As Memorial Day approaches (or any other holiday, for that matter), many of you may be taking some trips to take advantage of a 3-day weekend. That’s fantastic, especially if you’re celebrating the end of a testing window or just need to get away. But, for those of you who are hesitant to take some time off because you’re afraid you’ll lose too much study time, fear not! We’ve got some helpful and effective tips you can use to make sure you’re able to get out of town and enjoy some time in the sun!
1. Make a study plan and prepare your materials
The best thing you can do is create a side study plan for your trip. Take a look at your itinerary and how long you plan on being away. Set a study goal for what you want to accomplish, and make sure it’s realistic. This means you should take into consideration the activities and events you have planned and take note of when and where you’ll be able to study and for how long. Create a schedule to reach your end goal by the end of your trip and make sure you’re able to stick to it!
Equally important is double checking you have all of the study materials you need; this also means getting any additional materials you think will be helpful that you don’t have. So if you see that digital flashcards would be ideal for that hour when everyone’s taking a siesta before dinner, but you don’t have them, download them to your smartphone or tablet now just in case you encounter spotty internet wherever you’re traveling to. Set all your materials aside the night before so that they’re ready to grab in the morning. The worst thing you can do is leave any of your significant study aids at home and sabotage your entire study plan! Unless, of course, that’s what you unconsciously wanted the whole time (wink)!
2. Take advantage of the commute
Whether you’re traveling by air, sea, or land, the most obvious time you can take advantage of is the commute to reach your destination. Use your physical or digital flashcards, audio lectures, or multiple choice questions app to reinforce/learn old and new concepts. If you’re prone to getting motion sickness, the audio lectures will probably be the best way to go.
3. Study early in the morning or late at night
If it looks like your days are going to be jam packed, consider studying early in the morning or late at night when everyone’s asleep. It’s easy to get distracted by family and friends, especially when you’re on vacation, so if you want to make sure that you’re getting the fundamental hours of study time that you need to accomplish your study goals for this trip, do it when everyone’s sleeping. This way you won’t be interrupted and you’ll get some quality peace time to really delve into the material. Then, when everyone’s awake, you can participate in all the festivities. You CAN have your cake and eat it too!
4. Use mobile apps
You’ll find that mobile applications are already pretty convenient at home—but they’re even more convenient on the go and away from home. Download study material in mobile or tablet app form; these go a long way when you’re traveling from place to place so that you don’t have to lug your textbooks or computer everywhere. Use digital flashcards, practice questions, and lectures that are accessible at your fingertips and in a nifty, small, compact device. You literally will have the opportunity to study anywhere, anytime which makes reviewing or learning new concepts quite convenient, easy, and fast. And remember—these applications don’t require the internet to work, so if you’re in a place that isn’t always reliable with the wifi, you don’t need to worry about it!
5. Remember to have fun
You’re not going on vacation to study; and at the same time, you’re not taking a vacation from studying. Remember to find the medium. Get some CPA time in, but also take the time to enjoy yourself.
We hope you have an awesome time if you’re traveling, and wherever your travels take you, may the CPA Exam study tips be ever in your favor!