MY CSR EXAM EXPERIENCE

Two weeks have passed since the CSR exam in LA.  How did it go???  That's what everyone wants to know, of course, and I'll be happy to share! :)

Here's my summary of my first (and hopefully last!) CSR exam experience:

The hubby and I checked in to The Westin on Thursday afternoon, July 18th.  I set up my printer and laptop in the transcription room around 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. (I don't remember the times exactly anymore), then practiced for roughly an hour at the warm-up session that RAPS (Reporting Association of Public Schools) set up.

I went to sleep at 9:00 p.m.  I didn't have any problems falling asleep, but I did wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. :( I prayed with my hubby that I would have a good night's rest, went back to sleep, and thankfully slept wonderfully the rest of the night.  THANK YOU, LORD!!! :)

I woke up Friday morning at 5:00 a.m., alert and excited.  I practiced in my hotel room to my stash of recorded Qualifier warm-ups given at my school, Downey Adult School.  My husband got me my needed caffeine and carbs from the Starbucks kiosk in the hotel lobby, and I ate and drank between practice takes.

While inside our hotel room, my awesome husband helped calm me and prepare me for the task at hand -- killing the CSR exam... well, as much as I possibly could anyway!!!  He coached me to have ice in my veins, have laser sharp focus, and to put all my emotions (fear, excitement, anxiety) away to simply "take care of business."  He urged me to give 150% of my best effort to the CSR... nothing else mattered.  Once I hand in my transcript, that is when I could "let go" and cry or laugh or complain about the test (haha!), but not anytime beforehand!  Tunnel vision.

We stood in line waiting for Group No. 2's turn to face the CSR exam.  While waiting in line, I honestly felt like a prized boxer going into the ring because my hubby was rubbing my shoulders and upper back, trying to relax me, which helped a lot!  I took big, deep breaths and stared at the wall or the ground to remain focused.

Then it was our turn!  I handed the proctors my application and found a seat in the dictation room.  I had to switch seats after everyone was seated since I needed an outlet (yup, I still rock the Stentura 200 SRT, but I cannot wait to get my professional machine... soon please!).  The panel of readers were very poised, calm, professional, and friendly.  One of them even kept cracking jokes, trying to relax us, which I very much
appreciated! :)

The panel gave their introductions, the little warm-up, and then the actual CSR dictation was read.  I heard everything clearly and the whole test sounded like a 180 rather than a 200, so that was awesome!  However, I wasn't able to stop my hands from shaking due to the nerves. :( They were shaking so badly!  All I can do is hope to GOD that despite the shaking, my hands were able to write down the correct words.

When I went in to the transcription room, I didn't use the full 3 hours given.  I know that I tend to second-guess myself, so I only took as much time as I felt would be beneficial.  If I over-think, bad things happen. :) I may have been in there 1.5 to 2 hours.  I compared my transcript with my steno notes, printed out a rough draft, looked up words in the dictionary, and went over my rough draft again and again.

Thankfully, I didn't come across any horrible untranslated sections of my transcript, so I'm really, really, keep-your-fingers-crossed, hoping for a pass!!!  We'll find out by the end of August.  I'll keep you all updated!

If it's not a pass, of course I'll be very disappointed because I did my absolute best... but then again, I WON'T have any regrets BECAUSE I did my absolute best!!!  If I have to go a second time to the CSR, I will use the same techniques I employed this first time... and we'll get a road trip out of it, too! :) It's seriously only a matter of time until I'm a licensed CSR -- Certified Shorthand Reporter of the State of California!!!  And for that, I'm so excited!!!  OH YEAH!!!  THANK YOU, LORD!!!  And thank you all for your support, interest, prayer, and encouragement along this long, wonderful, crazy court reporting journey!!!

So now that I'm waiting for the CSR exam result, I'm keeping busy by studying for the WKT (written knowledge test) portion of the exam -- English, medical, legal, and procedures.

By the way, I'm on Facebook now... so if you're a court reporting friend, please friend me!  My name is "StenoNerd Christine."  Thanks! :)

GOOD LUCK TO THE CSR CANDIDATES!!!

I just want to wish GOOD LUCK to all the CSR candidates, especially the lovely ladies that I recently graduated with.  BEST WISHES to Joanne, Caryn, Michelle, Mindee, and Allison!!!

I know you'll all do great!  WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

Dear Readers, please wish us luck too... and a prayer or two wouldn't hurt either!  Pray that we will have nerves of steel, all our equipment will work properly, and that we all will give 125% effort... so that whatever happens, we'll be satisfied that we indeed did our best... and that's enough. :) THANK YOU!!!

GRADUATION CELEBRATION!!!

Yesterday we had our graduation celebration at DAS (Downey Adult School).  It was awesome to finally graduate!!! :)

BIG CONGRATS to my fellow grads and CSR exam candidates.  I'm really happy to be surrounded with a great bunch of positive, kind, and smart court reporters! :)

My hubby was able to attend and show his support.  I'm so glad he was there since he's my biggest fan! :)

Certificate of Accomplishment!

Proud Smile!

Celebration Cake!

I made little gifts for our teachers to show my appreciation.  I'm really grateful that I came to DAS and learned under their guidance.  

I also made goodie bags for my fellow grads.  By graduating the court reporting program, they have accomplished a feat that 90% or so of those who first start the program, never achieve.  So kudos to us!!! :)

It was so fun putting these presents together.  Here are some pics:

A BIG THANK YOU to my husband, family, and dear friends who have cheered me on and prayed for me throughout my court reporting journey in school.  This phase in my life will soon come to an end, thankfully, and my new phase as a working licensed reporter is just around the corner.  ALL GLORY TO GOD!!!  YAY!!!  I'M SO EXCITED!!! :) :) :)

Lastly, let me encourage those who are in court reporting school.  I know how frustrating and difficult this program is... BELIEVE ME, I DO!!!

• I urge you never to quit.  If you never quit, you'll eventually get to your destination!  
• Keep a positive attitude.  You can't go far with negativity, but when you're positive, open, and humble, wonderful things happen.  
• Surround yourself with people who will cheer you on.  Stay away from those who gossip, malign, or refuse to truly support you in your court reporting journey.  
• Set mini goals, meet them, and get an instant boost of confidence.  You should have goals for the day, week, month, and quarter.
• Learn more and more briefs.  They'll only help you gain more speed, if you use them without hesitation.
• Don't be afraid to ask your teachers for help.  They want you to succeed and they've been in the field for a number of years.  They know a tip or two to share with you, if you'll just ask.
• Reach out to fellow students and court reporting mentors who are an invaluable source of inspiration, guidance, and resource.  We're truly the only ones who understand one another, so keep in touch.
• Track your achievements and count them.  Pat yourself on the back if you raised your accuracy rate by 5% instead of beating yourself up because you didn't pass today's test.  You're inching your way toward passing that test, so you're going in the right direction.  It's only a matter of time till you pass, if you never quit trying.
• Have a life outside of court reporting.  Sometimes we can get so focused and overwhelmed with passing a speed, that we have too much tunnel vision and then suffer from it.  What kept me sane was going out to movies with my hubby, getting creative with photos, cakes, and presents, and hanging out with good friends.  Find your balance.  Often when I'm relaxed, I do much better in class. 

Anyway, those are some tips I can think of offhand.  If you ever need more specific encouragement, please never hesitate to email me at StenoNerd@gmail.com.  One of the biggest reasons I have this blog is to help fellow court reporters out there... because I've been helped by others, too.  Let's keep this wheel of court reporting love turning. :)

NIGHTTIME JITTERS

Coffee works a little too well for me!  Yesterday, Monday, I didn't stay in school very long at all.  As soon as the Qualifier was given, I packed my things to go home because I had a tummy ache.  I think it was something I ate at my mom's little birthday party on Sunday.  Maybe the food had been sitting out too long, and it was super hot.  Perhaps the culprit was my own homemade birthday cakes that I had made for my mom and my good friend, both July babies.

Check out my first attempt at baking a cake!  Haha!  Seriously, it was my very first time ever to bake a cake... and I went ahead and did two! :P Why?  Because I wanted... needed (!) to do something creative since I've been practicing like a madwoman and thinking of the CSR exam... um, almost every single second of every single day!  I needed a break in my one-track mind! :)

Anyway, as I was saying, I left school early yesterday and didn't practice very well at home because of my tummy ache.  Finally, around 4:00 p.m., I felt better.  Because I hadn't been practicing very well, I made myself some homemade iced coffee (just brewed a regular cup at home and immediately put it in the fridge to cool) to help me stay alert to practice well.  Um... it worked... too well!  I practiced at home, then tried to sleep around 10:00 p.m... and it is just not happening!  I finally got up at 2:00 a.m. and practiced some more on my steno machine!  Now, I'm on here posting this. :)

I thought... why not just get up and practice?  I'll probably be this anxious the night before the CSR exam anyway, so why not just practice as though the CSR exam is tomorrow and see how I do.  That's what a good friend of mine did when she passed the CSR exam on her first attempt.  She was so excited and anxious for the CSR exam that she hardly slept at all the night before... but she didn't let that lack of sleep get in her way at all!  She managed to get in a few winks of rest, woke up super early, practiced a bit, got dressed as if she was going on a job, and then killed the CSR exam!  I would love to follow in her amazing footsteps!

This not being able to sleep also reminds me of Michael Phelps and what happened to him during the 200-meter butterfly at the 2008 Olympics.  He had a "wardrobe malfunction" with his goggles and they started to fill up with water.  He couldn't see a thing!  Check this out...

Phelps' coach had been training Michael to fight for his wins no matter what crazy thing happened... whether Phelps wasn't feeling well, whether his goggles filled with water, whether a competitor tried to play mind games... through anything and everything, Phelps was trained to remain focus and swim to win.  And he definitely did!

That's how I believe we CSR candidates should be going into the CSR exam.  Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.  Push through no matter what happens!  There's bound to be a chair we're not comfortable with, a person whose machine is too rattly, a speaker with an awkward accent, an AC vent blasting in your direction, a fire engine blaring down the street, a sneeze.  Through anything and everything, we have to remain calm... focused.... and write to pass.

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! (MY LESSON LEARNED)

I have good news to share... and a lesson learned to share...

The Good News:  I passed a 3rd Qualifier on June 24th... and a 4th Qualifier on July 2nd!!!  WOO HOO!!! :D :D :D THANK GOD!!! :D :D :D 

I'm very happy with the passes!!!  I'm just hoping and praying that these mock CSR exams (what Qualifiers are, essentially) will also translate into a pass at the actual CSR exam on July 19th.  Yikes!  Only 11 more days away!  As my husband has encouraged me to say... BRING IT!!!

I think I've prepared my butt off for the fateful day, so whatever happens... happens.  I'm ready.  I won't have any regrets because I know I've prepared myself as best as I can.  I've given myself my best opportunity for a pass.  If I don't pass it on my first attempt, that's okay.  There's another opportunity waiting for me in November.  I won't look at myself as a failure at all... because I, along with my fellow CSR candidates, have done what very few can say... completed court reporting school, passed Qualifier, and made it all the way to the CSR exam.  It's now all just a matter of time on when I get that coveted California Certified Shorthand Reporter license.  I'll keep digging till I hit gold!!!  AKA I'll keep testing till I pass that exam!!!  No worries. :) I shall...

Now for the Lesson Learned: I could have passed a 5th Qualifier in the last week of June!!! :( The problem was my proofreading skills were seriously lacking... and honestly, I got sloppy and perhaps overly confident.  I always print a rough draft before turning in my final transcript for a re-grade.  In my attempt to save paper, though, I only re-printed the pages that I had marked up on my rough draft and then collated those into the original pages I had printed earlier.  Well, something screwy happened with my CAT software and it duplicated a whole entire line... and I didn't catch it... and it cost me 9 errors... putting me over a 52 total errors... which is not a pass at 97.4% accuracy. :( A pass is 50 errors at 97.5% accuracy.  I missed it by only 2 points and 0.1%.  Talk about frustration!!!

So what I've learned: Always, always print out everything and always, always go over the final hard copy one more time before submitting it.  I'll never make that mistake again!!!  My husband told me that it's a good thing that this happened during school and not at the CSR exam... and he's right.  Perspective.  So I'm grateful that this lesson has been learned on this side of my first CSR exam attempt.

Tomorrow is the day we get our diplomas!!!  So excited!!!  I'll share with you all about it soon!  Till then...

Thanks for reading... :)