burnout

[MetroRAFB]

One thing's for sure, sleep can sure improve your attitude. I was absolutely burnt to a crisp yesterday. I didn't get much sleep the night before, studying every morning from 5:30 to 8:00 before work, wondering/worrying every waking moment about the exam, starting to get a cold, etc. I went home last night, took some Nyquil slept from 8:30 until 6:00 and today I'm rarin' to go again.

I'd bet most folks that have been studying since July (or earlier) have just about reached the information overload stage. I know I'm almost there. I had grand plans earlier this summer to take the week of the exam off from work and really do some last minute fine tuning. F*&K that. I'm taking off Wed. to make sure I've got all of my references, snacks, drinks, calculators, batteries, ear plugs, and anything else that I could possibly need for the test. Thursday I'll drive up there (1-1/2hr), get a room, take a nap by the pool, eat some good grub for supper and crash early. Friday I'll ace the exam and feel like an idiot for worrying so much about the damn thing. B) (Well, that's highly unlikely but it's a nice thought.)

"the other board"'s ME Q&A board hasn't had a new question posted to it in three days, hence my suspicion that others may be getting tired of studying.

I'm going to take the NCEES practice exam Saturday, and spend the next two weeks going over and over and over all of those problems until I can work them all in my sleep. That's it. That will either be enough or it won't. I think that taking a couple of days off before the exam to just relax is going to really be the key. Good luck everybody!

 

[EdinNO]

"the other board"'s ME Q&A- is that a package you bought from "the other board" or is that just a section on the forum that anyone can get into free of charge?

BTW, I went out the night before, had a great dinner by myself, had some wine (I think) and some Irish coffee. It was great! I think it helped my state of mind.

Ed

 

[petergibbons]

I remember I took the test on a Friday and hit a wall around midday on the Wednesday before the test. It was a beautiful day out and I said screw it...if I don't know it by now, i'm not going to know it and then I packed up all of my stuff and it worked out great. I recommend NO STUDYING the day before the exam...use it to clear your mind.

 

[redrum]

yeah I am about ready to get this thing over with, I am fairly burntout heading into 3 weeks left. I started back in mid July, hit it strong for 1 month & half, since then its been 2.5 hours every other day, I am getting where I am dreading the studying, maybe I need to go look at my failing letter again..

 

[MetroRAFB]

Ed,

The ME Q&A forum is only accessible by people that paid for their 15week online course. It's just a place for all of the ME's studying on their schedule to ask specific technical questions of the "Zone Advisors" about practice problems and such. It normally gets at least one and usually more questions each day. Three days with no questions from anybody is unusual.

 

[apk71]

I'm an ME taking the PE HVAC-depth this October. I've been studying since early July. I wish I could just take it and get it over with. I eat, sleep, dream about equations all the damn time. I think I was ready to take it a month ago. I've done the six minute solutions for the HVAC about 10 times and the NCEES booklet 4 or 5 times. I have the problems down pat.

I just keep doing six min solutions and the NCEES problems over and over. I have done the thermo and machine design in the NCEES booklet a few times, but not as much. The cd that comes with the NCEES booklet has pretty good questions for doing over the lunch hour or any other time that you have a short time to study at a computer. I'm not burnt out yet. Hopefully I don't get burnt out. I have some good studying days and some bad ones.

 

[MetroRAFB]

apk,

I'm not burned out...yet. I took today and will take tomorrow off from studying. I'm taking a timed practice test on Saturday (NCEES) so I'm trying to freshen my brain up a little before that.

I too have good study days and bad. I read through the "the other board" practice exam morning session yesterday morning and was just going to formulate a plan on how to approach each problem, without actually working them. As I was reading through a lot of them I could tell they were pretty easy, I just couldn't for the life of me figure out how to start a bunch of them. That's when I knew I needed a break. I know I need some more study in Dynamics and Machine Design but I feel fairly well prepared in HVAC (my depth), thermo, fluids, etc. I think yesterday was just a bad day, I was tired and starting to get a cold.

I'm like you in that the exam is about all I'm able to think about, and that's probably part of my problem. I'm anxious too to see how I do on Saturday's practice exam. Three more weeks of applying myself and then we'll see what happens.

 

[Art]

this is a test about what you learned over the last 10 years, ie, college and experience...a couple of months won't make much difference...it's open book and you can bring what you like...

the test is easy...getting there is the hard part...

honestly, imo that's why the tests are so easy...minimum competency...

learn the test format

gather and familiarize yourself with reference material

and relax...don't jam up, it's all good

if you don't know it now, you never will...

I'm looking forward to it, getting it over with and behind me...

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

BTW, I went out the night before, had a great dinner by myself, had some wine (I think) and some Irish coffee. It was great! I think it helped my state of mind.

That's a lot like what I did. I got a motel room in Montpelier and checked in around 5 PM. I walked around the city a bit, checked out all the stuff by the capital, and stopped off for ice cream.

Then I went back to the motel and got a feast from the restaurant on the premesis. Had that and a beer and went to bed by 9. Slept great and woke up nervous and jittery, but at least well rested.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

I'm going to take the NCEES practice exam Saturday, and spend the next two weeks going over and over and over all of those problems until I can work them all in my sleep.

I did that two weeks before my test. It was the culmination of all my studying. What a miserable way to spend a Saturday. Especially, just as it was getting nice outside.

Afterwards, I just did a little review each night over my notes and past problems I worked. The week of the exam, I worried more about the logistics of it than studying.