Learning New, Unexpected Things

This past weekend was a learning experience for me and not really in the way that I expected. Fourteen days ago, I decided to challenge an exam in order to obtain my Personal Training Certification.

(Pictures completely unrelated to post - but he such a sports nut and I love it!)

Fourteen days to learn a thirteen chapter textbook.  Did I mention that by trade, I am an accountant?  This is an exam that someone with a Kinesiology background would have no trouble acing with that little time to study.

Why the rush?  The next exam isn't being held until October. 

The time pressure stems from the fact that I was asked to begin teaching one of the classes that I attend weekly starting at the beginning of August.

I am pretty passionate about fitness and would love to help others on their journey so I thought, why not?  What have I got to lose?

So I dusted off the study techniques that helped me graduate with great distinction from University and I set out to do it. 

And I lost about 5 lbs solely due to stress and anxiety.  This is humorous to me.  By the way, the funny bone is called that because the upper arm bone is the humerus.  I actually didn't know this (perhaps I shouldn't admit that.) so I did learn something.

The reason the level of anxiety is funny is because after university, I obtained my professional accounting designation (Chartered Accountant).  To do this, I wrote a 4 day exam.  Yes, four days for a total of sixteen hours.

This exam was 3 hours and half of it was multiple choice.  Which if you don't know the material are no easier than any other type of question but you do have a slightly better chance of guessing than a short answer.

So basically I should be able to write an exam like this in my sleep and maybe I could, if it was about accounting.

I made it though the material and reviewed, reviewed and then reviewed some more.  I even learned to spell gastrocnemus and vastus medialis and a bunch of other fun medical terms.  And I am a terrible speller.

I also learned about how your body creates the energy to move and it was really interesting.  I still don't know why I can't run faster but maybe I'll figure that out someday too.

The other half of the exam was a series of short answer questions that created a fitness program for a fictitious client.  This is the part I was worried about.  I could only guess what type of things they would ask and I was a bit off. I am not sure the person who marks my paper will be able to read it on account of the shaking my hand was doing. Some stuff I thought I knew, didn't seem to make sense for the client I picked so I modified as best I could.  It remains to be seen how hard the trainer who grades it will laugh when she reads it.

When I was done, I was tempted to walk out and just be done.  But I thought, you got this far, check it over, you might be able to add something.  So I did. And I didn't add a thing.  I did change a multiple choice answer but knowing me, I had it right the first time.

So now I wait.  We are supposed to know pretty quickly so every time I get a personal email, my heart goes in my throat.

What I learned over the weekend though has very little to do with anything I studied.  Rather, the whole experience reminded me that I have a pretty amazing life.  I love my day job, and that's the kicker, I have a great job,  I don't need this.  I have a great family and I spent the weekend watching my younger son play football and soccer.  Life is good.

So if this doesn't pan out and I *gasp* fail, well, I tried, and I am going with the idea that it isn't meant to be.

And I keep dancing around the house singing, "I don't have to study, I don't have to study" because in case you don't remember, that's a pretty stellar feeling.

UPDATED: I PASSED!!!!!!!!