I decided to start a blog to share my journey with others who are struggling with preparing for the NCIDQ. Truth is, frustration and cost aside, I really do believe in the importance of being licensed.
I'm hopeful that preparing more diligently, making it fun, and documenting my experience might help me break free from fear. I would love for it to serve as an organizational aid, a release when I need it, and an "I'm going through this, too" sanctuary to share with fellow designers and students. They say the best way to learn is to teach. I like to think of it as "sharing" and you can "learn" what worked for me and what totally didn't.
I'm hopeful that preparing more diligently, making it fun, and documenting my experience might help me break free from fear. I would love for it to serve as an organizational aid, a release when I need it, and an "I'm going through this, too" sanctuary to share with fellow designers and students. They say the best way to learn is to teach. I like to think of it as "sharing" and you can "learn" what worked for me and what totally didn't.
I'll start with my story: The Abridged Version (because I can be quite chatty!)
I took the first two multiple choice sections back in September 2011. I studied my little heart out and passed. Yay! Happy dance! I decided not to take the Practicum the next day, but six months later. It was just ... insanely intimidating. I was happy to learn that a lot of people decide to do just what I did because I was feeling a little wimpy. (More on this reasoning in a separate post!).
I did not pass the practicum the first time I took it. That day scarred me. And I've never really let myself heal and grow from it. It was the worst day ever. Blah blah blah. Boo-hoo. Moving on. And the worst day ever turned into lemons. And this blog is a lemonade stand.
That thing above - about healing and growing - that's why I'm here.
Most importantly, even above passing, I want to look back on this experience without seeing "the worst day ever". I want to shed the dramatic and painful picture in my mind. I want the day to stop resonating in my head in the form of a cloudy, rainy, windy, cold, food-less, nauseating, cry-my-eyes-out-while-driving-home, shaking during the entire first half of the test mess. I want it to be one of those trials that makes me stronger. So here I am, gettin' real about the NCIDQ Practicum. (I may or may not have googled the experiences of others and jumped for joy when I realized I'm so not alone!)
Up next ... Where I Went Wrong (The First Time).
Me: Hi, I'm Carolyn and I was completely unprepared. Responsibility FAIL.
ALL: Hi, Carolyn.
Me: I was also full of fear. But I'm not sure where that came from...
Me: I was also full of fear. But I'm not sure where that came from...
Love, Humility, & Encouragement,
Carolyn
Hi Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Qpractice in your practicum tips. You're on track to follow our Study Plan for the practicum:
http://www.qpractice.com/ncidq-exam-dates/action:posterboard/time_limit:1359626399/cat_ids:82/
You can follow along with our schedule and the first couple of drawings in the series.
Plan on spending about 30 hours in practice, and doing each practice drawing about 3 times to master them.
In our study plan we teach strategies to help you master each problem, that you can apply to any drawing of that type.
We hope you'll join us!
Lisa
Hi Lisa!
DeleteIf you mean in my "links," no problem! ;) If you mean in my content, I haven't taken a Q-Practice course, so I am unaware of anything I'm sharing that might be course material/tips. The tips I share are strictly things I've learned between last time, this time, school, and work - along with strategies that my husband and I come up with - if you see anything controversial, please let me know and I'll edit it!
Thanks!
Carolyn