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October 11, 2014 at 3:30 pm #189252nshah002Member
Does anyone else have this problem…I continue to worry about when my friends are hanging out and enjoying instead of me studying! I keep thinking that i am missing good times…
Anyone have any strategies to stop this type of thinking and instead focus on the CPA exam!
Thanks!!!
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October 11, 2014 at 3:36 pm #616388umkcfuturecpaMember
Two things:
1) Remember this is temporary. Focus as much energy as you can on passing these exams the first time through so that you never ever have to worry about them again!! Once you pass, it is over! CPEs are a piece of cake in comparison. Would you rather have a sucky time for 6-8 months, or a sucky time for 18 months?
2) Use a focus method. My favorite is this: 20-5-20-5-20-15. Basically, study 20 minutes; I mean really, really focused study. Then take a 5 minute break; stand up, stretch, get a snack/drink. Repeat. Every 3rd break is 15 minutes. During the 15 minute break I'll walk up to the gas station to get a coffee, or watch 10 minutes of whatever I'm currently binging on Netflix. By breaking it up like this, you don't overwhelm your brain.
REG - 87 (Becker)
AUD - 96 (Becker & Ninja MCQs)
FAR - 85 (Becker, Ninja MCQs, Audio and Blitz)
BEC - Last one! Waiting on score release 11/24!Remember: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
October 11, 2014 at 3:39 pm #616389nosleep135MemberI had this problem at 1st…then I thought, if I keep on doing this, I won't pass the exam and that will cause me to have to study even longer! If I just concentrate on it the right way the 1st time, I will be able to get it over with sooner 🙂 Keep your eye on the end result, you have your whole life to enjoy times with your friends…focus on studying for now and give yourself a break from time to time so you don't experience a total burnout. Good luck!!
October 11, 2014 at 3:58 pm #616390AnonymousInactiveBy not focusing hard enough now, you are pushing the end further away.
Focus hard now to bring the end closer.
October 11, 2014 at 4:49 pm #616391TNCPA16ParticipantGive yourself a break – go out and enjoy a night with your friends! I need to give myself one night a week to go do something fun and get away from studying, or I'd go crazy. I was planning on spending last night studying, but got a last minute call to go out with some friends. I had a great dinner (which I needed after a looooong week) and am now hitting the books hard today.
I like umkc's suggestion about taking short breaks. I do something similar…I'm doing Becker questions right now, and after every section, I take a short break…go to the bathroom, get a drink, get on another71.com 🙂 I also created a detail schedule of what I needed to get done each day in order to be read for my next exam. I found that by not having it written down, it was very easy for me to lose focus and get behind (which is why I ended up having to delay FAR for a month).
October 11, 2014 at 11:10 pm #616392nicole2035MemberI am actually becoming a tad bit bitter about the time i'm using to take this test, so i'm trying to get it over with ASAP so i never have to touch it again.
That's what motivates me. Just stick to it, you'll be happy that you got it over with now. Now is good too because it's winter, so aside from holiday stuff, not much going on usually in the winter (unless u have busy season that is). It is ok to take a break like the posters above said. If not you will become very stressed, and make breakdown. I did that and fell off studying for like 2 months and ruined my TL for getting it done. But i'm back it. Good luck.
October 11, 2014 at 11:29 pm #616393June2016ParticipantHaving this problem also. Not necessarily thinking about what other friends are doing but just can't focus the past couple of weeks, just keep thinking about different things. I read a line and then realize I have no idea what I just read then have to reread. Anyone else get this? Any suggestions on what to do?
Going to try the 20-5 min thing. Hope it works
October 11, 2014 at 11:34 pm #616394AnonymousInactiveMaybe print out an outline so you know where you have and where you need to go. I feel like it's satisfying being able to check off a subsection of a chapter and know that you're permanently (for the day at least) with that part.
I personally sticky note the next section of the book so I know where I am. I also skim through the rest of the chapter (e.g. I'm on R8 with business structures, and I see they heavily focus on general partnership and corporations, with the other forms kind of hanging off of them) to get a big picture idea of what I'm learning, so that I can feel like my studying is more meaningful than just sludging through the material.
It's more satisfying to say “OK, I'm done with general partnerships now, just got the variations left, and then corporations. (Then I just have employer-employee law as the last big section for R8 and the rest are just small pickings)” than, “great, done with pg 32, 40+ more pages to go…”
I think humans are goal oriented so getting a picture of your objectives and checking off each objective as an accomplishment of a goal can make things more motivating. Vs. having to go through 70+ pages of “something”.
October 12, 2014 at 12:24 am #616395AmayMemberI am struggling with this also, but I just scheduled my test a week from today and need to seriously step it up a notch! I agree with the short study sessions coupled with tiny breaks. The pomodoro method has really helped with focus in the past.
You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and just finish this thing once and for all. Your friends will still be there when you are done and the celebrations will be even sweeter! Yes, I am talking to myself as well as I type this 😉
BEC: 73, 81
AUD: 85
FAR: 71, 77
REG: 74, 75...finally DONE! 😀*This is my 2nd attempt at the CPA exam. For all of you who have failed this exam many times, given up on it, or taken a break like me, remember that it is still possible to finish what you started...failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently 🙂
October 12, 2014 at 12:36 am #616396AnonymousInactiveFor Becker, maybe make an outline with the roman numerals. That'll force you to skim through the chapter to get a sense of what it is and then you can see what you want to prioritize and what you don't want to. Watching the lecture first before re-reading the book also helps you get a big picture sense of the material and what's emphasized.
I think writing notes is also a good way to keep motivated. Maybe make notes on flashcards since I never re-read full notes while flashcards feel a little more punchy and could be used for review.
Just reading stuff passively is going to be boringgggggg.
Also, I'm realizing this especially with being in crunch time. Don't rewrite everything from Becker. IDK how Ninja notes are written, but I'm assuming that basically if you take the headers from Beckers and combine them with the highlighted/underlined portions and the notes on the side, that's basically good enough. You're not going to remember all the words you write, and plus the words just reiterate/elaborate on the headers. Just focus on the key takeaways rather than the block of text.
Forcing yourself to summarize will be more engaging and help with remembering too.
October 12, 2014 at 2:19 am #616397ijustwant76MemberI'm sorry to break the news to you. If you're studying, your friends are definitely having a better time than you!!
October 12, 2014 at 2:25 am #616398mla1169ParticipantTreat studying like a paid job. Even if you thought at work about what your friends were doing you'd push through and meet your deadlines if for nothing else but the motivation of a paycheck. There is a paycheck for finishing these exams-it's your freedom from studying and future career potential.
FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.
October 12, 2014 at 2:27 am #616399AnonymousInactiveTo second what mla1169 said… If you stay in and study instead of going out with your friends, soon you'll be making a lot more than your friends.
November 4, 2014 at 8:18 pm #616400swishbaby22MemberHi Jilly Beans! This is unrelated to this forum but I just wanted to say HI! I noticed you are in the same situation as me. I also have only passed AUD (76) in May and I am taking FAR on Nov. 26:) Hope your studying is going well and good luck!!
November 4, 2014 at 8:46 pm #616401AnonymousInactiveDo you REALLY want to be the person at the bar in their 40's that wears their letterman jacket talking about the “party days”? Or would you rather be the one rolling up to the bar to visit your friends in a BMW?
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