I love the excitement from the newbies. I too remember that excitement. It began the morning of June 23rd, 2008, and abruptly ended six days later on the afternoon of June 29th…when I received my Level 2 books and stacked them up next to my Level 1 books. I haven’t posted a thing on this site so far (just an avid reader). My only advice to those who just passed Level 1 will be to echo what the other guys have already said…enjoy the time off while you have it. The excitement you feel right now will undoubtedly turn to stress, which will then turn to fear and lead to burnout before you hit your second wind. Thing is…it’ll be much harder to get that second wind if you are saying this to yourself when you do inevitably hit that burnout…“I’ve been looking at this for almost 9 months now and I can’t take it anymore.” From now until January 1, drink beer by the keg, play golf, enjoy the weather, and watch every football game (saturday and sunday). After you are over the New Years hangover…tell your family and friends that you’ll see them in June. Congrats on passing Level 1. In 14 days I hope you never have to deal with any of us again.
This is good advice. Chances are you are reading it saying “this won’t apply to me”. This thinking is similar to surverys taken where 90% of people think they are above average drivers. Burnout can happen to even the most resilient candidate. Pace yourself and try to have fun with the whole process. As dorky as it sounds, this stuff is pretty cool. Plus I don’t want you guys to burnout because I may need your help when I retake level II. blink25, congratulations on stepping out of the shadows. 
From the January to June stretch too don’t stop exercising and having a bit of fun. I overlooked that last year and I think it hurt me over the long haul. Some other regulars on the L2 forum kept up their regimine and took the stress and the final weeks a bit better.
i’m a below average driver but my ride is pretty sweet
I am a below average driver too. You can ask GMofDen about my most recent purchase.^^
hey both gems of truth from GMofDen n blink25 Ignore at your own peril n figure it out a year l8 Jan 1st start give u 6 months enuff time keep excercisin n maintain a bit of a socail routin so u dont turn into a cfa living dead
As far as mwvt9’s new ride. Think butterfly doors. Pimpin is easy up in PITT when you roll like mwvt.
Ahhhhh yeahhhhhhhhhhh…
LOL, good stuff on the new purchase. The exercise point is a great point GMofDen, it’s probably the best advice that can be given. Since the test, everyone I talk to is working out like a mofo, and personally, I’m squeezing in every workout I can until I start studying again.
in that case might i suggest u pimp hard lol
I encourage everyone to start in May, you know, in order to starve off burnouts… This exam is still graded on a curve right?
I encourage everyone to start in May, you know, in order to starve off burnouts…
to be super safe y not start late may
is it august 19th yet?
good post. I havent gotten laid since may 7th, though!!! but i passed level I so there is upside…in all seriousness, good luck to all. I hope i never see you again. and i dont think you want to see me. I post a lot and a lot of it is drivel until we get closer to exam time and I really pound the pavement with questions even 750 + gmat guys need to go back to their books for : ) - level II books come this week and Imma gonna start studying after I kill the CAIA in spetember. so that will give me october - may to crush (hopefully) level II see you!
daj224 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > good post. I havent gotten laid since may 7th, > though!!! And you started posting 20 posts per day just 10 days later. hmm. Anyone else want to club together for a hooker for daj?
I really like the work out suggestion. Lifting and climbing help me deal with stress.
Working out and lifting are key for the mood…it’s like the world changes and there are rainbows everywhere after the workout and one day after.
Blink25, thanks for the advice… anything else you care to share regarding L2 vs L1??
cmbakerj Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Blink25, thanks for the advice… anything else > you care to share regarding L2 vs L1?? Yeah, after August 19th, pick our brains to find out, what we will by then really know, what worked and what didn’t. From now until then, we aren’t really giving advice, rather just telling you what our strategy was. Everyone has their own style, but after next Tuesday, you’ll have context for all the solicited and unsolicited advice that we are all giving you (based on who passed and who failed). I agree with everything that BlackSwan has written, but that’s probably because I’m in the same boat as he is. Some people started studying last September and will fail, while others started in Feb with us and will pass…and vice versa. Plus, after Aug 19th, those of us who passed will have that excitement that you currently have and will probably be more than happy to tell you all what worked and what didn’t. Just one man’s opinion.