# October 2018 - Funny Exam Stories



## txjennah PE (Oct 29, 2018)

So we all know that the test sucked...but anything else about your testing experience that you want to share?  Anything funny, frustrating, etc?

My husband dropped me off at the exam site Friday morning, and every entrance we drove up to had a locked gate.  There wasn't any sign directing us to the correct entrance.  We made it to another entrance, thinking that we could finally drive through it, only to find that it was locked, too. It was around 7:30 at this point, and I was trying to quell my panic. Fortunately, there was a gap under the fence and I saw another test taker grab her suitcase, roll it under the gate, then drop to the ground and squeeze underneath the gate. So that is what I did, too. It was so ridiculous that I couldn't help wearing a grin as I stood in line to get checked in.


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## leggo PE (Oct 29, 2018)

Woah, how the heck did everyone else get into the site to take the test?


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## leggo PE (Oct 29, 2018)

My funniest (actually annoying) historical PE exam story was that one year, there was a CrossFit conference going on right outside the giant room we were taking the test in, so there was just constant yelling going on basically the entire afternoon session. It was hard to get used to.


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## txjennah PE (Oct 29, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> Woah, how the heck did everyone else get into the site to take the test?


I think we had actually passed the entrance, but got confused by some barricades that were out front. The person who rolled under the gate told me that people had driven past the barricades. It was really confusing!

Oh wow, a CrossFit section next door would be the WORST.


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## DoctorWho-PE (Oct 29, 2018)

Mine was also more annoying than funny.  When I took the FE the first time, there was a pool tournament going on in the hotel we were testing in. So the entire day was filled with door slamming, loud music and a (more than a) hint of cigarette smoke.


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## PEprepping (Oct 29, 2018)

Not a funny story but the Thursday (and Wednesday night) before exam day, I caught an annoying cold with runny sneezy nose, sore throat, etc. Took a dayquil on Thursday to try to fight it but apparently I'm allergic to something in it because I got incredibly drowsy for the rest of the day, making my pre-exam day prep pretty inefficient. Friday morning comes and I miraculously feel as sharp as ever with no symptoms at all and I'm able to take the exam no problem.

But when Saturday came, some of the remnants of the symptoms came back and still today I feel like I'm still recovering.

Kind of like my body just put the sickness on pause for one day. Could've been the adrenline or something like that.

Thank you, body.


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## Mech_Engineer (Oct 29, 2018)

txjennah said:


> So we all know that the test sucked...but anything else about your testing experience that you want to share?  Anything funny, frustrating, etc?
> 
> My husband dropped me off at the exam site Friday morning, and every entrance we drove up to had a locked gate.  There wasn't any sign directing us to the correct entrance.  We made it to another entrance, thinking that we could finally drive through it, only to find that it was locked, too. It was around 7:30 at this point, and I was trying to quell my panic. Fortunately, there was a gap under the fence and I saw another test taker grab her suitcase, roll it under the gate, then drop to the ground and squeeze underneath the gate. So that is what I did, too. It was so ridiculous that I couldn't help wearing a grin as I stood in line to get checked in.


Were you in Houston by chance? I saw a bunch of closed entrances around NRG. Didn't affect me, but just wondering if that's what you had experienced. We have the really rude and kinda funny chief proctor in Houston. He loves his job and takes it very serious. I laugh at some of his comments. Like, "Come on people. These are very simple instructions!", when some doesn't follow his commands. Haha.


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Oct 29, 2018)

I remember being concerned about what the cut score was.


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## txjennah PE (Oct 29, 2018)

Mech_Engineer said:


> Were you in Houston by chance? I saw a bunch of closed entrances around NRG. Didn't affect me, but just wondering if that's what you had experienced. We have the really rude and kinda funny chief proctor in Houston. He loves his job and takes it very serious. I laugh at some of his comments. Like, "Come on people. These are very simple instructions!", when some doesn't follow his commands. Haha.


Oh no, I wasn't in Houston, but that sounds pretty similar to my experience!  Haha just what you want to see when you're stressed out and frantic.

I feel bad for one of my proctors. Our instructions referenced there would be stairs, but made it seem like we were going DOWN stairs...I was seated up on a mezzanine level.  The proctor didn't know where the elevators were located, so took my (very heavy) suitcase up stairs for me since I physically was unable to do it myself.

When I got to my table, I saw the elevators and felt really bad.


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## RHYNO (Oct 29, 2018)

In Milwaukee, there happened to be a "My Little Pony" convention at my hotel, down the street from the test location. At the lunch break between AM and PM sessions, I walked back to clear my head and eat lunch. 

Unfortunately, I walked into a techo-infused sh*t show consisting of grown men dressed in pony costumes/accessories partying way too hard for noon on a Friday. 

I literally cannot make this up. I was so drained from the AM session that I did not fully grasp the insanity of what I was subjected to until well after the entire exam was over.


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## daydreambeliever (Oct 30, 2018)

I stayed at one of those hotels that claim to be "green." Signs everywhere saying "please recycle", "turn lights off when not needed", "reuse your towels", "Don't leave the water running when brushing your teeth." It was pouring rain in most of NC on Friday. I have my cart on wheels that is literally overflowing with books. As I'm leaving I ask for a trash bag so I can cover it up. The guy at the desk was really nice and hooked me up with a large trash bag saying "we don't use trash bags for our small cans." At this point the bigger the better so whatever. I cover my cart and go out into the pouring rain. My cart is pretty freaking heavy. I didn't know I could fit that many books in it so it's really heavy to lift in and out of my car.  I load my stuff up and head on my way to the testing site. I arrived about 20 min. before the entrance time that was stated on my entrance sheet so I rock out to a few jams in the cars with the heat blasting. I decide it's time to go in so I get my cart out and start running. At some point the knot I tied in the trash bag comes undone and the bag gets caught in the wheels so I pick up the cart and go as quickly as possible to a covered area. At some point of dealing with this heavy a&amp;$ cart on Friday I definitely pulled a muscle. Like I'm having trouble lifting my right arm up and forward. 

I'm getting made fun of so hard at work for this. I mean did I seriously pull a muscle at the PE??? I know that the word NERD is very subjective. I always thought I was on the lower end of the spectrum but this has me rethinking everything about my life.


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## txjennah PE (Oct 30, 2018)

daydreambeliever said:


> I stayed at one of those hotels that claim to be "green." Signs everywhere saying "please recycle", "turn lights off when not needed", "reuse your towels", "Don't leave the water running when brushing your teeth." It was pouring rain in most of NC on Friday. I have my cart on wheels that is literally overflowing with books. As I'm leaving I ask for a trash bag so I can cover it up. The guy at the desk was really nice and hooked me up with a large trash bag saying "we don't use trash bags for our small cans." At this point the bigger the better so whatever. I cover my cart and go out into the pouring rain. My cart is pretty freaking heavy. I didn't know I could fit that many books in it so it's really heavy to lift in and out of my car.  I load my stuff up and head on my way to the testing site. I arrived about 20 min. before the entrance time that was stated on my entrance sheet so I rock out to a few jams in the cars with the heat blasting. I decide it's time to go in so I get my cart out and start running. At some point the knot I tied in the trash bag comes undone and the bag gets caught in the wheels so I pick up the cart and go as quickly as possible to a covered area. At some point of dealing with this heavy a&amp;$ cart on Friday I definitely pulled a muscle. Like I'm having trouble lifting my right arm up and forward.
> 
> I'm getting made fun of so hard at work for this. I mean did I seriously pull a muscle at the PE??? I know that the word NERD is very subjective. I always thought I was on the lower end of the spectrum but this has me rethinking everything about my life.


Aww no, I'm sorry!


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## matt267 PE (Oct 30, 2018)

daydreambeliever said:


> At some point the knot I tied in the trash bag comes undone and the bag gets caught in the wheels so I pick up the cart and go as quickly as possible to a covered area. At some point of dealing with this heavy a&amp;$ cart on Friday I definitely pulled a muscle. Like I'm having trouble lifting my right arm up and forward.


Dude that sucks. Hopefully the rest of your exam day went well.


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## kncumber (Oct 30, 2018)

daydreambeliever said:


> I stayed at one of those hotels that claim to be "green." Signs everywhere saying "please recycle", "turn lights off when not needed", "reuse your towels", "Don't leave the water running when brushing your teeth." It was pouring rain in most of NC on Friday. I have my cart on wheels that is literally overflowing with books. As I'm leaving I ask for a trash bag so I can cover it up. The guy at the desk was really nice and hooked me up with a large trash bag saying "we don't use trash bags for our small cans." At this point the bigger the better so whatever. I cover my cart and go out into the pouring rain. My cart is pretty freaking heavy. I didn't know I could fit that many books in it so it's really heavy to lift in and out of my car.  I load my stuff up and head on my way to the testing site. I arrived about 20 min. before the entrance time that was stated on my entrance sheet so I rock out to a few jams in the cars with the heat blasting. I decide it's time to go in so I get my cart out and start running. At some point the knot I tied in the trash bag comes undone and the bag gets caught in the wheels so I pick up the cart and go as quickly as possible to a covered area. At some point of dealing with this heavy a&amp;$ cart on Friday I definitely pulled a muscle. Like I'm having trouble lifting my right arm up and forward.
> 
> I'm getting made fun of so hard at work for this. I mean did I seriously pull a muscle at the PE??? I know that the word NERD is very subjective. I always thought I was on the lower end of the spectrum but this has me rethinking everything about my life.


There was a dude at the McKimmon Center whose materials turned over as he tried to wheel his cart off the curb. The cart turned over and his materials fell into the drainage gutter which was filled with water. I felt sorry for him. Better for it to happen as he was leaving rather than when he was arriving #silverlining


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## daydreambeliever (Oct 30, 2018)

txjennah said:


> Aww no, I'm sorry! ﻿﻿


haha, It wasn't that big of a deal. I was OK. There's definitely a lot worse that could have happened.



matt267 PE said:


> Dude that sucks. Hopefully the rest of your exam day went well. ﻿﻿﻿


Haha, let's just say I'm really hoping to not re-live that day again, but we shall see.


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## daydreambeliever (Oct 30, 2018)

kncumber said:


> There was a dude at the McKimmon Center whose materials turned over as he tried to wheel his cart off the curb. The cart turned over and his materials fell into the drainage gutter which was filled with water. I felt sorry for him. Better for it to happen as he was leaving rather than when he was arriving #silverlining


HOLY CRAP!!!! That's insane!!!!


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 30, 2018)

For us, they were installing solar panels on the roof of the armory. And even though we were on the 1st floor, it sounded like a herd of elephants above us.

The facility manager said "they weren't supposed to be working today but they're contractors so..."


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## In/PE/Out (Oct 30, 2018)

vhab49_PE said:


> Mine was also more annoying than funny.  When I took the FE the first time, there was a pool tournament going on in the hotel we were testing in. So the entire day was filled with door slamming, loud music and a (more than a) hint of cigarette smoke.


We’re we taking the FE exam on the same day? I remember there being a pool tournament going on in the neighbouring room, too. 

I think we had a no-show for the exam where I was. Not really funny, but...


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## DoctorWho-PE (Oct 30, 2018)

In/PE/Out said:


> We’re we taking the FE exam on the same day? I remember there being a pool tournament going on in the neighbouring room, too.
> 
> I think we had a no-show for the exam where I was. Not really funny, but...


Must have been.  We had a no show too- or well, late show.  Guy just sort of wandered in, looked confused when they said he couldn't stay, then left.  Crappy hotel in Peoria, Illinois in 2012?


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## In/PE/Out (Oct 30, 2018)

vhab49_PE said:


> Must have been.  We had a no show too- or well, late show.  Guy just sort of wandered in, looked confused when they said he couldn't stay, then left.  Crappy hotel in Peoria, Illinois in 2012?


Peoria, IL, 2013. Crappy hotel. I guess that pool tournament was an annual thing or something


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## DoctorWho-PE (Oct 30, 2018)

In/PE/Out said:


> Peoria, IL, 2013. Crappy hotel. I guess that pool tournament was an annual thing or something


That really sucks!  It was really distracting.


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## txjennah PE (Oct 30, 2018)

LyceeFruit said:


> For us, they were installing solar panels on the roof of the armory. And even though we were on the 1st floor, it sounded like a herd of elephants above us.
> 
> The facility manager said "they weren't supposed to be working today but they're contractors so..."









LOL that sounds awful. I hope you were able to focus at least a little bit.


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## vee043324 (Oct 30, 2018)

I flew back to DC the night of the PE. My carryon had the majority of my books. once I was on the plane, I tried to lift the carryon over my head to put it in the overhead bin - my arms gave out, so the carryon came back down and hit me in the face. two guys had to help me put it in the overhead. surprised i didn't get a nosebleed or bloody lip.


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## txjennah PE (Oct 30, 2018)

vee043324 said:


> I flew back to DC the night of the PE. My carryon had the majority of my books. once I was on the plane, I tried to lift the carryon over my head to put it in the overhead bin - my arms gave out, so the carryon came back down and hit me in the face. two guys had to help me put it in the overhead. surprised i didn't get a nosebleed or bloody lip.


LOL oh no @vee043324, I'm so glad you were okay! Sounds like our suitcases gave a couple of people workouts Friday.  GO ENVIRO ppp


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## daydreambeliever (Oct 30, 2018)

vee043324 said:


> surprised i didn't get a nosebleed or bloody lip.


or a concussion!!! Glad you were ok!


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## vee043324 (Oct 30, 2018)

hahaha a concussion would have definitely been the cherry on top of a perfect day.


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Oct 31, 2018)

vee043324 said:


> hahaha a concussion would have definitely been the cherry on top of a perfect day.


Yes, living/working inside the beltway has hardened @vee043324. Pretty much unkillable.

More on topic, it's not as ha-ha funny, but my test neighbor (young guy) behind me seriously came to the exam with *only* the FE manual and...that's it. He flipped through that thing like a mofo during the morning session. After lunch, his chair was empty. So...this is what happens when you bring a knife to a gunfight.


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## RBHeadge PE (Oct 31, 2018)

squaretaper PE said:


> More on topic, it's not as ha-ha funny, but my test neighbor (young guy) behind me seriously came to the exam with *only* the FE manual and...that's it. He flipped through that thing like a mofo during the morning session. After lunch, his chair was empty. So...this is what happens when you bring a knife to a gunfight.


I disagree, it's totally LOL funny; that level of unpreparedness deserves no sympathy.

It's not bring a knife to a gunfight, it's bringing a dull plastic McDonald's spork to gunfight.


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## cjcaro87 (Oct 31, 2018)

There was a guy at my exam that had 0, thats right 0 resources. He at least did bring a lunch, apparently he thought you couldn't bring anything into the exam room. I am curious to know how he did.


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## new_at_this (Oct 31, 2018)

cjcaro87 said:


> There was a guy at my exam that had 0, thats right 0 resources. He at least did bring a lunch, apparently he thought you couldn't bring anything into the exam room. I am curious to know how he did.﻿


My guess: he passed unless he was taking Transportation/structures (assuming Civil).


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## RBHeadge PE (Oct 31, 2018)

cjcaro87 said:


> There was a guy at my exam that had 0, thats right 0 resources. He at least did bring a lunch, apparently he thought you couldn't bring anything into the exam room. I am curious to know how he did.


Not even a calculator?! We'll his score is probably pretty close to the number of books he brought.

First time I took the test, there happened to be another guy taking the nuclear exam. He only brought two books with him. I'm actually inclined to believe that he passed.


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## In/PE/Out (Oct 31, 2018)

cjcaro87 said:


> There was a guy at my exam that had 0, thats right 0 resources. He at least did bring a lunch, apparently he thought you couldn't bring anything into the exam room. I am curious to know how he did.


And that’s how you end up with bridges collapsing. Do you want bridges collapsing? May god have mercy on us all if that person passed


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## JohnLee (Oct 31, 2018)

One of my coworker took the PE with just sample exam and calculator... But he is a freak though super smart


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## In/PE/Out (Oct 31, 2018)

I know this guy who came to exam with a calculator, a half-eaten box of Fig Newtons, an unlabelled 8-Track tape, and the instructions to Monopoly. 

Wait, that was an episode of MacGuyver...


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Oct 31, 2018)

JohnLee said:


> One of my coworker took the PE with just sample exam and calculator... But he is a freak though super smart


My coworker also did this. One day of active study, NCEES exam, and calculator only. Now THAT is badass. Buuuut, he also went to school in Asia where they teach particle physics in grammar school so...


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## In/PE/Out (Nov 1, 2018)

squaretaper PE said:


> My coworker also did this. One day of active study, NCEES exam, and calculator only. Now THAT is badass. Buuuut, he also went to school in Asia where they teach particle physics in grammar school so...


Solving a simple wastewater treatment problem should be baby land frolics for him, right?


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## NikR_PE (Nov 1, 2018)

RHYNO said:


> In Milwaukee, there happened to be a "My Little Pony" convention at my hotel, down the street from the test location. At the lunch break between AM and PM sessions, I walked back to clear my head and eat lunch.
> 
> Unfortunately, I walked into a techo-infused sh*t show consisting of grown men dressed in pony costumes/accessories partying way too hard for noon on a Friday.
> 
> I literally cannot make this up. I was so drained from the AM session that I did not fully grasp the insanity of what I was subjected to until well after the entire exam was over.


Haha. I was at the springhill suites. So was oblivious to it all. But that would have been hilarious and aggravating at the same time.


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## Surf and Snow (Nov 2, 2018)

cjcaro87 said:


> There was a guy at my exam that had 0, thats right 0 resources. He at least did bring a lunch, apparently he thought you couldn't bring anything into the exam room. I am curious to know how he did.


Jokes aside, when I took my exam in April 2018, the guy directly in front of my brought nothing but a single calculator. No references at all. He finished the first 4 -hr session in 2 hrs and left and after lunch finished the second 4-hr session in 1.5 hrs and left. To this day I wish I knew the results. For sure he either didnt give a crap and bombed at 25%, or was a super genius and aced the fist 100% ever. I want to know!


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## RBHeadge PE (Nov 2, 2018)

Surf and Snow said:


> Jokes aside, when I took my exam in April 2018, the guy directly in front of my brought nothing but a single calculator. No references at all. He finished the first 4 -hr session in 2 hrs and left and after lunch finished the second 4-hr session in 1.5 hrs and left. To this day I wish I knew the results. For sure he either didnt give a crap and bombed at 25%, or was a super genius and aced the fist 100% ever. I want to know!


Any idea which test he took? You could sort of figure it out based on the exam front sheet color? Some exams need less references than others.


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## Jbone27 PE (Nov 2, 2018)

I don't know how anyone would pass without a single reference. I had enough books to fill a small library. Reference manual, class binders, 6 min solutions, Betty Crocker 15 min meals, chiltons repair manual to a 94 Chevy Tahoe....I came prepared.

I did feel really bad for the woman next me taking transpo. We chatted a little before the exam. Both took review classes and felt pretty prepared. Test time started and she went to pull out her giant binder and it came open and every page fell out. They let her cram what she could back in but the rest fell into her tote and was told she couldn't use them because of the loose paper rule. The salvaged binder was in no kind of order. She stuck it out but was obviously not doing well. Ended up ripping her scantron erasing an answer and by the end was crying. 

I ended up passing. Can't speak for my tablemate.


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## McEng PE (Nov 2, 2018)

Jbone27 PE said:


> I don't know how anyone would pass without a single reference. I had enough books to fill a small library. Reference manual, class binders, 6 min solutions, Betty Crocker 15 min meals, chiltons repair manual to a 94 Chevy Tahoe....I came prepared.
> 
> I did feel really bad for the woman next me taking transpo. We chatted a little before the exam. Both took review classes and felt pretty prepared. Test time started and she went to pull out her giant binder and it came open and every page fell out. They let her cram what she could back in but the rest fell into her tote and was told she couldn't use them because of the loose paper rule. The salvaged binder was in no kind of order. She stuck it out but was obviously not doing well. Ended up ripping her scantron erasing an answer and by the end was crying.
> 
> I ended up passing. Can't speak for my tablemate.


I would be physically sick after something like that, but for me a triple checked all my binders the morning of to make sure everything was secure. Only thing at my exam is we had a no show in the room I was in so this civil structural exam taker had a whole table to themselves....lucky!


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## DoctorWho-PE (Nov 2, 2018)

McEng said:


> I would be physically sick after something like that, but for me a triple checked all my binders the morning of to make sure everything was secure. Only thing at my exam is we had a no show in the room I was in so this civil structural exam taker had a whole table to themselves....lucky!


THIS civil structural had a whole table to herself also.  But I guess that is the beauty of taking the test in Iowa, everyone had a 6' table to themselves.


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## McEng PE (Nov 2, 2018)

vhab49_PE said:


> THIS civil structural had a whole table to herself also.  But I guess that is the beauty of taking the test in Iowa, everyone had a 6' table to themselves.


That would be really nice! I had a 2'x2' part of a table.


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## txjennah PE (Nov 2, 2018)

vhab49_PE said:


> THIS civil structural had a whole table to herself also.  But I guess that is the beauty of taking the test in Iowa, everyone had a 6' table to themselves.


I wish I had a table to myself, that's great! The guy sitting next to me during this latest attempt must have thought that his chances of passing increased with the amount of force he applied to his calculator.


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## DoctorWho-PE (Nov 2, 2018)

txjennah said:


> I wish I had a table to myself, that's great! The guy sitting next to me during this latest attempt must have thought that his chances of passing increased with the amount of force he applied to his calculator.


Or maybe that if you punched it harder, the answers would come out right?


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 2, 2018)

txjennah said:


> I wish I had a table to myself, that's great! The guy sitting next to me during this latest attempt must have thought that his chances of passing increased with the amount of force he applied to his calculator.


One of my attempts I shared a table with a guy taking one of the civil exams. We're in the armory and the tables are kind of old as shit and rickety. He was an aggressive eraser-er. Which I informed him of at the lunch break, whole damn table shook


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Nov 2, 2018)

Most of these sound like nightmares more than funny.


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## txjennah PE (Nov 2, 2018)

LyceeFruit said:


> One of my attempts I shared a table with a guy taking one of the civil exams. We're in the armory and the tables are kind of old as shit and rickety. He was an aggressive eraser-er. Which I informed him of at the lunch break, whole damn table shook


Hmm...I burned through an entire eraser the morning session...I might have been that aggressive eraser-er too.


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## SacMe24 (Nov 2, 2018)

JohnLee said:


> One of my coworker took the PE with just sample exam and calculator... But he is a freak though super smart


Did he pass?


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## RBHeadge PE (Nov 2, 2018)

txjennah said:


> Hmm...I burned through an entire eraser the morning session...I might have been that aggressive eraser-er too.


They might have to manually score your sheet.


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## JohnLee (Nov 2, 2018)

SacMe24 said:


> Did he pass?


YUP!


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## txjennah PE (Nov 2, 2018)

RBHeadge PE said:


> They might have to manually score your sheet.


I was pretty careful about minimizing erasure marks on the scantron.  It was mostly from reworking problems in the booklet.


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## RBHeadge PE (Nov 2, 2018)

txjennah said:


> I was pretty careful about minimizing erasure marks on the scantron.  It was mostly from reworking problems in the booklet.


Good deal.

I didn't bother erasing many things in the booklet. Erasing things takes time. I just crossed through it and wrote in the nearest empty space. They don't score the book, so I didn't care if it looked pretty, so long as I could legibly follow my own work.

OTOH, they do keep the exam books and may review whats written if a) they suspect cheating; b) want to investigate a certain problem and the thought process that examinees went through; c) other QA


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## SacMe24 (Nov 2, 2018)

JohnLee said:


> YUP!


Wow.... I wish I could've done that.. would've saved a good chunk of money for sure.... sigh.. oh well at Ieast I'm a PE now haha...


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## Wreckem (Nov 2, 2018)

During lunch I was sitting with a colleague on the back of his truck eating lunch and a bee kept hovering around us. I said "Wouldn't that be inconvenient to get stung by a bee right before going into the PM session". Well ironically enough the bee followed me into the test and kept flying around me. I'm not afraid of bees but it was obnoxious and I couldn't leave my chair. The only thing I could do was shoo it away whisper "F*** off bee!". The proctor gave me the look you would expect thinking I could be secretly plotting to steal exam questions by somehow taming a bee. Luckily it went away and I only wasted 1 minute. Crisis averted!


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## Surf and Snow (Nov 6, 2018)

RBHeadge PE said:


> Any idea which test he took? You could sort of figure it out based on the exam front sheet color? Some exams need less references than others.


Negative. I didnt know about the colors. I could tell others around me based on the books (ie civil reference manual, vs NEC codebook etc) but with nothing on his table but a single calculator, it remains a mystery.


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## Nashi (Nov 13, 2018)

I know I'm late with the PE day stories. This isn't much of a story but silly.

I had to lug my cart of books up the stairs to the exam building, there were two guys that offered to help...which was so nice but I managed to do it by myself. So during lunch I'm eating my sandwich trying to relax and I glance over and what do I freaking see...a ramp! I couldn't believe it. It was so early and dark when I arrived to the exam location that I only saw the stairs leading up to the building.

After the test, my husband met me inside the building lobby and he saw everyone leaving and he was like it looked like everyone departing a long flight with their luggage and I said it was!

Hopefully the flight wont need to be taken again.


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## Yakkilyn (Nov 20, 2018)

I was so nervous for the exam that I forgot to take two of my daily medications (asthma) before being admitted to the exam. I left the medication in my car and had to ask my proctor if I could go take it really quick before the exam started. She replied “why did you forget to take your medicine?” To which I wanted to reply “have you ever taken this exam?” I should have said that.

Anyway, they let me go to take my medicine and I realized when I got to my locked car that I left my car keys in the exam room . Soooo I ended up taking my meds on lunch


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## inner peace (Dec 5, 2018)

I was so stressed out before the exam just like most PE candidates. Despite all the advise, i along with my friend studied until 8pm the day before the exam.

Anyway, i forced myself to bed around 9pm. Fell asleep only for a short while and woke around 10pm. Then, I couldn't fall back to sleep, tried various approach, not much happened!.  I started to panic around 1:30am and decided to abscond from the exam. Just that thought of not having to take the exam relieved me a great deal. Went for a run around the hotel i stayed, took a hot shower and slept around 2:30ish. Slept about 3 hours max, i wasn't feeling energitic at all in the morning so i decided to stick with my decision (Not take the exam!). My friend advised me to consider taking the exam regardless of the result. 

Bought a red bull and took the exam with no expectations or pressure. Today i am delighted to see that word highlighted in green "PASS". This is a story i will relish all my life. 

Good luck to all. Never lose hope. keep trying !!.

Go PE!!.


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## AMS6158 (Dec 5, 2018)

inner peace said:


> I was so stressed out before the exam just like most PE candidates. Despite all the advise, i along with my studied until 8pm the day before the exam.
> 
> Anyway, i forced myself to bed around 9pm. Fell asleep only for a short while and woke around 10pm. Then, I couldn't fall back to sleep, tried various approach, not much happened!.  I started to panic around 1:30am and decided to abscond from the exam. Just that thought of not having to take the exam relieved me a great deal. Went for a run around the hotel i stayed, took a hot shower and slept around 2:30ish. Slept about 3 hours max, i wasn't feeling energitic at all in the morning so i decided to stick with my decision (Not take the exam!). My friend advised me to consider taking the exam regardless of the result.
> 
> ...


Way to go!  Glad you decided to take it after all    I had a similar experience the night before the SE exam this cycle... don't know how that played out yet tho...


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## inner peace (Dec 6, 2018)

AMS6158, wish you all the very best!!


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## Med610 (Dec 6, 2018)

inner peace said:


> I was so stressed out before the exam just like most PE candidates. Despite all the advise, i along with my friend studied until 8pm the day before the exam.
> 
> Anyway, i forced myself to bed around 9pm. Fell asleep only for a short while and woke around 10pm. Then, I couldn't fall back to sleep, tried various approach, not much happened!.  I started to panic around 1:30am and decided to abscond from the exam. Just that thought of not having to take the exam relieved me a great deal. Went for a run around the hotel i stayed, took a hot shower and slept around 2:30ish. Slept about 3 hours max, i wasn't feeling energitic at all in the morning so i decided to stick with my decision (Not take the exam!). My friend advised me to consider taking the exam regardless of the result.
> 
> ...


Haha it’s funny, I remember that morning.. so happy that we did it! Congrats once again


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## indeterminatein (Dec 7, 2018)

My AM went really bad. I murmured the f-word countless times unintentionally of course. I was worried that I would get called out for being too loud. But I couldn't help being shocked and grunting at how tough the AM section was! When the lunch break started, I remember checking on the guy next to me to see if he thought I was a crazy person.


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## indeterminatein (Dec 7, 2018)

inner peace said:


> I was so stressed out before the exam just like most PE candidates. Despite all the advise, i along with my friend studied until 8pm the day before the exam.﻿
> 
> Anyway, i forced myself to bed around 9pm. Fell asleep only for a short while and woke around 10pm. Then, I couldn't fall back to sleep, tried various approach, not much happened!.  I started to panic around 1:30am and decided to abscond from the exam. Just that thought of not having to take the exam relieved me a great deal. Went for a run around the hotel i stayed, took a hot shower and slept around 2:30ish. Slept about 3 hours max, i wasn't feeling energitic at all in the morning so i decided to stick with my decision (Not take the exam!). My friend advised me to consider taking the exam regardless of the result.
> 
> ...


LOL. I am glad you made it! I couldn't be prepared so much for the exam, so I decided that I would consider this exam as a simulation. This relieved me but I did the complete opposite. I bought myself fancy bath bubble soaps and took a nice bath at 8PM. I ironed my outfit for the day so that I could be the best dresser at least XD.


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## Rebeccah623 (Dec 7, 2018)

inner peace said:


> I was so stressed out before the exam just like most PE candidates. Despite all the advise, i along with my friend studied until 8pm the day before the exam.
> 
> Anyway, i forced myself to bed around 9pm. Fell asleep only for a short while and woke around 10pm. Then, I couldn't fall back to sleep, tried various approach, not much happened!.  I started to panic around 1:30am and decided to abscond from the exam. Just that thought of not having to take the exam relieved me a great deal. Went for a run around the hotel i stayed, took a hot shower and slept around 2:30ish. Slept about 3 hours max, i wasn't feeling energitic at all in the morning so i decided to stick with my decision (Not take the exam!). My friend advised me to consider taking the exam regardless of the result.
> 
> ...


I had a similar situation. I did everything right the day before: took the day off, got up somewhat early, took my dog for a long walk, went to see a movie, ate a decently healthy dinner and got in bed around 10. Laid in bed and stared at the ceiling all night. As time went on, I was so angry. Months of preparation and I was going to fail because I couldn’t fall asleep! I finally fell asleep around 3:30 and my alarm went off at 5:30. Felt like crap during the whole exam and walked out looking like a zombie. Some guy looked at me and asked if my test was really that bed. Went home, ate some tacos, and came to terms with the fact that I would be retaking the exam again in April. I told everyone at work that I failed and put the April 4th date on my calendar. Shockingly, I passed! I still check every few hours to make sure they didn’t make a mistake. I did not feel great about the test and knew that I probably made some dumb mistakes. I am so relieved and excited to sell all of the transportation reference books I had to buy!


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## Stardust (Dec 8, 2018)

There was a guy spending at least half an hour in the back three-hole punching his way thru his entire materials...

hogging the damn thing thats supposed to be shared by everyone.. talk about being unprepared -_-


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## inner peace (Dec 9, 2018)

Rebeccah623 said:


> I had a similar situation. I did everything right the day before: took the day off, got up somewhat early, took my dog for a long walk, went to see a movie, ate a decently healthy dinner and got in bed around 10. Laid in bed and stared at the ceiling all night. As time went on, I was so angry. Months of preparation and I was going to fail because I couldn’t fall asleep! I finally fell asleep around 3:30 and my alarm went off at 5:30. Felt like crap during the whole exam and walked out looking like a zombie. Some guy looked at me and asked if my test was really that bed. Went home, ate some tacos, and came to terms with the fact that I would be retaking the exam again in April. I told everyone at work that I failed and put the April 4th date on my calendar. Shockingly, I passed! I still check every few hours to make sure they didn’t make a mistake. I did not feel great about the test and knew that I probably made some dumb mistakes. I am so relieved and excited to sell all of the transportation reference books I had to buy!


Glad you passed!. Looks like we found the rituals of passing this exam. Ha ha.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Dec 9, 2018)

In Spokane, WA for the October 2018 PE exam, someone forgot to silence their cell phone before placing it at the amnesty table. Suddenly I heard really loud laughter through my earplugs. It was Crazy Train.

Luckily I didn’t see anyone get escorted...


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## Mama said PE is the devil (Dec 10, 2018)

I guess not really funny, but I brought the largest case for my exam materials to my testing site. I saw the case on sale at Home Depot for approximately $30, and filled it half of the way full for the exam. When I take exams I don't mess around. I passed, so this case is coming with me when it's time for my SE.


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## rashby93 (Dec 12, 2018)

The first time I took the exam (took it 2nd time this fall and passed thank you Lawdy!), they had already shut the doors to start handing out materials and give instructions. You all know that once that happens they don't let people leave their seats. Anyway I was sitting near the back of a room of probably 350 people, and right in the middle of passing out materials some guy at the very front stands up, face white as a ghost, turns and makes a b-line for the exit, as he's walking down the middle aisle he is saying "I'm sorry! I can't do this! I'm sorry!" in a defeated voice. He actually breached security at the doors because I'm sure the proctors had never seen anything like that before. Safe to say much of the room was thrown off! A few of the proctors chased him down in the lobby and I could hear them coaching him up to come back in and take the exam (he had to stay in there anyway at least until the exam officially began). Sure enough he came back in and took the test! I wonder how he ended up doing? I hope he passed, that would be a legendary story if so.

Armed with hindsight, for how unprepared I was when I took it the first time, I might have gotten up and done the same thing!


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## Rebeccah623 (Dec 12, 2018)

Mama said PE is the devil said:


> I guess not really funny, but I brought the largest case for my exam materials to my testing site. I saw the case on sale at Home Depot for approximately $30, and filled it half of the way full for the exam. When I take exams I don't mess around. I passed, so this case is coming with me when it's time for my SE.View attachment 12415


I brought a full on wagon to carry all my stuff-transportation has about 13 references-I definitely had one of the biggest hauls of anybody. Despite what other people on here have said about the more references you bring, the more likely you will fail, I did pass with a score 82%, so take that! I don't think people outside of structures/transportation realize how many books are literally there just to find design values.


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## 23and1 (Feb 20, 2019)

See, because of these posts, my next practice exam will consist of the sound of jackhammers being looped on youtube on my TV in my living room at max volume, using only my lap as a table! Gotta be prepared for anything lol


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## MSD (Feb 21, 2019)

I was driving from my airbnb accommodation in Cary, NC to Raleigh, NC exam location and had my google maps placed in front of car AC vent which i usually do for shorter miles. But this time my cellphone got switched off due to overheating and I was around 8 miles away from the center. It was 7:25 am and I didn't know the route to exam but just remembered that I had to take an exit in next around 1-2 miles. I was, literally, holding my cell phone outside car window while driving on highway just so that it can quickly cool down and start again. It was looking very hilarious and all the passing car drivers were giving me a weird look. After all this hustle, I reached exam center at 7:43 am and realized that I am standing in wrong parking lot. After inquiring around, I reached actual exam building at 7:49 am which is just 1 min before they close the main exam hall door. It was a dramatic scene as they closed the door within few seconds I entered that room. That day my run from parking to the exam hall was the fastest I ever ran.

I still laugh after remembering that incident and at the same time feel relaxed about passing that exam.


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## Redleader (Mar 7, 2019)

Well, this isn't an exam taking story but I'm assuming most of you folks are much younger (i.e., within 10 yrs or so of being out of school) so perhaps you don't know about this, but also maybe it was only a CA thing.  But prior to the exam going full multiple choice back in the early 2000's, with a choice of depth for the afternoon, the exam was still long hand for the afternoon portion.  So, if you didn't pass you actually had the chance to appeal your afternoon portion.  I chose to appeal after I had failed on my first attempt.  You sit in a room with all the other folks appealing and you are given a copy of the afternoon portion of your exam showing how it was graded and so on and then you have to write out with details why you think your answer was correct or at least partially correct.  I forgot how much time they give you to write your appeal but once your appeal is submitted you wait another couple of months or so for the results.  The kicker is, the results of your appeal came shortly after the deadline for applying for the next PE exam.  So, do you apply and pay the fee for the next exam or do you bank on having your appeal approved???


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