Getting my BEC on.....

No big update today. I'm still studying for BEC. I ordered the Roger full REG course yesterday (and I got a free Cram with the purchase, and I get to use it for any Cram of my choice)...very excited about that!!!

I'm getting better at my calculations and better at retaining info. I plan on taking a practice test next weekend. Depending on how that goes I'll start my studying for REG. No matter what I'll definitely be studying for REG before 10/30.

Other than that everything is going good!!

I hope everyone is doing well also (hey friends!!)

So Far

(LOL...Just looking at this makes me look like a slob....but when I'm in study mode there are papers everywhere)

So far I'm doing better with BEC. I was about to have a little melt down yesterday because I felt like I couldn't remember jack! I took a break for around 8 hrs and started studying late last night. Finally things started to sink in. It wasn't like I was just reading as before. I also made a ton of my own flash cards. I have the CPA Excel Flashcards, and they are good. But I realize that I need more of my own in my own words.

Tonight I'm going to crack the books open again. I'm realizing that late night studying is doing me justice.

I'm going to watch the last CRAM video tonight! Then I'm going to do atleast 35 cost accounting questions. Honestly this is the only section where calcs make me cringe! But I'm going to work on getting my calcs down to 1min- 1:45min. I'm going to pass this time!!! One page at a time.

Side Eye

You know what the side eye is right??? Well if you don't let me give you a visual.....




















Yup that's the side eye.

Do you want to know when somebody gets the side eye from me? They get the side eye from me when they say

1) "Oh you studying again????? That's boring"....... side eye

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2) "You didn't pass yet?? It shouldn't be that hard"... ("oh no you didn't just say that"... insert double side eye)





3) "It's probably not as hard as your making it seem. You just have to study harder". (Excuse me..like I'm paying thousands to waste on purpose).

You get the gist....right??

I know I'm not the only one giving the side eye....but I just want everyone who's going through the same things to relate. We study and study and study and still sometimes come up short. But for those not in our shoes can you do me a favor and be quiet. If things were so easy ,everyone would be CPA's. So next time somebody says something ridiculous to you about this test...just give them the side eye. They will get the picture.

SMART Goals ( I know I'm SMART)...LOL

Goals

I was reading one of my many favorite blogs here and I read a goal about SMART Goals.

I know about SMART Goals. I remember one of my classes in my MBA was practically focused around SMART Goals. The whole time I’ve been studying for this test I always say “ I just want to pass, I just want to be a CPA, I just want to get a raise, I just want to get a new job, I just want to be able to start a business and help others” but I never really set a date. Like an actual deadline. The rate I’m going with my statements above could lead me into definitely passing but who knows when?? Just imagine, what if everyone who went to college and said I just want a degree, but they didn't set a goal. That would mean I could take 6 credits a semester and take ....ummmm..... about 10 years to get a Bachelors (insane right!!) Well that's how I feel coming to the realization that I really didn't set a date.

So today I’m setting my SMART goals

Specific- I WILL Pass the CPA. It is important because it will allow me to be a better provider. I also would like to use my designation to educate those less fortunate and also to give back to my community. I would also like a significant pay increase. With the latter being the least important currently.

Measurable- I will measure my progress by practice tests. I will also create blank outlines and fill them in with information related to each topic. I will compare that to the book and gauge my results. I will also take atleast one practice test consisting of 30 questions from the sections that I’ve reviewed so far on Sunday’s. I will utilize my Wiley Test Bank, CPAreviewforfree.com and my Wiley text book for questions

Attainable- I will obtain this goal by studying a minimum of 3 hrs a night and a minimum of 4 weeknights. I will allow myself one night off a week (thats only if I've done reasonably well during the week) My real goal is 4hrs a night however I will be realistic and not lie to myself. I will answer atleast 25 questions a day (25-30 questions is being pretty lazy but I want to keep goals realistic) ( That’s 750 questions/ month. If I take 8 weeks per exam that’s 1500 question!!). If for some reason I can not study 3hrs a night I will have to make it up the next day. I will either have to add that on to my study time during my night time studying or forgo going to the gym during lunch or if I don’t go to the gym I will go to the cafeteria and study forgoing my time out with co-workers. I will make flash cards for my weak areas and I will make double flash cards for areas that I’m very weak in (i.e. I will write the same flash card more than once and mix it in so that when I’m reviewing there is more repititon). I will keep a log of all of the questions that I missed.

Realistic- I will study a minimum of 25 hrs a week. I can obtain this if I do 3 hrs a day during the week and 13 hrs during the weekend. On the weekend I can do 4 hrs in the early morning and the remainder spread out during the day. I will allow myself to 45 mins of surfing the internet and tweeting when I get home but that’s it!! If I can do it at work that’s better that will give me more time to study at home ( I know I shouldn’t do it at work but oh well I’m being realistic…LOL) My other free time during the weekday is geared towards studying. On the weekends I will surf the internet for no more than 2 hrs/day (if that). That time is allotted to blogging, tweeting, or whatever else I want to do. Everything else is devoted to studying.

Time- CPA by 4-13-2011 (My Bday). It has to be by this day because I don’t want to have another non traveling nonexciting uneventful boring poor or penniless summer or spring!!! I cannot afford to pay for NTS’s every month!!

Reg 11/29/2010 – Retake

Studying Begins on 10/31

Goal of 100 hrs

24 hrs of video (Roger Lecture)

76-80 hrs of reviewing and answering questions

Study Plan is to be done with videos by 11-18. That leaves me 11 days to review for REG. This give me sufficient time to do atleast 1 practice test (which I plan to take on 11/22 or 11/23 this will leave me enough time to pick my face up off the floor if I do poorly or not to my liking on the test) and MQ’s alteast twice. I will have two weeks off from work from 11-15 thru 11-30. This leaves me with ample time to study. I will take no longer than three days to do MQ’s for each section. I will take two full days to practice sims. I will complete atleast two sims from each section.

Pure Randomness (is that a word?)

Anyway so I know I said I wouldn’t be blogging or tweeting. But you know what I miss my friends that live in the computer!! LOL. I look for my twitter peeps and my online friends for support and I look to give them support as well. So here’s my vow. I will not be blogging or tweeting as much. I mean seriously, I can’t study 24 hrs a day. I need some time to breathe. So with that being said I can squeeze in a tweet here, and blog post there, but nothing excessive. So to all my friends …… hey!!!! (Like I really left for long…LOL).

Anyway I purchased the Roger CRAM and I’m digging it! I’ll tell you one thing. He keeps me entertained. I’ve already watched three hours and it went by so fast. Usually I’m counting down the minutes until the lecture is over or I’m pulling my eyelashes out one by one.

I know I’ve said this over and over again but I sooooo need to pass BEC and REG this window. I’m willing to put in the hours and I’ve already come to the realization that I will be sleep deprived. My biggest fear is that I will fail AGAIN!! Of course you have to speak positive thoughts but its hard when you don’t have atleast one passing grade to show for it. Yesterday on my way home I kept repeating to myself” I’m going to pass, I’m going to pass and I’m not failing this time around”. I know I should believe it, but I can’t sit here and say 100% that I do. Is this normal? Anyway I’ll keep saying it and one day I will believe it 150%. But until then I’ll be beating BEC and REG down with my study hours and repetitions.

Can anyone relate?

Morning Verse

Proverbs 22:3

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.

  The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

What a way to start my day!

What to Do What to Do...Advice Needed

Ok my CPA fam (hugs to you all...lol). I was thinking about something this morning, I know a couple of days ago I said that I was going to focus on one exam at a time and that's what I plan to do. But then I read Miss Gina's blog http://missginacpa.blogspot.com and someone left a comment saying that's it better to take tests closer to together so that you retain information better (which is definitely true). I don't want my REG knowledge to slip away so do you think I should take it at the end of November? I'm thinking about taking BEC on 10/30 and then I can take REG on 11/30. And I also have two weeks off from work in November which means I can go to the library everday and really grind it out for 11/30.

Advice please!!!!!