Time for some reality check again - I'm clearly unable to keep up with daily posts with my schedule so tied up. Decided I'll do one update for a week. There is simply no point cribbing to write a post when you don't have anything done that day.
Weekly posts will serve as a check point to see if I acheived what I'm supposed to acheive in 7 days or not, in my case its 210 pages of OG. And also a check on the rules.
So this week's check:
Day 1 Mon - Busy with work, but I still booked my gmat exam, my deadline for MBA application is approaching so I had to book it early so I could reserve a slot. Down side - very less time to prepare, exam is early in the morning and I'm not a morning person, anddd its right after thanksgiving, will I ever be able to stop myself thinking about turkey or sweet potatoes? don't think so. That is the reason why I'm assuming my exam is on 23rd - 26th area and not on 29th which is when my exam actually is.
Day 2 Tue - Another busy day at work, no studying done.
Day 3 Wed - The madness at work lessens because of beta release, eased into my comfort zen mode, where in I have a bazillion things to do but I still can't motivate myself to do due to the smugness of the fact that a HUGE load has been lifted off my chest. Read Eric Bahn's blog, very inspiring, the blog in itself shouts HARD WORK!, I noticed that he acheives the target of 30 pages per day consistently and that he is basically smart to begin with anyway, he begins with a 690 score and lands at 720.. I am right now in the range of 540 -560... my goal is to atleast reach a decent 660 - 690 number... a plus of atleast 100, I know I can pull it off as at the time I took the test, I didn't remember basic formulae, with PRACTICE I'm sure I can up the score by atleast 50% in math. Printed out the famous error tracking grid excel sheet from beatthegmat.com site. Completed 24 Q of diagnostic Problem Solving.
Day 4 Thu - RULE1 - Yes, woke up at 6AM diligently, showered and got started on diagnostic DS from OG. was able to complete only first 5, was dozing on and off on the book :(. Completed the Diagnostic math by evening none the less, scored average in PS and DS, was shocked as I felt I got most of the PS right, they were tricky but certainly not tough!, Need to follow up on answers and mark it on the grid before they vaporize. Slept at 1AM finally
Day 5 Fri - RULE1 - NO, Although I got up at 6AM, dozed off in the shower, my looser attidue constantly allured me to go back to bed for the warm cozy sheets, I gave up after resisting for half an hour and slept from 6:30 to 9AM! Unacceptable! 1 precious morning gone waste.. None the less, I will try and complete atleast half of diagnostic math analysis, make notes and revise. Got a bunch of chores to run in the evening, doubtful of how much analysis I will get done. MUST SLEEP BY 11PM, should get accustomed to postpoing any work that I do that time to next morning.
WEEKEND PLAN TARGET - Complete OG diagnostic test, complete result analysis. Complete 1 GMATprep test monday morning.
Future Day 6 Sat - Follow RULE1, - begin with diagnostic verbal, I will be doozy but I will have to try. Complete as much of it as I can. Keep myself in the bedroom or come to office to avoid the football mania in living room. Begin prep for a dinner party of 6, by 3PM, finish up by 7 or 8pm, wind up the party by 1 or 2 at max, but must wake up at 7 atleast the next day.
Future Day 7 Sun - [ONE CHALLENGING DAY!] RULE1 exempted due to party on previous night. But get to library by 8am, Take GMATprep test. Right from AWA and attempt all sections. No excuses allowed. I know I will be feeling lethargic,sleepy, wanting to treat myself to the warmth of the bed but NO, I got to take the test at 8AM, as it will be the same on Nov 29th. Get back home (IGNORE THE HUBBY and THE FOOTBALL on TV), eat, gym and sit back for test result analysis, record results on the grid and revise notes. Work on OG and get diagnostic test and reult analysis done by night. If the plan is accomplished successfully then steal a late night dessert with the hubby (Sigh!)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Day 17 - already?
Wow, I can't beleive its Day 17 so soon! at this pace my exam isn't very far at all, and I have so much more to study. I had finally completed the Reading comprehension section (It was about time). Got started on the og, beginning with the diagnostic test, I must say that I found the few questions I attempted very tricky, trickier than kaplan. None the less, I got started on the OG atleast, that is what matters. I still need to go back to kaplan to finish the sentence correction chapter and the word problem chapter.
In my last post I did an elaborate calculation to analyze how much effort I need to put in every day to complete the official guide, and I realize now that no matter how much you plan analyze and anticipate the amount of work to be done, life throws you into such situations that you are forced to compromise on the plans. Its the way life works and I'm beginning to accept it instead of letting myself get all worked up about it.
I have been uber busy with work since my previous post and I had to spend all the past week nights in the office, coding every minute. After working my brain all day, I couldn't really motivate myself to get started on the gmat prep at all :( . I could have probably dragged myself to focus on the book but that would have been at the expense of my sleep, so I decided not to. But such a behavior will need alteration. Will have to sleep when I'm tired but I must get up at 6 consistently every day and devote a nice 1hr to the prep, esp since my exam is in the morning, I have to train my brain to start up at the same time given that I'm not a morning person.
So, to summarize - RULE 1) Wake up at 6 every morning - Doesn't matter when I sleep.
RULE 2) Understand that I won't be able to study as much as I would like to, so take it slow, one day at a time, no practice today? that's okay too, but do your best tomorrow.
Now, What about completing OG in a month? seems like a herculean task at present and I feel like I won't even be able to complete it by the nov 26th which is when my exam is. Yes, I'm scared about this realization, but I have no other option other than opening the book and studying it cover to cover.
Of the 17 days of prep, I think only 8 should be accounted as study time, the remaining 9 are useless, with no progress done. So here's hoping to a fresh start again. Need to disconnect that damn TV again, it seems to have found its way back into the power socket.
My plan for today is to complete Math diagnostic test in OG, that is it, nothing more nothing less.
In my last post I did an elaborate calculation to analyze how much effort I need to put in every day to complete the official guide, and I realize now that no matter how much you plan analyze and anticipate the amount of work to be done, life throws you into such situations that you are forced to compromise on the plans. Its the way life works and I'm beginning to accept it instead of letting myself get all worked up about it.
I have been uber busy with work since my previous post and I had to spend all the past week nights in the office, coding every minute. After working my brain all day, I couldn't really motivate myself to get started on the gmat prep at all :( . I could have probably dragged myself to focus on the book but that would have been at the expense of my sleep, so I decided not to. But such a behavior will need alteration. Will have to sleep when I'm tired but I must get up at 6 consistently every day and devote a nice 1hr to the prep, esp since my exam is in the morning, I have to train my brain to start up at the same time given that I'm not a morning person.
So, to summarize - RULE 1) Wake up at 6 every morning - Doesn't matter when I sleep.
RULE 2) Understand that I won't be able to study as much as I would like to, so take it slow, one day at a time, no practice today? that's okay too, but do your best tomorrow.
Now, What about completing OG in a month? seems like a herculean task at present and I feel like I won't even be able to complete it by the nov 26th which is when my exam is. Yes, I'm scared about this realization, but I have no other option other than opening the book and studying it cover to cover.
Of the 17 days of prep, I think only 8 should be accounted as study time, the remaining 9 are useless, with no progress done. So here's hoping to a fresh start again. Need to disconnect that damn TV again, it seems to have found its way back into the power socket.
My plan for today is to complete Math diagnostic test in OG, that is it, nothing more nothing less.
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