I often see a lull in study activity in the month of August. I think it’s natural for people coming off the highs and lows of July exam results to back off the gas a bit in August. And for people who got a pre-July start, it’s easy to feel fatigue at this stage.
Either way, I think August and September are possibly the two most important months in your preparation because the exam is still far enough way that you aren’t in panic-I-must-memorize-everything mode yet.
In other words, these are the months to build a solid conceptual foundation that you can take into the final stretch. The more concepts you can solidify in these months, the less you have to rely on your short-term memory in October.
That said, trying to find a way to stay motivated to do the drudge work of studying is hard. A few tips:
- Don’t be afraid to take days off. Stay fresh. Your mind will be sharper if it gets breaks.
- Mix up your routine. Try studying in different locations or different times of the day.
- Make adjustments if you’re consistently getting interrupted. Now is the time to put Facebook, Twitter, and attention-needy coworkers in their place (we all know who they are!).
Above all, keep in mind that passing the exam is not something that happens the day you take the exam. It’s the result of many daily “wins” you achieve by putting in the work it takes to study.
Daniel Coyle put it best in his TEDx Talk. He says to do something great, you have to “embrace struggle and repetition.” Sounds a lot like studying to pass an actuarial exam.