When I started my journey at AssistU last August, I knew it would be a long journey.  AssistU is a graduate level program for Virtual Assistants.  It has been called the Harvard of the VA world, and it has been worth every second and every penny so far.

While the actual course itself didn’t officially begin until November 9, there was a bit of a ramp up prior to starting.  And, since then, I have dedicated 15-20 hours a week to the program and to my business as it related to it.  With over 400 hours, and lots of work invested, sitting for this final exam seems like a bitter-sweet end to the program.  The final arrives today by 6 PM EST and I have until Monday at 9 AM EST to turn it in.  Those I have spoken to, who have taken the exam before me, said it took 30-37 hours to complete, so I know what the next three days will be like.  Hard work.  I also have to have an 80% or greater to pass, and not passing the final means not passing the class, so that would me a lot of time down the drain.  Not passing is not an option. 🙂  I have scheduled my time like this:

Friday

•  Sleep as late as I want and take an afternoon nap
• Check for final until I receive it: 6 PM EST
• Back the final up to Dropbox so I can’t lose my work
• Read through the whole final
• Map out how long I think each page or section will take to complete
• Set aside the time for each section, editing, and proofreading
• Set my kitchen timer for 2 hours
• Begin taking the final for 2 hours
• Stop, get up, bathroom break, quick fresh air break for 15 min then back to final.
• Work until no later than midnight at this pace

Saturday:

• Wake up at 8 AM and evaluate where I am against where I thought I would be
• Begin final with same 2 hour increments with 15 minute breaks every 2 hours
• Break at 8 PM to evaluate where I am against where I thought I would be and adjust plan if necessary
• Work until I feel ineffective on Saturday night and go to bed

Sunday:

• Wake up at 7 AM
• Evaluate where I am against where I thought I would be.  Am I clear about how long this will take to finish today so that I can clear my head to edit and proofread?
• Go to church at 9 AM ONLY if I think I can
• Begin final with same 2 hour increments with 15 minute breaks every 2 hours
• Break at 3 PM to evaluate where I am against where I thought I would be and adjust plan if necessary
• Complete the exam by 7:00 PM if possible
• Eat dinner and take break outside if possible (1 hour)
• Take a long warm bath (30 minutes)
• Proofread final for first time. (9 PM – midnight?)

Monday:

• Get up at 5 AM
• Read through ignoring content to make sure every question is answered
• Eat breakfast and take a brisk walk outside
• Proof-read content for the last time
• Submit final by 9 AM EST
• Do happy dance (waist up thanks to my sprained ankle) and collapse, whichever comes first

I went shopping yesterday.  Kroger has motorized carts, so I was able to get around very easily.  I got healthy Amy’s pre-packaged meals that I can heat in the oven (or microwave, worst case scenario) and eat easily.  I have limited time (and ability) to do dishes, so this will help.  While I am not a fan of prepackaged meals, I went gluten-free and vegan and am adding a green salad to those meals so that I still have raw in there.  I also got gluten-free english muffins and eggs for breakfasts, so while I am not eliminating flour with these meals I am eating fairly clean.

A wonderful new friend, Lisa, who takes her final in June (she is still in week 17 of the AssistU VTP) sent me these wonderful raw walnut biscotti and raw trail mix from Wild Mountain Raw Foods near her home in Salida, Colorado.  Such a sweet thing to do, and much appreciated.  I am saving them for tomorrow, when I know I will need them most.

My ankle was still pretty swollen this AM so I am typing this with it elevated.  My neck and back are pretty sore from laying around this way so I was hoping that the swelling would be gone by today.  I am going to focus on getting it down by tonight so that I may be able to sit at my desk and proofread by Sunday night.  Ice, elevate, repeat.  I am doing well so dar as long as I keep my headache under control I will be okay.

Well, I am off to read through some more information and take a nap before the final arrives.  I will report back to everyone on the other side… Wish me luck! 🙂