[Anonymous]

These passed couple of days really hit me in the face. One the 14th I got an emailed from NINJA CPA stating that my NINJA MCQ has expired. I bought my 10 point combo a YEAR AGO! Yet, through a year of studying, I have failed FAR and failed AUD, and lost count of how many times I have rescheduled my test date. Made a thread about it on here a bit ago. Ended up extended it until mid may and now it is looking like I will have to reschedule again. Oh and when I started studying a year ago, I weighed 160lbs. Today, I just jumped on the scale for the first time since weighing 160lbs and I am at 188!! How the hell? Thinking I need to pull the plug on this studying and start focusing on my health. I really really want to obtain my CPA. But I somehow forgot how to effectively study ( I am 5 years out of college) I sit down and put in the time to study but I am having extremely difficult time focusing. It is hard to explain. The best I can explain it, is that I sit down to study, fire of a RogerCPA lecture video and then I black out, waking up 3 hours later and I’ve made zero progress. Or taking a day off turns into 3 days off. These topics are not hard. I am not struggling with that. I am struggling with time, focus and structure. I guess I get distracted very easily. But my biggest distraction is ME. I am lost. How can a year have passed and I’ve gained nothing. It is one thing if a year has gone and I’ve failed all 4 topics. But, a year has gone and majority of it is filled with me rescheduling the exam.

[1koolcat]

CR7MU,

I think you should work out if you want to. Don't think of it as taking time away from your studies, think of it as helping your brain. Studies show that regular aerobic exercise helps memory by boosting the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning. Exercise reduces stress and may help you sleep better. Everyone says you will have more energy. If you go to the gym, you will feel like you accomplished something, like you are in control. And while you are on the treadmill, pretend like you are giving a lecture on what you studied. You can read flashcards on a stationary bike. Just use safety precautions–no running and doing calculations on paper.

AUD - 77
REG - 73, 80
FAR - 69, 73, 79 and DONE!
BEC - 82

[monikernc]

i think your inability to focus and weight gain are related and are the result of bad diet, poor sleep habits, very limited exercise and stress. take a long, hard look at your diet – reduce/eliminate caffeine and sugar first. do the caffeine slowly – get it to a minimal amount. drink a lot more water. start going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time in the morning. quit hitting snooze. turn off the tv/music in bedroom and get 8 hours of good sleep. starting to exercise again may begin with brisk walks at lunch, at least 15 minutes everyday. if not lunch, in the morning, extend it to 30 when you can and do the longer walks at least 3 days a week. stretch in the morning.
eat fewer processed foods, more fruits and vegetables, less meat (full of hormones). build a healthier routine without trying to shock your system. water, water, water.
do this for a few weeks and then start studying again. set an exam date and stick with it.
take charge of this and give yourself a chance to learn what is needed to pass these exams. you can do this! good luck!!
in six months, you could be done and 20 pounds lighter.

check in with us everyday and tell us what you did to make a change and how you are feeling. we care. we will support you. then in 3 weeks it is back on the horse and ride it over all 4 jumps to finish these exams like a champion.

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

[confusedcandidate]

I remember you asking this a few weeks ago and I'll tell you the same thing I said then.

You openly admit to slacking off and pretending to study, instead of actually cracking open the books and slamming MCQs. You get distracted, take days off instead of hours or one day off, and then reschedule when you realize you haven't prepared. It sounds like you have no discipline, no focus, and your study habits are zero quality and zero quantity.

I said this part before too, and it's worth repeating: if you are actually blacking out and losing large blocks of time like 3+ hours, then you should seriously see a doctor. That sounds like it could be a serious health issue. It just seems like it could be really serious if you are that unfocused and losing hours of time “blacking out” like you are saying.

Finally, your post here is almost identical to the post before. You don't seem to have made a single change since then. Maybe you are just looking for a shoulder to cry on, in which case I sympathize deeply, really. These tests are extremely difficult. But it seems like you have major structural problems with your focus, discipline, attitude, and possibly your health, so you should address those instead of looking for sympathy on the internet. You have to make the effort.

I'm sorry for the tough love, but you really need to make some huge changes to your lifestyle and habits. We can't help you with that – only you can.

Weekends are meaningless to a CPA candidate

[cbecken]

CR7MU Thanks for the thread, I needed it too.

Spartans92 Thanks for the video suggestion. You always give the best advice.

We've all come this far, let's do this!

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=AjZ0KbJcav0&ebc=ANyPxKp3j24oqbej8ixMD1C1vzQzrCssK6ntnPS1VlbKDY5_5uq_kDqV7sAcEvTbmkLsgAhsr35mwDybpWBn-YTUUgslzXd0Eg

“Think about the opportunity not the obligation”

FAR 51, 53
REG 61
AUD 58
BEC 62

[Author]

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