[mdrobbin]

If I took one night off every time someone said “one night off won’t kill you”, I would never study. Anyone else hear this constantly from friends, family, co-workers (that haven’t done the CPA journey), etc.?

Seems like no one understands when I tell them I can’t take “just one night” off… The CPA exam is about commitment and I always feel like it’s impossible to explain to others that don’t know first hand.

It’s tough… Try to force myself not to feel guilty for blowing off friends and family. Can’t wait to be done with the CPA exam and have a life again.

FAR - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER)
AUD - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES)
BEC - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES)
REG - 2013 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES + NINJA AUDIO)

ETHICS - 2013 - PASSED

DONE!!! Thank you A71 for all the support! Hiya!!!

[kts1010]

Well looks like your journey is almost complete. Once you are done it can all be back to normal again and everyone will just forget you we're ever gone. Just keep going and finish strong.

AUD - 08/20/12 - 82
REG - 10/30/12 - 82
FAR - 01/05/13 - 80
BEC - 04/15/13 - 84

[Tncincy]

@Mdrobbin,

No, they (friends and family) don't understand because this test is going to determine our career and most people think we are exaggerating how hard the exam is to pass. I stopped to have pizza with my daughters today, and see my sons off to college and the feeling of uh oh was on me. How long will it take me to shake off the break and get motivated to study. I know one night won't kill me but about a couple of hours feel exactly the same. Even when I am studying I feel like I'm not comprehending or I must be doing this wrong. So my conclusion is: we will pass if we study. So study it is…..

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[HustlinHustlin]

Or “You need a study break, meet me at the bar” …..it doesn't work that way. At all.

B 71 - 79 EXPIRED
A 69 - 75 EXPIRED
R 65 - 48 - 45
F 56 - 61 - 65 - 64

Becker, Wiley Test Bank, Wiley Text and Ninja Notes

"The fish who keeps on swimming is the first to chill upstream" -311

Experience - Done, like WAAAY done.
Still need 30 more credits, in basket weaving (gotta love new CA requirements)

[MCLKT]

This is so true. I've heard them both “one night off” and “you need a break”. As well as “you are obsessed now, don't you think it would be healthier to have balance?”.

Nope. I tried balancing last year and where did it get me?

I failed by 1 pt, 2 pts, 1 pt. I am a total of 4 points away from 3 passes!

But instead, I got nothing.

Hopefully this obsessive attitude and over-commitment will earn me my first passing score.

Only those that are studying and have spent numerous Saturday nights on a site like this can really understand.

A:[73]97 F:[74]85 R:86 B:[74]82
*NINJA 10 Pt. COMBO & Yaeger*

[MRSJLeon917]

I have gotten that all the time – I actually feel like people think I am lying to them to just avoid hanging out with them since I have always been studying. I actually had someone say to me today “It's just a test to get your CPA, right?” It took all my willpower to not jump across the couch and choke the person who said this. The fact that I was able to keep my composure when he said that is a miracle! People who haven't done this journey just don't understand at all!

AUD (5/25/2012): 91
FAR (10/22/2012): 89
REG (11/28/2012): 89
BEC (01/05/2013): 82
Ethics Exam: 90

IL Licensed CPA - 7/15/2013

A long journey, officially DONE!

[mdrobbin]

Just a test to get your CPA… that deserves a smack in the head 🙂

Glad I'm not alone with all this! My A71 family understands and that's what counts these days… only place I can talk to people in the same mindset!

FAR - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER)
AUD - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES)
BEC - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES)
REG - 2013 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES + NINJA AUDIO)

ETHICS - 2013 - PASSED

DONE!!! Thank you A71 for all the support! Hiya!!!

[JakeO]

I know people who say they study 2 hours at work (we are lucky and get 1 hour of study on work time, plus an hour lunch) and then go home and study for 3 hours and then study 6-8 hours Saturday and Sunday; and they do this for months for one test!! And these are the ones who don't pass on the first try. Yes, we need to be dedicated, and i have lacked dedication myself and the results show that, but studying 8 hours a day is ridiculous. there is no way you are going to be able to retain all of that information. “One night off” every couple of weeks i think would definitely be refreshing and re-energize a lot of people; and that night off might mean you just don't study any new material and do practice mcq's for a little while, or review notes, seeing as that isn't as difficult as learning new topics.

AUD-Failed (Waiting for Score)
BEC-PASSED (First try)
REG-Failed (Retake February 2013)
FAR-Failed (Retake January 2013)

[mdrobbin]

@JakeO… I think you misunderstood my post. I fully appreciate that there is nothing wrong with a scheduled night off. Everyone has their own schedule and study methods.

What I meant was that, if I were to take “one night off” every time someone said that it's “just one night”, I would end up taking 2 to 3 nights off every week. What people don't realize is that, for many of us (or at least for myself), it is multiple times per week that one person will ask you to take just one night off to hang out, go out for a beer, etc. If I added up all those”one nights”, I'd end up with a disasterous study schedule.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to take a night off when your brain needs a rest. It just feels like I'm constantly bombarded by people saying… come onnnn it's just one night! I have a very strict schedule that I map out in the weeks/months leading up to my exam. I include a night or two off in my schedule… what I don't include are multiple spontaneous nights out drinking.

FAR - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER)
AUD - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES)
BEC - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES)
REG - 2013 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES + NINJA AUDIO)

ETHICS - 2013 - PASSED

DONE!!! Thank you A71 for all the support! Hiya!!!

[CPA_Runner]

A goal without a plan is just a dream.

I get the “its just one night” all the time too. When I tell them my test is not until February they pretty much laugh in my face. I just shake my head and try to keep my composure

AUD - 80 (05/23/2012)
FAR - 75 (08/09/2012)
BEC - 81 (12/05/2012)
REG - 71 (10/16/2012); 70 (02/12/2013); 78 (04/08/2013)
Ethics - 98

[KelzMS]

I definitely feel that way too. The holidays killed my study time. Normally I tell people I don't have time to hang out, I have to pass the test and eventually I will be a good friend again. However, my friend who lived in Japan with her husband (Air Force) for the past two years and now lives in Utah (which is 25 hours from where I live) came in for the holidays and wanted to hang out. So I tried to plan for all my friends to get together that one night so I could see everyone who was coming in for the holidays plus the ones who live around here but I just don't see right now but of course it did not work out that way. I had two other friends who were coming in (one who lives like 12 hours away and the other who lives in Mexico) and none of my three friends were here on the same day. So since I had already invited the other two to the get together they knew I was taking “one night off” for one friend so when I found out they were coming different days I didn't feel like I could say no to them when I had said yes to the other. So that added up to three nights off. Which to some people that is nothing, but I don't have much study time during the week so it was kind of a big deal. I have another friend who is coming in from Korea but thankfully she is coming in after my exam! 🙂

So yea, it is okay to take a night off, but like you said those nights add up. One thing that made me mad once is I had an exam coming up (it was my first one so i was super nervous about it) and my friend wanted to go eat for her birthday. I told her I'd go eat with her but I couldn't hang out afterwards because I needed to study. Well after we are done eating my friend says “are you sure you can't go bowling with us?” I say no, I need to study. Her friend says “You need to get your priorities straight. That is probably why the other guy left you because all you do is study.” I was very shocked that she said something like that. I mean who says that? Which I could care less about my ex, I am very happy with the guy I'm with now, but that is still rude and stupid. Not to mention I never studied in college, I never really studied until I started preparing for the CPA exams. People are so ignorant. Which of course that isn't everything that was said but that is all that relates to studying for the CPA exam. 🙂

B-Passed
A-Passed
R-Passed
F-Passed

[Anonymous]

I definitely think you need to take a night off. Do not make it a habit. Everyone is different. If I take a night off, it is not the 3-4 hours of studying that I miss…..its getting out of the groove that screws me up. So I plan on going out one friday night a month while I am preparing. I start class tomorrow. I made sure I went and saw my friends and let them knwo I wont be around for the next few months. I was also hanging out with a very nice girl, but we were in the beginning stages of going out. I had to cut it off because I am not going to have time. She understood and we remain friends.

[Anonymous]

I know what you mean. All of my coworkers just do not understand why I can't join them for happy hours after work. My friends do not understand why I can't even go out even one night a week and think I'm avoiding them. Any girl I meet does not understand why I can't have a relationship. Anyone who is not taking the CPA will never understand. It burns me up that just about every other profession's certification exam is only one test and we get four. That being said, it is good to take a break every once in a while to re-energize. I told myself that if I passed AUD in Nov that I would give myself the month of December off. I did just that and enjoyed my holidays after a year straight of studying. After New Years, I returned as energized and motivated as ever to tackle REG.

[Jacquelyn]

Amen to all of you.

Upon calling my twin sister, balling my eyes out because I failed FAR (what would have been my last exam) by a 74 and simultaneously lost credit for REG bc I hit my 18 month window in the same month, she replies with this… ” well just sign up for REG and FAR back to back and get them over with this month”. This month? Back to back? Uh, do you understand that I haven't touched taxes/law in 18 months, and each exam takes multiple months to re-prepare for? UGH I was SO annoyed with her, but it was pointless to try and explain it. No on understands but CPA test takers.

I also had my boyfriends brother tell me “well, I mean, you have taken these exams a bunch of times, like, shouldn't they get easier each time since you know what will be on them from last time?” Uh, hello, these exams are not repeats of the last one like some stupid undergraduate 101 class with a lazy teacher who doesn't change their exams each semester. UGH!

And worst of all… a CPA I work with at work says to me “well you cant study all the time, just come out with us this once”…except does it 2 times a week to me. I went, just once, in hopes to get the urge to ask me out of her system… nope, still happening. Jeez you are a CPA yourself! You went through this hell yourself! You of all people should know NOT to pressure a person in CPA test mode! DAAH!!

Sorry, had to get that out. Thanks for listening 🙂

B 71, 74, 84*
A 74, 72, 69, 74, 87*
R 80* ... lost credit... 82* done forever!!!
F 68, 68, 74, 78*

Yep, I've gotten five 74's! Wah!

[Anonymous]

Tell everyone that you will pick up the restaurant tab when you are done with the exam as a celebration that you are no longer an introverted weirdo 🙂 .

But all kiddin aside, in life there are situations where you must become selfish. Nobody is going to pass this exam for you. We need to do what we need to do. We have set this goal for ourselves. Just look at all of the happy posts from the people who have finished. Its gotta be like an orgasm of relief. You want the nice house, the nice cars, a wife/husband and kids who are well provided for, and most importantly the happiness and personal satisfaction you WILL get from passing this exam? Social sacrifice unfortunaltey is apart of the game we have chosen to play.

Your true friends will understand and be happy for you.

[johnna]

BluefinCPA – i am keeping your advice to print as a note to myself! There are situations in life where we must become selfish! I am just beginning my studies for FAR and I am scared of course but I am going to map out the best plan I can and apologize in advance to my husband, friends, and family and just put my future first. I know that this is something I want to complete in life and I am going to have to put myself first. I am loving the advice in these forums 🙂

FAR - 83
REG - 86
BEC - 79
AUD - Nov 21st

NINJA MCQ, NINJA Flashcards, Roger CPA Review Lectures/Books

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra."

[Author]

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