I start with the date of the exam and work backward to ensure that I have budgeted time for everything I want to do in terms of studying – I work full time so most of my studying happens at night and on weekends, and if I get behind it is hard for me to catch up.

Anyway breaking it down keeps you disciplined and makes it mentally easier because you just need to focus on getting through the day's activities.

[tcheney3]

@TheLumbarYard

Are your working? If you are you should take more of a break between exams. Trying to bust FAR out that quickly is tough. If you aren't I would suggest setting aside a day a week where you don't study. That should help allow you to crack down on the studying the other six.

BEC - 82
REG - 86
FAR - 85
AUD - 84 and I'm out!!!!!
Ethics - 95
In Skynet's Honor:
Act I: Shutdown Skynet and prevent Judgment Day.
Act II: Add a comma and three letters to my title.
Act III: Time Travel and marry a young Denise Richards (and prevent subsequent plastic surgery),return to present.
Act IV: Serve as Successor to Elon Musk as CEO of Tesla.
Act V: Ensure Judgment Day has been stopped. Utopia achieved.

[Anonymous]

A day a week study-free can be helpful…but between exams, at least take a couple days break. Since you've already started your FAR study, I'd suggest picking 2 days within the next week that you don't work and taking those days as a break. I usually took at least a week between exams, but understand if you don't want to lose what you've already put into FAR by taking that long of a break….but 2 days, anyone can afford. You've got about 40 days till your exam; if you lose 16 hrs of study by 2 day break, you can make that up with about 0.4 hours extra per day till exam. Very worth it.

[Determined CPA]

I agree that a break between exams is definitely important and almost completely necessary. I usually took a week off from studying as well in between exams just to reset my brain, see my friends, eat dinner outside of my house and spend some time with the hubby. It's important to keep a balance otherwise you won't want to continue on.

Also, I always took 1 day off a week with NO studying at all. For me, this was Friday. I would go to the movies, dinner, SLEEP, whatever I wanted! It makes Mon-Thurs of studying not so hard because you know there is a day you have off.

I had the hardest time with my last exam. You would think it would be so motivating to know you only have 1 left – OPPOSITE was true for me!! I was completely done and didn't want to look at any study stuff. And to make it worse, it was FAR. It was like an uphill battle. As a result, I failed FAR and lost reg. You don't want that to happen to you! Push through this =)

A - 75
B - 78 God is good.
F - 77 Answered prayers.
R - 84! Done!!

Paperwork sent - waiting for license!!
Still on a cloud and in shock. Through God, all things will happen.

[Boate]

I would recommend finding out at what time during the day you are most alert during your studies and schedule your study times around that. For instance, Mon-Fri I get up everyday at 6am and drive to work and grab a talk/conference room and lock myself in there and study until 9. Those 2 hours are by far the best 2 hours for me. I generally get home around 630-730 and after a day of work, the last thing you want to do is study. I try to keep the reading/note taking/ and lectures for the morning session while I'm focused and work MCQ at night because in order to get the questions right you HAVE to focus. Just my 2 cents.

AUD: (65)(66) 77
REG: (66) (48) destroyed me mentally.....
FAR: (68) (66)(69)(71)
BEC: (63) 75

"Greatness is not some precious thing, it is no more unique to us than breathing. We are ALL capable of it."

[Anonymous]

It really is simple. Just start studying. Force yourself to do something. Definitely easier said than done at times.

Setting short term goals helped me.

[Anonymous]

IMO you need a break. I've been pushing myself none stop since last August to try and get these exams done. In the process I've adapted to moving into a new home (fixer upper btw), new job, wedding, traveling for holidays, tax season, unplanned pregnancy (still a blessing), and work not dying down even after busy season is over. Needless to say I'm exhausted so after experiencing fail after fail I'm taking a month break from these exams. I don't care if I push it close to the expiring date for my REG credit because if I feel refreshed and ready, I'll be able to pass. If I keep pushing and pushing it'll result in fail after fail. My head just feels cloudy and it's been such a struggle.

[Author]

Replies