It is really not unusual for me to remember all the pent-up anger,frustration,negative thoughts when my exams r close…I guess a result of stress But for CFA, I really can’t afford to lose anytime thinking about the negative things or being on the verge of screaming at anyone who comes close… I was thinking to take up anti-depressants but I guess not a healthy solution… any other useful n healthy supplements or solutions? Im really losing my concentration these days…
How are your exercising habits? That can help a lot.
You might have suseptibility to anxiety…check family history…if so this is something that is not short term, you may be helped with Paxil, Xanax etc. Last resort though…make sure if it is not normal short term issues. You are probably burnt out is you have been studying for months, economy sucks, worried about job…take a few days off and do things that you enjoy. Maybe you are spending too much time on CFA, obsessed with the exam. DEFINITELY excercise for at least an hour a day, cross-train with weights, and aerobic intervals. You are producing more adrenaline b/c of natural fight-or-flight genetics…you need to burn that off and out of your system. In terms of supplements for concentration, try pharmaceutical GABA, L-Theanine, Magnesium, high quality fish oils. Also eliminate stimulants like caffeine fro your diet, and limit carbs, especially sugar to a minimum. If you drink/ eat a lot od sodas, juices, candym etc. Your blood sugar shoots up, then drops quickly…this GREATLY effects your mood, anxiety, etc… Hang in there…it is not unusual at this stage of the study process to start to lose it from time to time…
Anti-depressants won’t work in this situation. No need for any supplements either. This is just an exam, nothing more nothing less. Getting nervous? Yes, its natural. Getting depressed? Not allowed. Taboo. I can tell you are quite young. Life has many things in store for your. Save your emotions for something more meaningful you will experience in time. Failing the exam, while diasppointing, is nothing to be afraid of. Try your best in the coming days. If you pass, well and good. If you fail, no worries – you live to study another day. You"ll have more challenges in life than this stupid exam. Do your best and don’t care what others have to say. If your consious is clear that you tried your best, you have passed one of the toughest tests in life.
Remember that people in this industry don’t attach much stigma to failing this exam. If you don’t pass, people still respect you for the persistence and determination to do it again. It’s true that missing the nice weather in the spring another year sucks, though. Exercise and getting out a bit can help a lot. Be sure to plan some time for that in your schedule. Don’t just say “I’ll take some time at some point,” go ahead and actually plan specific time slots for exercising and doing things that are fun. Put them on your calendar and stick to it, as if it were a meeting with your boss, so that you know you can look forward to it (the diversion, not the meeting with the boss). The exams aren’t THAT close yet… still seven weeks away. You should be studying intensely, but it’s not cram time yet, so that means keep your blood pumping, watch your diet a bit, take some multivitamins, and still plan a little fun time with friends and family. Also, St. John’s Wort is an over-the-counter herbal supplement that some therapists suggest instead of anti-depressants. You could try that for a week and see if it helps. Don’t change your mood/mind altering regimen in the last week or two before the exam, though, since you don’t know how you will react.
Is the exam stressing you out that much? What else is going on?
As far as the exam goes it will be over on June 6th regardless of pass/fail. Don’t let it stress you out too much it is just an exam afterall. Someone else mentioned it in this post. . . nobody will think less of you if you don’t pass it.
I hate to be an @sshole, but some people are just meant to be successful and handle pressure and some are not. That is why there is such a disparity between the haves and have nots in this world. Don’t feel bad, if you are a have not you still have the government on your side to make sure you get your fair share. As for me I have pretty strong confidence in my abilities and as showtime draws closer I just get more and more confident, which generally translates into success.
JohnThainsLimoDriver Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I hate to be an @sshole, but some people are just > meant to be successful and handle pressure and > some are not. That is why there is such a > disparity between the haves and have nots in this > world. Don’t feel bad, if you are a have not you > still have the government on your side to make > sure you get your fair share. As for me I have > pretty strong confidence in my abilities and as > showtime draws closer I just get more and more > confident, which generally translates into > success. somehow I don’t think you really hate to be an @sshole.
sumz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It is really not unusual for me to remember all > the pent-up anger,frustration,negative thoughts > when my exams r close…I guess a result of > stress > > But for CFA, I really can’t afford to lose anytime > thinking about the negative things or being on the > verge of screaming at anyone who comes close… > > I was thinking to take up anti-depressants but I > guess not a healthy solution… > > any other useful n healthy supplements or > solutions? Im really losing my concentration these > days… Try masturbation when you are stressed, it will relieve you of any stress. Search level 1 section there was a thread on how it helps a no. of dudes here.
I think everyone gets stressed out before the exam. Then half of us stay at it and the other half dont (or cant). Get perspective.
JOE2010 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > sumz Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > Try masturbation when you are stressed, it will > relieve you of any stress. Search level 1 section > there was a thread on how it helps a no. of dudes > here. What a classic post!!!
memalos Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > JOE2010 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > sumz Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > > Try masturbation when you are stressed, it will > > relieve you of any stress. Search level 1 > section > > there was a thread on how it helps a no. of > dudes > > here. > > What a classic post!!! link?
just realize it’s perfectly normal to have anxiety at this time. You are not alone. I agree with others that exercise, even a brisk half hour walk, helps.
JOE2010 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > sumz Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > It is really not unusual for me to remember all > > the pent-up anger,frustration,negative thoughts > > when my exams r close…I guess a result of > > stress > > > > But for CFA, I really can’t afford to lose > anytime > > thinking about the negative things or being on > the > > verge of screaming at anyone who comes close… > > > > I was thinking to take up anti-depressants but > I > > guess not a healthy solution… > > > > any other useful n healthy supplements or > > solutions? Im really losing my concentration > these > > days… > > > Try masturbation when you are stressed, it will > relieve you of any stress. Search level 1 section > there was a thread on how it helps a no. of dudes > here. I wonder if it helps women taking the CFA too.
Thanks sid3699 and bchadwick. Your post made me really feel better. It’s not only sumz, there are so many other people who feel depressed. I am taking L2 this June and have lost motivation to study. But sid3699 reply has really made me to rething and get back on the horse. Thanks peeps, the forum is wonderful in so many little ways.
remember: down the street and not across the street
Thankssss a bunch for all the replies… Well, I guess I definitely need to keep exercising…coz I just exercise 2-3 times a week for 30 min…I was thinking of cutting down even that to give more time and attention to study… Regarding diet, im taking minimal sugar I guess just in fruits or digestive biscuit, nothing more. About caffeine, i take green tea 2-3 times a day to keep me awake. Coffee very rarely. I do understand that in our field, everyone knows it is a tough exam, and no one would think less of me BUT I have bit of social pressure as well…my family and friends expect high of me coz I had been a good student all my life…although I have educated everyone about the exam and its pass rates, I still feel the pressure About the other factors in my life, I am really not worried about job…I do have some personal issues ongoing for years though but right now I am not worried about anything in life except the exam…its just that stress usually gets me in negative-thinking mode as well as explore the negative pent-up emotions (just one made-up example: if i didnt like anything my friend said few weeks back but I ignored it and let it go at that point, NOW i’d be remembering it and feel all the anger)
It’s harder for family to understand not passing, because what they see is you studying and not spending time with them. Just prep them, so that when they say “It’s ok, you’ll do fine,” you remind them that the passing rate is 1/3 for L1, less than half of those who pass L1 pass L2 in any given year, and only slightly more than half who pass those and get to L3 pass. That sends the message about as clearly as possible. If the exam is the only thing you have to worry about in life, especially in these times, count yourself lucky though.
sumz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I do understand that in our field, everyone knows > it is a tough exam, and no one would think less of > me BUT I have bit of social pressure as well…my > family and friends expect high of me coz I had > been a good student all my life…although I have > educated everyone about the exam and its pass > rates, I still feel the pressure I’m pretty sure this applies to about 99.9% of the CFA candidate population. We’re all overachievers and it would hurt to fail something we sincerely tried for. The key is that nobody who isn’t writing the exams will understand the exams. Some family members who tried to relate compared the exams to Dental Assistant exams and I just humour them. The only one who will actually see what it takes is your spouse and even she will find it difficult to understand. If I had to guess, I’d say about 90% of those who pass the exams are those who can control their emotions and keep a level head for the six hours on exam day. Trust me, there are guys out there who take this stress REALLY bad, like the annual throw-up cases in the washroom at half-time in Toronto and I’m sure most of the world and the horrible “rear-end explosion story once told on AF” (someone please post that link b/c reading that story would relieve this guy of all stress). I’m assuming you’re writing Level 1 as most who have experienced the first exam don’t have this kind of broadbased panic. We all feel pressure from differing directions. Be thankful that you are in a western-like country or if you’re not, you are aiming towards a western-like industry and that our lives share none of the true hardships lived by over half the world every day. Put it all in perspective, take a deep breath and treat studying as an obligation you have to the rest of the world and to be your best in your priviledged position.