The studying has begun.

In August I convinced my (oh so kind!) Employer to let me work less hours each week; this would give me time to study for my upcoming exams (9 total). The Employer agreed to an arangement of 32 hours a week, so long as it worked with the schedule for my projects. Finally, mid- October I decressed my hours...32 short hours each week. The great part about this is that I not only get 8 extra hours(and all the extra over time hours), but also save about 3 hours (by not driving home in rush hour traffic) each week.

Of course this cut back in hours was just in time to finish some projects at home... before 4 recent college grads moved in with us for three weeks...then off to thanksgiving with the family... then time for christmas shopping and preparation...then time for Christmas....and then the New Year...and finally this little *intern architect* is ready to be an Architect. So now I spend those extra hours each week preparing for the Architectural Registration Exams.

I have decided to start with the grpahic division first, this is 3 of the 9 exams, I feel like I am accomplishing more by studying for more than 1 exam. (I mean I have some time to make up for!) The first day I was so excited to get started- to finish this process of education- that even these sentences did not phase me...

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"Exceptional solutions are not expected, nor are they necessary."

"...the primary goal of this exam is to produce a passing grade, not a superior design."

"...the exam experience is about taking a test under pressure -- it is not necessarily about design."

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Normally the tone of these phrases would be like finger nails on the chalk board...don't think about esthetics, just make it work...but when you are ready to ace 9 exams I will do whatever they tell me!

Back to studying...

first test date tbd