Last couple days, I’m been feeling dizzie, not as sharp and taking more time to remember things… I’m not sure if this is related to doing too many mocks… Im going to do less studying next few days…
Wondering if anyone else has this experience.
Yep had it yesterday actually. Thought I had forgotten most of the material when I was doing online TT’s, I even had a dream last night that I bombed the exam. It’s definitely due to overstudy. Take a break from it for a while and let your brain simmer… amazing how it all comes together again after some time off. This program can be all-consuming.
I felt the same last week. So, on this past memorial weekend, I went to Costco, bought two bottles of Lagavulin 16, finished them over the break. Now, I’m feeling much better.
Oh, btw, if you fail, we all fail.
Do you guys ever wonder whether this program may cause series health risks? I feel it sucked years out of my life due to anxiety and stress.
I usually sleep 8 hours, and follow a healthy “outlet” for stress. I’m also okay with not knowing what a seagull spread is.
LOL i thought i was the only one
Wait until you have kids.:-)) I have not had one undisturbed full night sleep in the past 4 years.
This is no joke. It’s a relatively long and difficult programme of study, and designed for self-study, so unlike a Master’s programme or MBA you’d not have the regular interactions with other participants that can help motivate you through a shared struggle.
This crap just involves sitting for hours on end on your own, turning down social activities, working and studying (as opposed to studying full-time) so multiplying the stress, and then you only get one chance per year (aside from Dec L I) to prove yourself. I’d be surprised if candidates didn’t suffer mental health issues over the CFA Program!
I beg to disagree and also note that you could discourage other participants. Yeah, I felt a little nervous starting from 1.5 months until each exam during the process because a lot of time spent is at stake. Other than that, I feel overall good and never had any issues during studying. You need to trust the process and stay with it.
“trust the process” explain? I don’t mind discouraging other people from taking up the CFA Program. If they know all the downsides and still go ahead with it, bully for them. I knew in advance that it would be tough, but quite how tough, I couldn’t anticipate. Just this week, I lost one of my closest friends of 10 years, because he couldn’t accept that I wasn’t able to make time to see him while I studied. I decided that a friend who couldn’t see how important this was to me, and wasn’t willing to wait until after the exam to see me (plus wasn’t interested in communicating by text/whatsapp) wasn’t a true friend! I’ve definitely grown through the past 3.5 years but it has been arduous and tough on me mentally.
My head hasn’t hurt at any point (aside the occasional hangover) but I have noticed that simply studying a lot is not a good strategy. Brain needs some time-off to process new things. It’s amazing how after a few lighter days you come back to a difficult problem you were struggling with, just to notice that you now know how to solve the problem.
Trust the process means you do not need to spend incredible amount of time studying just to pass. What you need is consistency and decent strategy. I am aware I could not pass but it would not be the end of the world. It is not worth feeling miserable or stressed out.
Ha I’ve been doing level three with my first son. He was born in August and I started studying in September. This has, as a result, been a very tough study period!
I also get the burnout/over tired memory loss. I actually think it’s concentration that suffers rather than memory. I was doing PM mock number 9 this morning and missed a few marks just due to not reading the question because…frankly…I’m so bored of it all! Hoping the mind sharpens on exam day!
Ditto. A 1-year-old and a 5-year-old have a way of turning your nightly plans of studying inside out! My ability and willingness to take anxiety is down, yet it keeps rising…
L3 is the first CFA exam I am sitting having become a dad, and every time I feel demotivated I just think of doing this all over again whilst missing out on even more of my daughter growing up. Doesn’t make it easy though, went for a run this afternoon after doing a Kaplan invigilated mock today and almost fainted halfway round because I am at capacity.
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