done

I took the boards today.  I am exhausted - I feel as if someone just dropped me off a cliff.

I kept waking up in the middle of the night for the past two nights, haunted by all the questions I didn't do from the q-bank.  But it's okay.  It's done.

The adrenaline was so high the day before my exam I literally couldn't sit still to study - could feel my heart pounding and the trembly nervousness I normally would only get before going onstage (but I don't even get that much stage fright).  I had to blow it all off and go for a run by the water, the full run, just so I'd be tired enough to sit there for another few hours.  Quit at 5 pm, wished my roommate a safe flight (she had finished long before me and was going on vacation), and took my bike and (cruddy forgot the helmet!) zoomed down to check out the testing center and was thrilled that no taxi ran me over. Bought a sub for lunch on test day and came back, reviewed a few more questions and did the tutorial for the exam so I'd have more break time.  Reviewed a few more things, gave up that I wouldn't be able to review everything.

I forced myself to go back to sleep when I woke up last night.  Got solid probably 9 hours in.  I kept checking my passport, driver's license, test confirmation, list of things to bring - just had this nagging feeling I'd missed something important.  But what?  Anyway, got to the testing center at 8:30 am on the dot, half an hour before my exam, showed my ID and confirmation - and it wasn't the right piece of paper!  I was supposed to print out a different document confirming my eligibility for the exam.  "Where can I print?" I asked the lady. 

"Burger King, across the street."  I got there and miraculously there was an internet cafe and printers there.  I put in some cash and printed my document, but judging from the panicky other person in there, there was another student who had done exactly what I had done.

But she was going nuts.  I tried to help but it turned out she had registered for Step 3 (in residency?) and was a foreign student, so I didn't know how she had registered.  She kept asking me, "Please don't leave!" I stayed ten minutes and tried to help, but didn't know how she had registered.  I finally gave her a hug and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know how to help.  So sorry, I really have to go."  I felt really bad, but if I showed up later than 9 am, I might not be able to take my exam.  I hope she figured it out.  My guess is that it was okay (there is a half hour buffer).

I went back, promptly took the wrong elevator to the 45th (!) floor, had to go back, made it with two minutes to spare.  The lady at the desk looked at me, said, "Calm down, honey," and I calmed down and took the exam.

I ended up leaving for five minutes between every section, and before I knew it.... done!

I didn't even get hit by a taxi on the way home.