[Jakecpa]

I began to study very energetically, exited, hungry. But lately all this has turned into some weird kind of depression. I no longer know what a Friday or Saturday night of partying or fun feels like. I’m a completely different person. Almost anything makes me mad, and even watching a few youtube videos make me feel guilty. I moved to a different state 2 years ago for my first accounting job. 3 months later I was promoted when someone else left and immediately after my company offered to pay for Becker. I agreed right away, but all of this left me with ZERO time to meet new people or venture outside on this new place. Most of my coworkers are in their 40’s, married and have a family. I passed BEC, AUD, and reg on the first try, but FAR turn out to be a monster. I took FAR even though I had only gone through about half the material, so I failed and they took my BEC credit.
Currently I’m trying out for FAR again next month, but its just too much material. I don’t really let people know what I’m going through, nobody understands. But in all seriousness, being lonely and stressed about this damn exam has really taken a toll on me. I really want to finish this thing and find the real me, the person I used to be 2 years ago.

[Claudia408]

Jake, I feel you. I have taken all 4 sections 10 times and I only have 2 passes. I've cried several times and questioned my ability to pass the remaining 2 sections. The only thing that keeps me going is that I'm too invested now to give up. I think you are too. Even though you say you want to be the person you were 2 years ago, the struggle and eventual licensure will make you a better person than you were 2 years ago. I firmly believe struggle and suffering is the only way to be a better person and appreciate all of your accomplishments.

BEC - 75 (3x)
AUD - 78 (3x)
REG - 67, 66, Aug 1
FAR - 54, Sept 8

[Jakecpa]

Thanks Claudia, Yeap, I'm too invested now. Its tough, but it will sure feel like a damn big accomplishment once I pass all four. I had never done anything this difficult. I worked while in college, I did two BA's at the same time, I took the GMAT, and none of those things ever felt as hard as the exam. I'm hoping that once FAR is out of the way BEC will be easy since I passed that pretty easily.

[livealittle]

I am in the same position you are, even to the lost BEC and have to retake it.

I am taking FAR on Thursday, 4 days away. I already took it 3 times and failed each time, the last time with a 72. I decided to retake BEC before retaking FAR a 4th time. I passed BEC, but now think that might have been a mistake as FAR is kicking my rear end big time.

keep at it, I will too. Could really use some encouragement as well.

BEC - 8/8/16
REG - 66, 77
AUD - 81
FAR - 9/8/16

[Steve Brule]

I have also been derpressed while studying for the exams, and I've been studying for one year. I was fortunate enough to pass FAR, AUD, and REG on the first try, but have wondered at times if I'm literally in hell. I will find out this week if I'm done for good once I get my BEC score. One of the things that helped me is to listen to some motivational music and I also like this quote.

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'” Muhammad Ali

FAR - 86
AUD - 99
REG - 88
BEC - 08/29/2016

For your health!

[Jakecpa]

Livealittle, you are almost there, 72 could have been just a few items on a SIM, at least you can say that FAR is your last one. I can't wait to say the same thing 🙂

[Claudia408]

Steve, I love that inspirational quote. I'm going to keep that in mind when I'm studying (suffering).

BEC - 75 (3x)
AUD - 78 (3x)
REG - 67, 66, Aug 1
FAR - 54, Sept 8

[monikernc]

you sound lonely and frustrated which is understandable. rather than wait until you have finished the exams i suggest joining your state CPA society and attending some social events with them. or something else that will get out once a week/twice a month and help you find others with a common interest. it is important to maintain a balance and be social. you shouldn't feel guilty and it may actually help your prep efforts to take some of the pressure off of yourself and relax with people. go the gym. take up bowling or tennis. football games with local alumni. or find a group to spend the CPA day of service with later this month. even taking a long weekend to go see family or old friends will help.
these exams are a challenge but you will conquer them. you will have fun again and start by finding a good balance and people to spend time with.
we are here.

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Jakecpa]

Thanks Monikernc, the state CPA societies had not even come to mind. I will research about that and try to attend events with others who have the same interests.

[confusedcandidate]

If I could do one thing differently, I wish I would have stressed and worried less. It doesn't help at all, it is counter productive, and ultimately it turned out to be unfounded. There's just no point. I know it's easy to say in retrospect, on the other side of studying for all of those exams, but I really wish I could go back and just chill out a little bit. Literally all it does is hurt you and the people around you.

Obviously you have to be completely committed, work and study your tail off, and make a lot of sacrifices. Just try to remember that plenty of people pass these exams all the time, and you can too. Give it everything you've got, put the time in, stay healthy, and get it done.

Best of luck!

Weekends are meaningless to a CPA candidate

[Jakecpa]

Thanks confused candidate, hopefully I will also be able to look back and say the same thing. 🙂

[Missy]

Find some balance seriously. No you can't go out every Friday and Saturday but you don't have to be a total hermit either. Frankly if all you do is work or study you're likely not very effective at either. I squeezed every second of studying that I could but was VERY busy as a wife and mother too. Clearly my studying was effective because I didn't have time to obsess over any of my three fails but still managed to pass all 4 in exactly 12 months.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[KayBee]

Try to enjoy yourself on the weekends. I start studying at about 10:30 am and I don't let myself go past 4, and I set an alarm to take a break every 30 minutes. If you study for too long it becomes counter-productive and your frustration just leads to more wrong answers which creates more stress and it's a vicious cycle. It's also good to take a nap after you study because it's supposed to help solidify the material. That doesn't sound so bad, right? Study for several hours, take a nap, and then enjoy the rest of your evening so you don't feel like you're giving up your life. Even if it means sitting on the couch and vegging out, you're not staring at the same thing over and over.

KayBee
Bachelors and Masters in Accounting, concentration in public accounting
REG - 77
AUD - 71, Next one tentatively early November
FAR - Oct 1
BEC - before Jan 5

[Nancy]

I 100% feel the same way and am about to lose BEC too if I don't start getting started with AUD. Especially this weekend has been tough, I ended up staying up all night not doing anything on Friday….felt horrible Saturday and basically spaced out and online shopped ALL day because I'm so stressed out. That made it 10X worse because now it's like not only do I feel like crap from not studying, but spent all this money procrastinating. This exam has definitely put me into depression as well. It starts to get really bad when I snap at coworkers and binge drink alone all weekend. As for moving to a new area…also can relate I moved away from all family and friends and basically work, study, drink and repeat alone. It has been over a year studying, I went from the happiest/bubbliest person ever and now am bitter/angry/depressed from having zero balance and no one really wants to be around me because we only talk about the stress of this exam. Haha sorry to vent, but I had this exact same convo about 5 min ago before reading your post with someone….glad to know we are not alone 🙁

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

[Anonymous]

I agree with MLA. Most of us have to work hard and sacrifice to pass the exam but all work and no play makes Jake a dull boy. Make time for you. One or two nights a week is reasonable, and in the long run more productive and more fun than frequent interruptions from social media. Some candidates who “study all the time” really don't because they waste so much of their study time. Don't fall into that trap unless you're willing to sacrifice 4 hours of fun on Saturday night for an addiction to instafacesnaptwit.

[steph]

@jackcpa I totally can empathize, although I can't imagine having to be in a new state threw it all. It's really inspiring and honorable that you've done so well so far with the 3 passes. But I get that down and depressed feeling. Whenever I started to feel like that I would schedule some time for friends, for me that amounted to only like twice a month, but you could definitely do once a week. In fact I think most weeks I have at least one day that's kind of a break day where I don't study or only study a couple hours. I think those breaks are imperative so that you don't burn out while studying. I too am on my last exam, REG, so I wish you all the luck and good vibes in the world. I look forward/ hope for us both to be done with our last parts soon! 🙂

AUD - Passed in May
BEC - Passed in June
FAR - Waiting for score
REG - Planning it for Q4
We can do this ninjas!

[Author]

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