Back to Basics

I have spent the past two days studying for my upcoming exam. Day #1 was not pretty. Day #2 was great!

What was the difference? Day #1, I was geared up to work. It was Friday - a work day. I had completed the job that I had been given and I was ready for more. When I got a call at 7:50 that morning to tell me that no work was forthcoming, I immediately deemed it a study day instead.

That's when it all started going downhill.

I was not mentally prepared to sit down and study on Friday. I was completely and totally overwhelmed. I was back at Chapter 1, with a two week deadline and I felt like I knew less than nothing.

Exhaustion hit me like a tidal wave. I refused to give into it. I did everything that I could think of to stay awake. Which means - I ate. All day. If I kept my mouth chewing on something, my eyes would remain open. When I stopped eating, my body started swooning with fatigue.

I fought until 4:00 that afternoon, then I surrendered to the exhaustion that was overtaking me. And I slept. I woke up to have supper and was back in bed by 9:00. Tomorrow is another day was my last conscious thought of the day.

Yesterday I woke up before 5:00. I was psyched and ready for the day. I was going to hit the books with a vengeance and wade through until I got to the other side. And I did.

I was sidetracked by many things. But I kept going back to the books. I was on a mission.

Work was dropped off yesterday morning. I checked to ensure that it could take a back seat to my studies. It takes energy to gear myself up to study. I can push myself through work. I didn't want to waste my ambition on something I can (almost) do with my eyes closed. The work can wait. The studying must prevail.

Eventually, I finally started to absorb the knowledge from those vital first chapters. The chapters on which the rest of this course is based. The words finally stopped sounding Greek to me by yesterday afternoon. As I took the chapter end quizzes, I was easily passing them. By Jove, I think I've got it!! were my thoughts of victory last night.

Friday, I consumed food merely for the sake of chewing to stay awake. Yesterday, I was craving brain food. Real nourishment. I had eggs for breakfast; tuna-on-a-bun for lunch; sloppy Joe's and salad for supper (okay, okay ... and two chocolate bars and a can of Pringles ... but only after I ate a healthy meal).

Yesterday, I was prepared to take on the day. Friday, I wasn't.

Yesterday, I won the battle. I feel like I can do this!

I am fueled with the power of overcoming the feelings of being overwhelmed. I am trying to absorb a daunting amount of new information and succeeding.

Feeding your brain new information is an intoxicating feeling (once it starts to sink in). It is this sensation that I became addicted to when I returned to school last year. I feel like the little robot in "Short Circuit" who is needs input ... more input.

Now that my brain is open and receptive to learning, I am excited.

This didn't happen by fast-tracking myself to the end of the book. It occured only after I went back to the basics and learned what I needed to know. Once you learn the basics, anything is possible.