What did you give up for the test?

[EdinNO]

We all made sacrifices.

Just curious what things of significance others might have given up to study, etc... for the exam?

- I put off some stock trading education I had been pursuing.

- I gave up a couple social events along the way.

- Of course there were the hundreds of hours of studying.

- Also, I think between books, hotel, gas, the Exam Cafe, registration and application fees, etc... I think I was out around $800.

- I let the honey-dos pile up like building a fence, repairing the steps to the porch, etc...

- I spent less time with my family. They are just now getting to recognize me again.

Ed

 

[cdhanners]

I also gave up alot. I think the biggest was my daughtes first real Easter. She was able to die and hunt eggs, and all of that sort of stuff. I spent the day in a review course. I have also put off having another child. As much as my wife and I wanted one, we also wanted me to pass, and with the complications my wife had with the first child, he did not need that now. SO now life is back to normal, with alot less stress around the house.

 

[SCPE]

Man, reading this post reminds me of the effort you have to put in to become a professional engineer which is why it is so coveted.

Things I gave up:

honey doos

Halo 2 (for a while, towards the end I was blowing off studying and playing games )

 

[benbo]

This is sort of a sad one, so don't anybody feel bad, but I felt like writing it. My mom was very ill. My wife and I were taking care of her all through my months of studying. Then 5 days before the exam she passed away. I was going to skip it, but everybody told me to take it. My mom was all worried about my test even in her last few weeks. The only day we could schedule her rosary was the day of the test and I was 1/2 an hour late to the rosary. Add to that I arrived thinking for sure I failed the exam. But I passed (this was last October). I can't help but think she is smiling somewhere about that at least. Hope I didn't bring anybody down.

PS- I'm not sure why I am hooked on these message boards when it has been six monnths since my exam.

 

[WarEagleEngr]

I gave up weekends with my daughter and husband. My daughter (who is 3) got to be a little unruly during the study time, since she missed me. She has finally stopped asking me on Sat and Sun mornings if I am going to study.

Now I have to start that all over again I think I may set up an office in the guest bedroom so I dont have to drive so far to a library.

 

[EdinNO]

Thanks for sharing that benbo.

It helps put some of my more trivial stuff into perspective. Maybe your mother even negotiatied with the Big Man on whether to pass you or not! :thumbsup:

I hope I don't get hooked now that I passed, but it ain't looking good!

Ed

 

[engnrkitty]

i gave up time with my husband, family, most of my social life, and having a baby! Hopefully I passed this time or we just keep waiting! I dont know how ya'll with kids did it!

benbo - sounds like you did what your mom would have wanted . . .

 

[EdinNO]

For those of you who gave up having kids...

We have an "extra" coming next week if you're interested! :thumbsup:

Just kidding. We do have one, but I think we'll keep him.

Ed

 

[VTskier]

I gave up:

time with family

skiing

honey do's

some social events

trip to Canada for skiing

some business junkets

Everyone in the family is glad it is all over and I do not have to do it again. From a high schooler's viewpoint, I was told why are you studying so much, just study the night before. To make a visual point, I brought out all my study materials and said that the questions are on all this material and I have no way of knowing what's going to be asked. That stopped the questionss.

 

[Twee]

Same as most, $$$$, time with the family, & lots of sleep. I even postponed my son's 5th B-day party by 4 weeks just to study & take the exam!

 

[csanped411]

We all made sacrifices. Just curious what things of significance others might have given up to study, etc... for the exam?

- I put off some stock trading education I had been pursuing.

- I gave up a couple social events along the way.

- Of course there were the hundreds of hours of studying.

- Also, I think between books, hotel, gas, the Exam Cafe, registration and application fees, etc... I think I was out around $800.

- I let the honey-dos pile up like building a fence, repairing the steps to the porch, etc...

- I spent less time with my family. They are just now getting to recognize me again.

Ed

We are in a similiar boat!

- Gave up spending quality time with family.

- Went on vacation to Disney a week after the exam and I was not enjoying it as much because I was worried about the results.

- Exercising, just now getting back into shape.

- Personal and work social events.

- Stock trading, if I paid attention to my portfolio I would not of lost as much the past two months.

 

[EdinNO]

csan,

I am just getting prepared to get some more trading education under my belt prior to jumping in. Maybe you have some insight. What type of trading do you do? Stock? Options? Commodities?

How did you learn? Any particular courses or companies you learned from?

Thanks for any info!

Ed

 

[NSEARCH]

Lots of $$$ in review materials, gas, and a prep course (testmasters). Time with my fiance, honey-dos (do they ever end?? Hell no), multiple fishing and spearfishing trips, and like sapperslead, good quality beer drinking time with friends and family, and routine exercise.

 

[Nevadabob]

I think EdinNo and I are in the same boat. I've got two kids, 4-1/2 years and 15 months. I'm 38 and just took the FE last fall, so my wife was really busy with a very small baby while I studied last summer and fall. Then, having passed that, I spent all winter and spring studying for the PE. So, several hundred hours studying for two tests, the worst of which was January through April this year, missing every night and most of the time on weekends away from my kids and wife. They were in bed by the time I finished up every night.

On the plus side, I'll get a nice raise now, and because of that, my wife (also an engineer) will be able to stay home with the kids full time. Plus I get some letters after my name.

 

[cement]

on days that my wife took our son to debate, i would take my daughter to ski team, then sit in the parking lot with CERM on my steering wheel. you know the reason you have kids on ski team is so you have no excuse but to ski every weekend!

also gave up lots of $$, time with kids, excersize time. i did gain alot of knowledge, it was nice getting my brain in shape.

 

[EdinNO]

sit in the parking lot with CERM on my steering wheel.  .

Sounds VERY familiar! :thumbsup: I think I warped my MERM from having it sit on my lap and steering wheel!

Ed

 

[ngandy1000]

i had to give up a lot of time with my wife. i also stopped exercising all together and doing chores around the house. my day was basically work, then school or review course, eat, study till 12, sleep. also, i was pissed off whenever there was something else i had to do that i couldn't get out of since it was wasting my study time. i put in over a hundred hours of independent study time plus another couple hundred on classes, review courses and homework. now i'm trying to catch up on playing ps2, watching dvds, eating out and shopping with my wife, doing yardwork and other chores, and cooking. my wife is bugging me about exercising, but who has time

 

[hogfan1]

Sacrifice of spending time with my two daughters. You wouldn't believe what my 12-yr old asked when I came back from my test on Apr 21. She goes, "Dad, if you fail this test for some reason, will you take it again?" I said no and she was so relieved.

Working and studying for 2-1/2 months is not fun and it gets old. I also missed playing tennis, which I love.

 

[Road Guy]

totally gave up TV

my running plan went to hell

I am sure some work suffered

I became an angry SOB if the kids didnt go to sleep by 8:00 so I could study

 

[hogfan1]

I so agree, Roadguy. I also got pissed off when the kids/wife would watch some good shows on TV and I was stuck studying...

I had to force my kids to go to bed by 9:00 and leave me the hell alone on the weekends. I guess it pays off. NO PAIN, NO GAIN!!!!!! :dunno: