From: Curtis Phillips (phillipscurtis@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Thu Jan 11 2001 - 12:14:24 GMT-3
Michelle,
I am basically in the same boat. I am heading to RTP at the end of the month
for my second attempt. I experienced alot of the same thoughts and feelings as
you after the first try. In truth, it took me almost three months before I
could even open a book or power up my testbed. I felt like I was gut-punched..
Looking back I realize how ill-prepared I actually was. We are much better
than we were then and much better than we can see now.
It's good to know that others usually fail it the first time as well..
Of course all of us feel we are slightly more advanced than our peers and hope
to do better.. :-)
I think that it's interesting that as I approach this I feel prepared and ok
sometimes and other times I feel panicky, like there are glaring holes in my
understanding and abilities. Not too pleasant to vascilate between these two
points. I guess the thing is that we have to believe we are ready and will
handle anything that's presented to us.
I guess as I think about it I study as if I know little and maintain a belief
that I know a lot.
I think the important thing is to believe in yourself and your abilities.
Also, to reconcile yourself to the idea that failing is not the worst thing
and that if it takes another attempt, then so be it.
Good Luck to you.
Curtis
"Michelle T" <mtruman@mn.mediaone.net> wrote:
If anyone is feeling so inclined to, I would be interested in hearing about
second attempts. I am about to take mine and have been wondering a lot about
what it will be like. I took my first attempt in March of last year, so it
seems like it has been a long time. I remember being really surprised at how
un-prepared I was. I thought I knew routing and switching very well and had
a chance at passing the first time. Well, I was surprised to find that
routing and switching really were not my biggest problems, though I did not
know them as well as I thought I did. There is a big difference between
knowing how to get a protocol up and working and understanding the inner
workings of that protocol and the gotchas and rules. Most importantly, I
discovered that you will never get to the layer 3 stuff you feel comfortable
with if you can't get Layer 1 and 2 working flawlessly. I did ok on L1, but
layer 2 issues caught me very much by surprise. I felt I encountered just
about every frame format that exists in that lab on that day. And as I
frantically searched the CD and watched the time tick away at a surreal
speed, I realized I had a long way to go.
That night, knowing I would not make it the next day, I seriously
contemplated giving up. I think I knew deep down just how much time this was
going to take and had myself nearly talked out of it. Lucky for me I have an
understanding and encouraging spouse who gently kicked me in the butt and
got me going again.
I just looked back at a lab I had practiced on a lot before that first
attempt. It's from the U of M practice lab and I remember spending an entire
weekend on it. I think I could do it now in a couple of hours. But at the
time, I thought I was doing pretty well. Now I realize that it is so
important to know things right off the top of your head so you can have some
time for the things that don't quite make sense or for which there isn't an
obvious answer jumping out at you. Anyway, regardless of the outcome, I just
believe this will be a completely different experience and know that if I
pass, I will have earned it and if I don't pass, I don't have nearly as far
to go as I once did.
Thanks for your thoughts in advance!
Michelle Truman
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