My first attempt at the CCIE Voice lab in San Jose, CA is ten days away. I have the lesser part of a week to study in isolation. My wife took the two boys out of town to visit family. From now until Wednesday night, I will be labbing 12-16 hour days in preparation for my first attempt.
When I talk to people about my upcoming lab they all ask me how I feel. That’s a difficult question to answer. My personality is such that I am very hard on myself. If I feel 90%, I cut it down to 50% to be safe. It’s just part of my personality. I never plan on anything. I always assume the worst. Not good, I know, but it at least keeps me driving towards my goal.
My biggest struggle now is what to focus on in the next ten days. I don’t want to get tunnel vision and only focus on two or three concepts. I need to keep the entire blueprint in view. However, there are definite areas that I am weak in.
Does anyone have any suggestions on last-mile preparation?
This is a rough plan that I might follow:
Saturday – Aug 7th
- Before 8:00 AM – Review recent notes, determine key issues to test during the day
- 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM – Full lab with 30 minute lunch in between
- 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM – Break. Dinner. Relax.
- 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM – Grade my lab. Isolate specific issues.
Sunday – Aug 8th
- 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM – Quiet time of reflection
- 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM – Review recent notes, determine key issues to test during the day
- 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM – Full lab with 30 minute lunch in between
- 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM – Break. Dinner. Relax. Call wife.
- 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM – Grade my lab. Isolate specific issues.
Monday – Aug 9th
- Repeat previous day
Tuesday – Aug 10th
- Repeat previous day
Wednesday – Aug 11th
- 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM – Quiet time of reflection
- 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM – Full lab with 30 minute lunch in between
- 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM – Pick up wife and kids from airport. Dinner.
- 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM – Grade my lab. Isolate specific issues.
Thursday – Aug 12th
- 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM – Quiet time of reflection
- 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM – Review recent notes, determine key issues to test during the day
- 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM – Full lab with 30 minute lunch in between
- 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM – Dinner with family.
- 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM – Grade my lab. Isolate specific issues.
Friday – Aug 13th
- 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM – Quiet time of reflection
- 7:00 AM to 2:45 PM – Full lab with no lunch in between
- Rest of day – Spend time with family, date with wife, pack for trip
Saturday – Aug 14th
- 7:30 AM – Arrive at airport
- Airport/Plane – Read notes, mentally prepare
- 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM – Check into hotel and take a nap
- 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM – Read notes, mentally prepare
- 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM – Dinner with fellow CCIE study partner
- 7:00 PM to 8:00 AM – Call wife
- 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM – Scour Cisco’s documentation website
Sunday – Aug 15th
- 7:00 PM to 8:00 AM – Quiet time of reflection
- 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Read notes, mentally prepare
- 11:00 PM to 12:00 PM – Drive to Cisco’s Building C
- 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Find something to do in San Jose
- 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM – Scour Cisco’s documentation website
- 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM – Read notes, mentally prepare
- Rest of evening – Close my books, shut down the computer, take walk, listen to music.
Monday – Aug 16th
- 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM – Quiet time of reflection
- 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM – Get ready. Drive to Cisco.
- 8:15 AM to 5:10 PM – CCIE Voice Lab – Attempt #1
- 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM – Dinner with friend
Tuesday – Aug 17th
- Fly back home
Were it me, I'd be concerned that the studying the night before, plus normal nerves, would lead me to be up later than I'd like with stuff running through my brain. For myself, I'd limit study time on day before the test to no more than a couple of hours first thing, if that, and try to take the whole day as down time. FWIW.
Thanks for sharing..good luck