Where do I start...
This has been a crazy semester with lots and lots of changes. First I want to note that I am not a study-type of person, at least not before. This is kind of weird because in my younger days, I did not have the interest nor patience to sit in one place and study all day long. But now as I get older and more mature, that I am putting myself to sit in one place and study and is actually looking forward to doing that. How times have changed.
Since this post, http://zhaokids.blogspot.com/2018/03/das-schooling-and-absence-of-posting.html, a whole lot of things has happened since. I am finally relieved the school semester is over but a little sad that now I don't have class and have discussions with my professor and classmates.
So during this semester I've accomplished two things. First I had to admit that my very first quiz in graduate school, after 13 years of hiatus, my grade was a 58/100. I was so embarrassed I did not have the guts to tell Abbey or anyone. However since that score scared the heck out of me, it was a wake up call and it pushed me to study really hard and properly. I know I was not going to give up. I used that as a marking point and reference that I CAN do it! So I adjusted myself and pay attention to the professor's method and what he's looking for and study my butt off. I took days off work to take the midterm, did my papers late into the night since I can't do anything at home when the kids are awake, and got a 100 on every paper following that first quiz. So for my final exam, I took another day off, went to school and studied from 7:30am until 6:00pm when my test was. I got a 105/100! -I answered every single question, including bonus questions! I was very proud of myself! So my final score for the class was a 94/100!! That's not bad for my first semester!
However, I didn't stop studying. I wanted to pursue something more, the Comptia Security+ Certification exam, which is known worldwide. I have been eyeing this certificate since I've been going back to school. So I continued to study the school materials, went through about 2,000 practice exam questions, listened to lots of audio material while driving everyday to/from work for about four months and even took the day off to study from 8am until 2:30p, then took exam at 3:00pm. I thought that 90 mins for 72 questions was plenty but man the questions where way harder than the practice questions. The practice questions were like 1-2 sentences long, the exam questions were like paragraphs, 4-5 sentences long. I had to re-read the sentences several times to try to understand them before clicking on an answer.
Then when I looked at the timer, I had only 20 minutes left but I still have 15 questions and I had skipped some!! I was so nervous I went into panic mode. I couldn't sit down, I got off the chair, and stood the rest of the time to take the rest of the questions! I did my best to answer the rest of the 15 questions, went back to review the ones I skipped the whole time looking closely at the timer. Finally it was down to one minute and 15 seconds and I had reviewed all the uncertain questions or the ones I skipped and just selected the answers that I thought was right and was like..if I fail, I fail. After clicking on submit, I was expecting that monitor to display FAIL, but instead it said PASS!!! I was flabbergasted and was super overjoyed!!! I didn't know what to do!! I wanted to take a photo of the pass from the screen but the testing center had all my stuff outside in the waiting area but I was really really really jumping with joy! First thing I got out I called Abbey, but of course she didn't answer so I called her couple more times until she answered. She thought something was wrong, but told her my feelings and that I passed!! The passing score is 750 and my score was 763....barely passed but I passed!!!!
I do want to say how blessed I am. Thanks to the encouragement and support of Abbey, the influence of members of church and branch, and many many blessings. I know that I can not do it with all those help. And all these habits are actually from when I was in my mission to build good study habits, to always have a positive attitude and lastly to study hard and has permeated until today! I am grateful for all the blessings and love and support Heavenly Father and my family has given me. I hope that this will also serve to let my kids see that it's not too late or too old to continuing going back to school and continuing pushing oneself to keep learning and progressing.
