Hi everyone!
I intended to post this right after
the exam, but wow – time has flown! It feels like I took it last week. And
soon, we’ll be receiving our results! That said, ...
Hoping not to jinx myself too much, I
thought I’d share my (eeee – good!) “Day Of” experience with everyone since the
“Days Prior” posts were so ample and anxiety-ridden along the way! Let’s start with the night before. I had a quiet night, only flipping through my
plump prep binder for about 45 minutes. My husband made me dinner and I went to
bed early. I had packed everything the previous night so I wasn't stressed
about that part in the morning. I stashed my snacks and water in the fridge and I made sure my outfit was ready, too! I
wanted to wake up the next morning with as few tasks as possible. And in the nerdiest/coolest twist: I wore my Steelers sweatshirt.
I woke up to sunshine and nearly ZERO
worries. I actually got teary on my drive because I felt so confident, calm,
and yet still excited, three emotions which were foreign to me during this
entire (and past) experience. I arrived early, walked the wrong way, walked the
right way.
The building in which the test was held was fairly new and so open, bright, and the temperature was perfect. I was assigned what I call "The best seat in the room!" because I was right next to a column along the wall. The column was an exposed I-Beam painted red and had a perfect little "shelf" for my water bottle (which isn't allowed on our table due to potential spilling). I found I needed to drink throughout the test, so this was a life-saver. (Even though they say you're not allowed, most proctors will allow it under your desk).
I felt super calm and confident during the test, though I made an almost irreversible mistake in Lighting (But luckily caught it and fixed it). I took Lighting first, then Space Planning. Due to my snafu, this was a REALLY good choice because I didn't panic. Staying focused was much easier with my seat being against the wall rather than in the center of the room, but sadly this cannot be helped.
Unfortunately, but legally / fairly / confidentially, I will not be sharing any specific details and I won't be sharing which exercises were commercial/residential. This is not only something I signed off on - it's completely unfair to those purchasing the practice tests.
Anyhoo! I had lunch with some great ladies in the lobby (sitting on some fab Maharam-upholstered lounge furniture) and some had even been following this blog! (Thanks, gals! I hope you all do well!) The second half of the exam went very well. I even finished early! And that included ample checking on all sections.
I left feeling really happy, confident, and relieved. A few days later, I started to think "Where could I have gone wrong?" And nit-picky, nagging thoughts set in. However, I had to accept that no matter how I did, I couldn't change it. And that thought squished any doubts quickly.
I arrived home to these wonderful surprises from my supportive hubby:
Ironically, I ended the day in a beautiful mood, accepting and happy regardless of what's to come and my exact words at bedtime were "Best day ever!" (a common phrase of mine... I suppose I have a lot of those.)
I've been feeling relieved, but anxious of course for my results. They could come any day now, but as with last time... I will have Andrew open them for me!
xo,
Carolyn
