This wait is killing me....

I hope all my readers can forgive me. Life has been crazy these past few months with studying and taking exams. I have taken (and passed) my first section of the CPA Exam (Financial), and that was really exciting. It gave me the good mojo and inspiration to get moving along. I have also taken Auditing, which I felt good about, however I have not yet found out my results. I am stressing so bad, because it seems that everyone else has received their scores, which means I am likely in Wave 2.5 (see another71.com for explanation on the Waves of score releases), which means that I likely have a borderline score (72-78). Oh how I love run on sentences. I'm really good at math and accounting, not grammar people.

Anywhoo all this stress has made me want to shop....desperately. While all the other stressed out candidates on the forum over at another71 are drinking, I am stomping my feet, biting my nails, and sporadically screaming four letter words at my computer, the AICPA, and the WBOA. And no, I don't actually call the folks over at the AICPA and cuss them out. I just sit in my room alone and scream.

So today I am trying a more zen-like approach. I only check for my score once an hour (rather than every 5 minutes when I know I will get an email as soon as my score is available), I am not refreshing the forums every 5 seconds to see if maybe just maybe another set of scores was released.

I sit here with my arms up in the air, well after I finish this blog, and say "I am open and receptive to all the abundance in the universe." Am I really open and receptive? No, but it helps a little. And if it doesn't I can always watch Khloe and Kourtney take Miami. ;)

I want to give a shout out to Monica over at cpaconfessions.blogspot.com who has my blog on her links. Thanks so much!

I will definitely be writing more often, and it should be good, since I am definitely becoming crazier :D

Waiting for my NTS

My Becker financial review course is over, and now I am trying to continue studying (It's hard, after 5 weeks of non-stop studying and working), and waiting for my NTS. I got the email from Castle stating that my application went through and she sent my eligibility information to NASBA and they will issue my Notice to Schedule within 72 hours. I really want to sit July 3, so I can relax on 4th of July and have a couple weeks to chill before Audit starts. July 3rd also happens to be my 4 years clean and sober which is amazing. I have really come to realize that I can do anything I set my mind to, and this is just one of those things.

Becker has really helped me feel more confident about the exam, and given me the tools to figure out my weaknesses and really study effectively before this exam. Hopefully all my hard work will pay off. The only thing that really bums me out, is that I will not find out how I do on either Financial or Audit (which I plan to take in August), until September!! I think they do that on purpose just to make sure we can really handle the pressure!!

Anyways I better get back to work. I haven't blogged in a couple weeks and felt like I was all leaving ya hanging.

Happy Studying!!

Half way through Financial

Hey guys sorry it has been a while since I posted. I've been spending all my time studying (what a drag), but I am really starting to understand the material. I really like Becker's way of teaching you how to pass the exam. Anyways I will be sending in my exam fees and application soon, and I hope to take the Financial section in the beginning of July.

One drawback to studying is the weather has been super nice here in Seattle, and while all my friends are at the beach or on the lake, I am couped up in my room. Oh well, I am keeping my eye on the prize, because I want to be a CPA by the end of the year!

I'm too tired to write anything clever or witty today, so we will have to wait until next time.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Becker - Week 2

Well, I am in the second week of Becker, and starting to really find my groove. I'm not quite studying as much as I would have hoped, however i am getting a lot accomplished in the time I spend on it.

The only thing that is freaking me out is the fact that I am almost out of flags. I am so OCD, that I have everything color coded. I've gone through a whole pack and I'm only on F2. Uh oh I think I am in need of an Office Depot trip. I am seriously considering leaving the debit and credit cards at home and only taking enough money to buy a few packs of flags. Last time I went to Office Depot for two hours and spent an embarrassing amount of money. I am sick I know...

Anyways now my mom is supposedly reading my blog, so I guess I can't talk bad about her here.

Haha just kidding Mom! I love you!

Have a great week everyone and I will post this weekend. And comment!!

Finding the Balance

Many people told me I would have no life while studying for these exams. It saddens me a little, to alienate all those I love while I look to further my career. I hope I can find some balance, because in the end, all I have is my friends and family. I have told everyone that I may be hard to get ahold of, however in the next couple weeks I am going to carve out not only a little "me" time, but some time with loved ones.

I'm curious how other people have dealt/are dealing with this issue. Is it possible to get that balance?

Please post your comments.

XOXO
Nicole

If you're like me...

If you are like me you might have spent days or weeks trying to find the perfect blog that told all the secrets to passing the CPA exam. I couldn't find one. And let me make this clear now that this will not be one either. I hope this blog will be a place where I can communicate how I study or what works for me and find out what worked for others too. With a few comments on my adventures in shopping for office supplies (of course!). If you are in the accounting field you probably have an unhealthy habit of using and abusing pens, pencils, post-its, and paper clips. (By the way I wasn't trying to be funny with all the P's...those are my favorite things.) You may or may not be very protective of your Red swingline stapler. And if you're really bad, you buy your own office supplies to bring to work because those cheap bastards don't get anything good enough for you. Not like I do any of that.

Back to studying for the CPA exam. I have started this week. I am using Becker CPA review online course, and so far I love it!!! Everyone I have known in this profession and with a CPA designation has used Becker, and most passed on their first try. I will be taking Financial first, which some say is the hardest, and I like to get the hardest out of the way first.

I will try to post on here a few times a week, with struggles, study tips, success stories, etc. Feel free to comment with your experience. And together we can pass this mother!!!

Ok that sounded really lame and cheesy.

Oh and by the way, I'm Nicole, 25 from Seattle, WA. And I'm addicted to office supplies :(