SunDay Forecast - Feb. 25th

Welcome to the SunDay Forecast, where we look at the week ahead and chat about general designer lifestyle topics. Last week, I talked about having to take 2 AREs (Architectural Registration Exam), and putting in my two week notice at my day job.

It was a stressful week to say the least, and now that I am on the other side, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I ended up passing both of the exams that I took, which is a great relief! I am now 2 exams away from becoming a licensed architect, it feels within reach, and I am aiming to complete them in the next two months.

I had a minor setback in December when I took the Construction Evaluation exam, and failed. I had passed two exams on my first try before that one, so I felt confident going in that I would be on my way to my 3rd passed exam. But, the ARE always seems to humble you when you least expect it, and after leaving with a failed exam, I had to reflect on how I had been studying. After passing my first two exams on the first try, I think I got a little too comfortable and did not take the studying as seriously as I should have, which left many holes in my understanding of the material.

I had to wait 60 days to retake this exam, and while I was waiting, I began studying for another exam, called Programming & Analysis (PA). Near the end of the 60 days, I began brushing up on the CE material I had previously studied, taking extra time to ensure I understood the information. Also, during this 60 day period, I began working on the construction admin phase of a project at work, which gave me real life experience to apply to this exam.

I went into this weekend feeling confident about both exams, and felt like I was really able to understand the questions on the exam. I ended up passing both, and am now way ahead of where I was last December when I had failed. This process is not an exact science, but I think the important thing is to keep forging ahead, pass or fail, and always striving to make progress in some way.

After the sprint of two exams this weekend, and the stress of putting in my notice at my job, I think I need a week to regroup and ease my mind. This week, I am going to be putting a focus on my personal goals and give myself a week to enjoy my free time, a much needed reward for the progress I have made over the last month. It’s always a good reminder to enjoy the fruits of your labor, no matter how big or small, these moments in life are what makes it special!