As someone who usually gets more nervous as the day progresses, I needed a plan for the morning. I made a firm decision: Zero studying. Instead, I went back to my distraction—researching the mystery of Lucy Gray from The Hunger Games. I spent the morning reading book chapters and scrolling through fan forums. I didn't find the answer to her fate, but I found something better: mental peace.
The Budapest Final Drive
I had a light lunch and headed to the Pearson Vue center in Budapest. The usual "panic-freeze" was missing. I acknowledged the possibility of failing again—it was a reality, after all—but I decided: "It’s not the end of the world. If I fail, I'll deal with it then. Right now, I just have 100 questions to solve."
The "Mentor" at the Desk
During the exam, I didn't just pick answers; I acted as a mentor. For every question:
- I thought through all options.
- I mentally explained why the correct one stood out and why the others were wrong ones.
- I checked the clock only at key milestones (Question 25, 50, 75, and 90) to ensure a steady pace—neither rushing nor dragging. I finished with exactly 2 minutes left on the clock.
The Victory
The exam administrator, who had handed me several "Failed" reports in the past, looked at the printer, then at me, and smiled. He was genuinely happy for me.
Result: PASSED.
The "two-minute warning" attack was successful. The "Try Again" loop was broken. I had one final mountain to climb: Part 3.
