Exams…
This hasn’t been a particularly good week for me in terms of exams.
I had a practical assessment that went really well, until after I’d finished and realised that I’d left out one of the mandatory items. The assessor didn’t seem to notice, because it got ticked, but I’m waiting to get the call back.
Then last night’s exam threw me a few curly questions that I wasn’t expecting, and so hadn’t prepared for. I’m hoping that I threw together enough waffle to get across the line, but I wasn’t feeling too optimistic last night.
I’ve got a fitness test this afternoon, and due to this cold/cough thingy, I haven’t really run or done much exercise for a few weeks. Hopefully I can do enough to get through, I really don’t want to be down here for another three months…
July 31st, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Well, I surprised myself and got 11 on the beep test, which isn’t bad considering I haven’t run in about 3 weeks. I was coughing and wheezing by the end, but I got there which felt pretty good.
I’ve not heard anything about the assessment that I think I stuffed up yesterday, results are out Monday, so we’ll see.
Week 12 is over, bring on week 13. Ethics exam Monday night, but I don’t have any classes at all on Monday, so plenty of time for last minute cramming. Thursday morning I think we have our final defensive tactics practical, which might be fun… lots of punching, kicking, running, screaming, crying etc… and that’s just during roll call.
After that there’s just a couple of exams and we’re done (in theory).
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:10 pm
11… whoah- nice work wheezy one! Can’t believe how quickly this time is coming to an end…
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:10 pm
that was me just then… sorry
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Hi Fi (if that IS your real name).
I passed the assessment that I was worried about. One more down, two more practical tests this week (Wednesday and Friday).
Exam tonight is Ethics, which they test by multiple choice exam. Nice, huh?
Traffic and law next week, and in theory I’m finished.
Phew. Can’t wait.
August 3rd, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Wow…I can’t believe how quick the last few weeks have gone…I’m sure that they haven’t been as quick for you though!
How did you go on your target tests?
That’s great about your beep test!
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I passed my shoot a couple of weeks ago. Went ok, I dropped a couple of shots on the one handed shooting, which I’m normally pretty good with, but I’m putting that down to nerves.
Just finished the Ethics exam. I was out of there in less than half the allocated time, for better or worse. It was basically just a comprehension exam, so I think I did ok.
Can’t wait to be done, but the time sure has flown by.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
I’m hanging out for the results of last Thursday night’s exam – part of it has a 100% pass mark, and I’m not sure I got there with all of my answers… I’m hoping the results will be posted up on the notice board tomorrow, for the sake of my sanity!
I feel ok about last night’s exam, so hopefully that will all be ok.
I have to do a practical assessment tomorrow afternoon, which is a re-sit of one I did a couple of weeks ago (where we should have sprayed, but didn’t feel justified). Hopefully this one will be more clearcut so we can just get it over and done with.
Friday morning we have our assessment for defensive tactics. That’s all the kicking and punching and throwing people around. We had a review class for 4 hours this morning, which was a bit of fun. At one stage I was partnered up with a female friend, and I was supposed to knock her down. I hit her, and as she was falling I must have had a brain explosion, because I just reached out and caught her. Probably not ideal if it was a real situation, but it got a few giggles, and more than a few strange looks. She couldn’t stop laughing, saying that it was a ‘nice thing to do’, but at the same time not sure why I had done it. I could offer no explanation beyond the fact that it just felt strange to be knocking a friend flat on her back. Hopefully I don’t do that in the assessment.
Once that’s done (and hopefully I won’t have any problems!) I just have final law exam on Monday, and final traffic exam on Tuesday. And then it’s all done, while we wait for results… the really nervous part!
Can’t believe how fast it’s gone, but at the same time I don’t really remember not doing the course, if that makes sense? I feel like I’ve been doing it for so long…
August 5th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Passed that class I had to re-do, which is a huge weight off my mind. Still waiting on results for the last two exams (the weapons one is due out this afternoon some time, but no word yet), but I feel better just being up to date with everyone else now.
Bring on Friday’s assessment, I’m keen to get it finished.
Now I think I’ll go for a run.
August 5th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Do you think if someone told you 7 years ago that you would be going jogging (I think that’s a soft J) you would’ve believed them?
August 5th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Found out that I passed the weapons exam. They haven’t published results, just ‘pass’ or ‘fail’, so I can’t even get all disappointed in myself for not scoring high enough. Ethics results are due out at 5pm tomorrow, so at least I have a timeframe for that.
Just got back from a really good run with a girl from here who’s in to things like ultra marathons and other ridiculously hard fitness things. I’ve been fairly well humbled by her after only 8 or so kms, and even got a blister because I was wearing crappy socks which rubbed on my foot, in my shoes which are wearing out quickly… excuses, excuses… and NO – I wouldn’t have thought I’d be doing all of this a few years ago.
I’m feeling very positive at the moment, hope the feeling lasts. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel – there’s so many things which have been ticked off, and only a few left to do.
August 6th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Ethics passed. Yay. Even got a decent mark.
Def Tac in the morning, feeling quietly confident and keen to get it out of the way, so that I can focus on Law and Traffic.
It’s getting so close now that I can smell the fumes…
August 7th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Def Tac finished. All went well. Very pleased overall.
Now I’m going to start packing up my room so that I don’t have to take so much home next weekend when we have to clear out. Feels so good to be this close. Just Law and Traffic finals to go.
August 10th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
1 more to go, 1 more to go, hi ho the dairyo, 1 more to go!
August 10th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
True story!
Had the two Law exams this morning which was fairly challenging, but very glad to be finished with that for now. As much as I’ve enjoyed learning new things, I think I’ll enjoy having a bit of a break from studying for exams for a little while. I’ll have enough on my plate starting a new job and dealing with the ongoing assignments throughout the first year anyway…
Just Twaffic to go tomorrow. There’s a lot to learn in there, but I think I can probably scrape through. There’s an assignment that we get back either tomorrow night or Wednesday morning that I’d completely forgotten about in all the ‘excitement’ of studying up for exams. Hopefully that’s gone well also.
Can’t wait for my week off next week – if anyone’s free during the day I’m keen to wander around the coffee shops of Sydney-Town…
August 11th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Twaffic is done!
I felt fairly confident with most of my answers, but there were a few curly ones in there. Just need 70% to pass though, so hopefully should be ok.
I’m free until 1pm now, so very happy.
We have mock court tomorrow, and we won’t find out until the last minute whether one of our cases has been chosen to be heard by the magistrate. I wouldn’t mind having a go, but it’ll be a bit nerve racking. Good practice though, I suppose.
August 11th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
This is a strange day.
I’m stoked that exams are finished with, and we just have to wait for the results over the next few days. I’m excited to be almost finished with this initial stage of training and beginning a new career. I’m looking forward to a week off next week, where I can just hang out and not have anything due or pressing.
But it’s also a bit of a sad day.
A few people I’ve known for the past months while I’ve been doing this course have failed various assessments today (shooting etc), and this was their final re-sit. Some of them might come back next session, others have decided that it’s all too much for them and they’re dropping out. I haven’t really spoken to many of them, but I’ve seen a few tear-streaked faces, and a few people are just… gone… rooms empty, and cars gone.
This is a strange place.
August 12th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Wow…it must be an awesome thing to accomplish something so significantly different, scarey, strenuous and life changing! Well done Pete, no matter what the results are, because you have achieved great things!
Can’t wait to see you in uniform and armed ready for action!
August 13th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Law passed. Phew. Did pretty well, but not fantastic marks. Good enough at this stage though. Twaffic results come out tomorrow mid-morning, but we won’t get to see them until later, because the morning will be spent marching around and preparing for our final parade. Boo.
Quite a few people failed the final Law exam, so they won’t find out until tomorrow afternoon whether they’re eligible for a re-sit. Again, a few people who have been in our ‘tribe’ since the beginning all those months ago aren’t very happy tonight.
August 13th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
That must be pretty deflating after such a full on session for them- Glad I don’t know them- means I can celebrate your successful journey more!!!! Hooray!!! Well done!! Bravo!!! Now you can wander round going- what did I use to spend my time doing before the exams came to visit?!? And twiddle your thumbs and stuff…
August 14th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Twaffic passed. Yay.
That’s all of my subjects passed, so I’m home for a week off, then back down south to march around and learn how to stand still for a week. After that, work starts.
That’s the scary bit.
Quite a few people have failed various subjects, and have either given up entirely or else are waiting to see if they’re granted the re-sits that they need. It’s so heartbreaking to see these sad faces in the midst of all the others who are ecstatic about passing. Some people have been quite compassionate, while others are completely oblivious to what their classmates are going through – which doesn’t bode well for their future careers, in my opinion.
Luckily, I’m not in charge of who passes and who fails, because my criteria might not be the most fair… but at least I’d be happy…