First, bear in mind that you don’t need to know whether you’ve passed or not. If you studied hard, you deserve to celebrate! You’ve reached a major milestone. Have some fun!
Here are seven great ways to celebrate surviving the CPA Exam. You can adjust them to your personal style and preferences, but each of them is sure to boost your spirits, refresh your mind, and renew your motivation.
1. Throw a party with your friends.
Make a special effort not to talk about anything related to the Exam, or the profession in general. Be sure to invite the friends you’ve been neglecting in favor of studying. Inevitably, your friends will ask if you passed the Exam, or whether they can start calling you a CPA. Just smile and tell them that discussing anything CPA is off limits at your party.
2. Take your partner out on a date.
Chances are good that your significant other has been patient, supportive, and even helpful during your study sessions. Reward that wonderful person for their efforts with a nice, candle-lit dinner, or some other date you know they’d particularly enjoy. At the end of the date, make a special point of telling that person how much they’ve helped you and how much you appreciate their support.Read more/less
3. Catch up on your favorite movies and TV shows.
You probably haven’t spent much time watching television or movies in the past few months. Remind yourself how relaxing it can be! Throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave and curl up for some much-needed entertainment.
4. Get away from it all.
Choose a destination and go for it! Changing your environment can be very therapeutic. Even a short weekend trip can rejuvenate your strained brain. If natural settings help you relax, plan a camping trip. Or, if you’re a more urban person, visit a big city you’ve never explored. Of course, you can always plan some fun in the sun at a resort or beach. The point is to get as far away from the CPA Exam as you can afford to.
5. Pop the cork!
Nothing says celebration like popping the cork on a bottle of champagne (or a non-alcoholic alternative, if you like). Just hearing that distinctive sound, followed by a long fizzy pour into a glass can be incredibly satisfying. Even more satisfying is the knowledge that you’ve earned it.
6. Buy yourself something nice.
Some people call it retail therapy. Most people simply call it shopping. Whatever you call it, you’ll be giving yourself a nice reward for a job well done. Take a trip to your local mall, boutique, or electronics store and stimulate our economy!
7. Sleep in late.
This one is simple. Many CPA Exam candidates sacrifice sleep to gain extra study time. While we tend to discourage this practice for its inefficiency, it’s probably not going to stop anytime soon. Sleep may be the best reward for your hard work. Getting caught up on that lost rest may be the best thing for your mental and physical health. So, go ahead and get some rest.
No matter what you do, you should make sure to take some time to reward yourself for your successes. If you focus solely on the work and forget to reward yourself, you’ll rapidly grow discouraged with the entire process. Discouragement is something that you simply cannot afford.