Fallen so far behind with my studies, feel like I'm going backwards
sharonj
Registered Posts: 166 Dedicated contributor 🦉
I'm studying with Premier Training, distance learning and was hoping to do the FRA and ECR exams this December. Made the silliest mistake of telling friends, work colleagues and family that I will hopefully take my exams in December. BIG MISTAKE. My husband lost his job this year and we have been having probs recently, financial and other issues relating to his job loss, he has tried to set himself up self employed but has encountered a few nightmare situations along the way. To cut a long story short, I have fallen behind with my studies and have had to admit that I will not be able to take my exams this Christmas.
I feel like I have let myself down. I'm still trying to finish unit 5 but have got a bit stuck on incomplete accounts and also partnership accounts. I feel like I have so much on my mind at the moment (had a knee operation this Thursday too....don't ask, but suffice as to say I am feeling a bit sorry for myself and unable to hardly blimmin walk) and I don't know what to do to get my motivation back. All I do know is I'm wondering why I'm doing this and feel like I'm going nowhere fast.
Does anyone else or has anyone else felt like this and what did you do to get back on track. Any advice/miracle cures would be greatly appreciated.
I feel like I have let myself down. I'm still trying to finish unit 5 but have got a bit stuck on incomplete accounts and also partnership accounts. I feel like I have so much on my mind at the moment (had a knee operation this Thursday too....don't ask, but suffice as to say I am feeling a bit sorry for myself and unable to hardly blimmin walk) and I don't know what to do to get my motivation back. All I do know is I'm wondering why I'm doing this and feel like I'm going nowhere fast.
Does anyone else or has anyone else felt like this and what did you do to get back on track. Any advice/miracle cures would be greatly appreciated.
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Comments
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Hello Shal,
First thing, a lot of people have said that this course can be done in 6 months, but remember we have got a year. I wanted to sit the 2 exams in December, but have settled for just the one. I don't wanna rush it, get the qualification and not really understand any of it ! I'm on exactly the same bit as you - incomplete records and was really struggling, been over the chapters about 5 times !!
My advice- get yourself Frank Woods Business accounting 1 + 2 from Amazon or ebay. I got mine for about £9 for the pair !!!
These have give me a different perspective on a few of the sections in the osbourne books.
Also if you've got a few things on at home try making yourself a time table I.e mondays - revision, tuesday - working on ya husbands business, Wednesday - revision etc etc.
That's what I've done and have found that day gap in between gives ya mind a bit of a rest and helps for the info ya learn to settle in ...(Get me, I'm a psychiatrist now !)
Also have a good think on what you can use this for - ya husbands business, hopefully go self employed with it later on and work from home etc, this will help get through it. Keep thinking of the end result/goal.
Keep it up !!!!0 -
Hello Shal,
First thing, a lot of people have said that this course can be done in 6 months, but remember we have got a year. I wanted to sit the 2 exams in December, but have settled for just the one. I don't wanna rush it, get the qualification and not really understand any of it ! I'm on exactly the same bit as you - incomplete records and was really struggling, been over the chapters about 5 times !!
My advice- get yourself Frank Woods Business accounting 1 + 2 from Amazon or ebay. I got mine for about £9 for the pair !!!
These have give me a different perspective on a few of the sections in the osbourne books.
Also if you've got a few things on at home try making yourself a time table I.e mondays - revision, tuesday - working on ya husbands business, Wednesday - revision etc etc.
That's what I've done and have found that day gap in between gives ya mind a bit of a rest and helps for the info ya learn to settle in ...(Get me, I'm a psychiatrist now !)
Also have a good think on what you can use this for - ya husbands business, hopefully go self employed with it later on and work from home etc, this will help get through it. Keep thinking of the end result/goal.
Keep it up !!!!
I know you're right, I just wish I hadn't told people I would be sitting both exams. I hope to sit at least the FRA. I think I will try the CBE and then there's not as much pressure to aim for a specific date. I will also have a look and try and get those other books as I really did struggle with incomplete acccounts. I just need to try and get back into it and find the motivation that I had about 6 weeks ago. I know it's there somewhere....Thanks for the advice.0 -
Have you already paid for the exams?
If so, I'd definitely sit them. The worst that can happen is you fail them and come away with some experience.
Theres still a long time before December, if you are going to study, just keep doing a bit at a time. Better to keep chipping away at it than panic and jump from topic to topic.0 -
ps, I think theres quite a bit of cross-over between the two exams so probably worth doing both?0
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ps, I think theres quite a bit of cross-over between the two exams so probably worth doing both?
The only problem is I haven't even looked at unit 6 yet at all which I think is what the ECR exam is. Costing has a whole book to itself and I know it's taken me since the end of July to do unit 5 and I still don't feel ready to do an exam in that. It does make me question if I could do both or not though if you think the two do cross over a bit. Luckily I haven't paid for the exams yet, I suppose that is a sign that I'm obviouosly not ready to take them otherwise I would already have booked and paid for them.
I'll see how I go over the next month or so and if I manage to study more than I have recently and get back in the studying frame of mind. I may try and have a go at the exams after Christmas by CBE.0 -
Sharon
Have you had a look at sandys blog yet there is loads of thing explained on there on unit 6 also unit five have you tried the e-learning?0 -
sharonj wrote:Costing has a whole book to itself
I've done classes and then done distance learning, and then back to classes. Its such heavy going with the books, they basically told us only to use the text book for reference, and I can see why as my notes I went through today were covered by 100 pages in the text!
Is there an "essential" lighter version you can use for studies? To speed things up.0 -
Sharon
Have you had a look at sandys blog yet there is loads of thing explained on there on unit 6 also unit five have you tried the e-learning?
Hi A-Vic
I did try e learning but a few months ago when I was studying depreciation. I will have another look this week. I did have a look at Sandy's blog for unit 6 but as I haven't even started reading the osborne text book for unit 6 yet I didn't completely understand it. I did print them off to use at a later date when I've read some of the unit 6 text book.
I'm going to have a good look this week at the e learning and see exactly what's there and how much I've remembered of what I've already learned.
Thanks.0 -
Hi A-Vic
I did try e learning but a few months ago when I was studying depreciation. I will have another look this week. I did have a look at Sandy's blog for unit 6 but as I haven't even started reading the osborne text book for unit 6 yet I didn't completely understand it. I did print them off to use at a later date when I've read some of the unit 6 text book.
I'm going to have a good look this week at the e learning and see exactly what's there and how much I've remembered of what I've already learned.
Thanks.
I would definatley have a go it got me through
Good luck0 -
I don't know if there is a lighter version or not. I do like the Osborne books although when you're studying distance learning it can be a bit difficult if you get stuck as you can't really ask questions, you just have to re-read what you have already read and hope that you understand it the next time. I do have a tutor at Premier Training and he is really good but sometimes when you're trying to explain something over the phone it's not always as easy as face to face. I'm going to have a look at the Frank Woods accounting books that Stevej has recommended, although I'm trying to find them cheaper than I have found on Amazon but at the same time I want to try and buy a fairly up to date version. Also am extremely short of money at the moment as my husband lost his job a few months ago and has been working self employed but has been a bit quiet recently. All in all we're just going through a bit of a bad time and we just need a bit of an upturn. Not to sound too depressing but we are just having a bit of a rough patch and the problems I'm having with my accounts just seems to have topped it all off.I've done classes and then done distance learning, and then back to classes. Its such heavy going with the books, they basically told us only to use the text book for reference, and I can see why as my notes I went through today were covered by 100 pages in the text!
Is there an "essential" lighter version you can use for studies? To speed things up.0 -
Costing is one of those areas that tend to polarise people, I found ECR quite easy but I know that others hated it, conversely I found FRA hard and some strolled it. Either way, I think that trying do ECR and FRA by Christmas is pushing it - and, no, there isn't any crossover. My feeling is that you should cut your losses; keep your focus on FRA now you've started, get that under your belt and then move on to ECR.0
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Thanks, hopefully within the next week or so I'll decide exactly what to do and how I'm going to go about doing it.Costing is one of those areas that tend to polarise people, I found ECR quite easy but I know that others hated it, conversely I found FRA hard and some strolled it. Either way, I think that trying do ECR and FRA by Christmas is pushing it - and, no, there isn't any crossover. My feeling is that you should cut your losses; keep your focus on FRA now you've started, get that under your belt and then move on to ECR.0 -
i know how you feel .........i am falling further an d further behind on my studies for ACCA......there is just so much to learn and if you have a life then you dont have time to learn it all ??0
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It is hard to fit studies in when ya on the go quite a bit. Last week I started a timetable. I'm working on building my business up so have spread revision and research for the business over a week...I.e..
Monday - gym,biz research
Tuesday - AAT studying
Wednesday - gym,biz research
Etc .
Just getting into some sort of revision routine really helps and I find the day in the middle when not revising is helping what I've learnt to sink in.0 -
I can sympathise, Im the same with PEV and PCR, started an extra part time job and studying feels like the last thing on my mind, Im just going to focus on 1. Great things are accomplished by small steps and all that.
I think same as cjc, focus on your strongest one, you have about 7 weeks till exams and yet 5 months from Dec to June 2010.0 -
Either way, I think that trying do ECR and FRA by Christmas is pushing it - and, no, there isn't any crossover. My feeling is that you should cut your losses; keep your focus on FRA now you've started, get that under your belt and then move on to ECR.
I agree with Chris and don't forget the tortoise and the hare! Learning FRA and ECR in two months is nigh on impossible to do unless you now dedicate all your waking hours to the subjects and I know you have other commitments. Even had you entered your exams, I'd say the same and feel that pulling out is sometimes the better option for some in order to maintain their confidence rather than suffering a fail.
BTW, any improvement on your non-paying customer situation from a few weeks ago?0 -
I agree with Chris and don't forget the tortoise and the hare! Learning FRA and ECR in two months is nigh on impossible to do unless you now dedicate all your waking hours to the subjects and I know you have other commitments. Even had you entered your exams, I'd say the same and feel that pulling out is sometimes the better option for some in order to maintain their confidence rather than suffering a fail.
BTW, any improvement on your non-paying customer situation from a few weeks ago?
I'm definately going to just focus on FRA for now, have made that decision today. No point in stressing myself out and not learning the subject properly and then failing, which I would be so very upset by. Also going to take it by CBE after Christmas so I don't have to be under pressure of a deadline set by the examiners, more a deadline that I set myself.
As for non paying customer blobbyh, they still haven't paid. There have been numerous emails going to and fro between us and them and to be honest I actually think we will end up having to go to the small claims court. Again, another thing I really don't need at the moment but you know what these things are like, they always seem to come along at once, not bit by bit when you might actually be able to handle it without having some kind of breakdown. We don't think my husband actually did anything wrong that couldn't be rectified and have recently contacted the makers of the flooring and are awaiting a letter from them backing my husband up. Trouble is we need the money from that job now, not in a years time or however long it takes to pursue it through the small claims court. A holes!0 -
Big black hole
Hi,
I had that superwoman plan too. In December 2009 I would pat myself on the back as I would have completed my exams. I have woke up from that dream. Like you the things that have gone wrong - AHHHH. Study well I do what I can. Some nights 2 to 3 in the morning. Stupid but only time I can do it. I then go to work for 8:00. Turns out I am luck to have a job so I try to gee myself up when I am there. I have e-mailed my tutor this evening to come with a new study plan. I am telling myself not to beat myself up anymore - I cannot control what has happened - but I will deal with as best I can. I will complete my study and exams it may take longer. But better to complete than to give up.
So get back on the horse and lets ensure we get to the finish line.
MAH0 -
i dont bother producing a revision timetable because i know i'll never stick to it. I just revise when ever i fancy it or get bored and it seems to have worked so far0
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So far ive been pretty good but my rule is i dont study the same day as ive been at college.0
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mark130273 wrote: »you big SWOT !!!
Nar not really mark its like you said there is a lot on this year and have to put the work in and first time sitting two at once0 -
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Nar not really mark its like you said there is a lot on this year and have to put the work in and first time sitting two at once
i know .but have to say something about it ......
just because im fallign further and further behind each week because of the amount of reading and homework we get....
but that could all be in your pipeline too !!lol0 -
messedup89 wrote: »what about GCSE'S? Or A levels?
O yeah sat 5 of them in 8 months but they were a lot easyier and 3 a-levels in 8 months so yeah but didnt work full time as well0 -
and the fact am old
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mark130273 wrote: »yeh VERY !!!!!!!!! hahahahaha :laugh:
Lisen old man moody ive seen ya pic (nuff said) lolol x 1,000,0000
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