I thought I would share a few photos of my test taking adventure in Orlando this past weekend. The following two are of the hotel the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort where the exam was held.
A view of the insanely big resort - yes it took me a while to find the place I was supposed to be!
This is a picture of a ballroom at the hotel. They quartered a similar room off and that is where we took our exam. Not exactly the testing facility I had imagined. The following pictures are of the hotel where I stayed.
My Hotel - The Renaissance Seaworld Resort
The hotel atrium at night
The sushi bar in the atrium "MIST" - which I ate at YUM!!!!!!!!!
My room!
A view of the insanely big resort - yes it took me a while to find the place I was supposed to be!
This is a picture of a ballroom at the hotel. They quartered a similar room off and that is where we took our exam. Not exactly the testing facility I had imagined. It was an amazing hotel - I wish I had been enjoying strictly as a vacation - but it was a cozy place to be when I came back after a day of testing to relax and prepare for the next day.
My Hotel - The Renaissance Seaworld Resort
The hotel atrium at night
The sushi bar in the atrium "MIST" - which I ate at YUM!!!!!!!!!
My room!“What a wonderful God we have—he is…the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us.”
2 Corinthians 1: 3, 4
What a weekend! Thursday night as I drove to Orlando all I could think of was this test and how I was going to do and if I would pass and also..how excited I would be when it was Saturday evening and the test was finished. My nerves were okay on Thursday night and I managed to sleep okay. My hotel was pretty amazing so I was jazzed about that (I love hotels!) - I took a practice run to the place I was taking the test (another hotel a wee bit out of my price range) and was relieved to make it in about 5 minutes. I went to sleep excited about getting it done with and also about the Starbucks I had located right downstairs!
The next day I woke up on time (thanks to three alarms placed all over the room in order to force me awake an out of bed) I got ready and went downstairs for some coffee. Sadly my nerves did not deal well with my coffee and blueferry muffin so I stared at them until it was time to leave. I was a wreck. But, once at the test location I found what would soon be acknowledged by my fellow test takers as unbelievable parking- by unbelievable I mean that I was directed to employee parking which is free as opposed to what the other people had found which was 18 dollars a day. Now the testing site was completely amazing. I probably walked a 1/2 mile through the facility (literally) before I found the testing site. Once there I was relieved to see familiar faces from my test workshop 2 months before. Also very comforting were the similar feelings and anxiety had by all. Friday's session was 2 different sections of the test- one in the morning and one in the afternoon- both 150 multiple choice questions - 3 1/2 hour time limit. And I needed it! Thankfully there were great dining facilities on site so we all grabbed lunch after section one and shared our worries and predictions of our future pertaining to the passing of the test we just took. Next we went back to the ballroom that had been quartered off to serve as our testing room. Nothing cozier to take a test in than a room with 30 ft ceilings and a 30 degree room temperature. Basically 50 women and two men freezing while trying to take the most important test of our professional careers.
After Friday's test I headed to the nearby GAP outlet to hunt down some warmer clothing for the next testing day. I thought I was over the nerves but found myself feeling anxious again later that evening. Saturday i woke up, avoided coffee and food all together and headed back to the hotel for the test. Once there and settled into my table I had plenty of time to lay our all my supplies and feel somewhat relaxed. This is where my quote from Corinthians at the top of the page comes in - I am so amazed by the peace that God gave me during this experience - I was nervous before the test - but once I was there a calmness and readiness came over me. I realized afterward just how much the studying and taking of this test affected me physically and mentally. I was an exhausted emotional mess! Looking back I am so thankful for that peace during the actual testing times - because outside of that room I didnt have a confident bone in my body.
So as I said Saturday was an actual design charette where we were given a problem and had 4 hours to find a solution, sketch it and draft it onto the appropriate plans. I felt prepared but I was definitely ovewhelmed a few times during the test. I finished in the last few minutes of the alotted time but was able to double check my work. The second portion was 3 hours and it ended around 5:30. I could have run jumping and skipping down the halls when I walked out of that exam. It was finished and now on the agenda...A Wedding! 5 week count down starting Saturday.
As far as my feeling on my success on the test - I must tell you that I have absolutely no idea what to expect. It was very challenging but I know that I did my very best. Should I find out in January that I passed- I will be elated, but I have no confidence in passing the whole exam. This is something that many people take several times. Thankfully if I pass one section and not others I do not have to repeat the sections that I passed. It is in the grading juror's hand now and I am putting it out of my mind pass or fail until then. Now, all I have to do is this little wedding thing..
Oh my! It is sooo close! Continued prayers would be appreciated!
Lots of Love and thank you for your thoughts and prayers the last two months as I prepared for the exam!
-L
2 Corinthians 1: 3, 4
What a weekend! Thursday night as I drove to Orlando all I could think of was this test and how I was going to do and if I would pass and also..how excited I would be when it was Saturday evening and the test was finished. My nerves were okay on Thursday night and I managed to sleep okay. My hotel was pretty amazing so I was jazzed about that (I love hotels!) - I took a practice run to the place I was taking the test (another hotel a wee bit out of my price range) and was relieved to make it in about 5 minutes. I went to sleep excited about getting it done with and also about the Starbucks I had located right downstairs!
The next day I woke up on time (thanks to three alarms placed all over the room in order to force me awake an out of bed) I got ready and went downstairs for some coffee. Sadly my nerves did not deal well with my coffee and blueferry muffin so I stared at them until it was time to leave. I was a wreck. But, once at the test location I found what would soon be acknowledged by my fellow test takers as unbelievable parking- by unbelievable I mean that I was directed to employee parking which is free as opposed to what the other people had found which was 18 dollars a day. Now the testing site was completely amazing. I probably walked a 1/2 mile through the facility (literally) before I found the testing site. Once there I was relieved to see familiar faces from my test workshop 2 months before. Also very comforting were the similar feelings and anxiety had by all. Friday's session was 2 different sections of the test- one in the morning and one in the afternoon- both 150 multiple choice questions - 3 1/2 hour time limit. And I needed it! Thankfully there were great dining facilities on site so we all grabbed lunch after section one and shared our worries and predictions of our future pertaining to the passing of the test we just took. Next we went back to the ballroom that had been quartered off to serve as our testing room. Nothing cozier to take a test in than a room with 30 ft ceilings and a 30 degree room temperature. Basically 50 women and two men freezing while trying to take the most important test of our professional careers.
After Friday's test I headed to the nearby GAP outlet to hunt down some warmer clothing for the next testing day. I thought I was over the nerves but found myself feeling anxious again later that evening. Saturday i woke up, avoided coffee and food all together and headed back to the hotel for the test. Once there and settled into my table I had plenty of time to lay our all my supplies and feel somewhat relaxed. This is where my quote from Corinthians at the top of the page comes in - I am so amazed by the peace that God gave me during this experience - I was nervous before the test - but once I was there a calmness and readiness came over me. I realized afterward just how much the studying and taking of this test affected me physically and mentally. I was an exhausted emotional mess! Looking back I am so thankful for that peace during the actual testing times - because outside of that room I didnt have a confident bone in my body.
So as I said Saturday was an actual design charette where we were given a problem and had 4 hours to find a solution, sketch it and draft it onto the appropriate plans. I felt prepared but I was definitely ovewhelmed a few times during the test. I finished in the last few minutes of the alotted time but was able to double check my work. The second portion was 3 hours and it ended around 5:30. I could have run jumping and skipping down the halls when I walked out of that exam. It was finished and now on the agenda...A Wedding! 5 week count down starting Saturday.
As far as my feeling on my success on the test - I must tell you that I have absolutely no idea what to expect. It was very challenging but I know that I did my very best. Should I find out in January that I passed- I will be elated, but I have no confidence in passing the whole exam. This is something that many people take several times. Thankfully if I pass one section and not others I do not have to repeat the sections that I passed. It is in the grading juror's hand now and I am putting it out of my mind pass or fail until then. Now, all I have to do is this little wedding thing..
Oh my! It is sooo close! Continued prayers would be appreciated!
Lots of Love and thank you for your thoughts and prayers the last two months as I prepared for the exam!
-L
