The Final Countdown...take two

Well, here we are again -- less than two weeks out from this year's Masters of Wine exams. June 4-7, I'll find myself in Napa, splitting my time between blind tasting exams in the morning and written theory exams in the afternoons. And then I'll spend the summer waiting...and waiting...and waiting until September, when the results are announced.

Exams aside, I'm looking forward to the trip -- its always good to be reunited in person with my study group, plus I get my annual dose of vitamin sea. I'm especially looking forward to a few great meals of quintessential California cuisine, so different from the humble Midwest dishes I find myself surrounded by these days.

So, how am I feeling about the exams, and what are my last minute preparation strategies? I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I tend to err towards caution around negative thinking. I can't say that I'm a full blown devotee of The Secret, but I do believe in putting out what you hope to get back, and the power of positive thinking. With that in mind, I hesitate to write about my concerns about the exam, in fear that by putting those thoughts on paper, I am somehow manifesting them into being. But, I also strive for transparency, so I'm in a bit of a pickle here. I guess I'd say that I'm being haunted by a nagging feeling that I should have done more, or worked harder, this year in preparation. I certainly tried to make my MW studies a priority, but I honestly don't feel like I've made a lot of progress when compared to where I was this time last year. Of course I continue to hope to pass, but I really, really hope I don't do worse this go around -- as a reminder, last year I passed papers within the practical and theory and averaged a 'C' on both overall, falling short of the 'B' considered passing. I just don't want to walk into that room next month expecting failure, you know?

This year, I went back to basics, writing up definitions for key concepts from the MW syllabus and the past 10 years of papers, also turning them into flashcards for review (you can check those out here). I also submitted all of the PAMS and TAMS assignments -- I got pretty good feedback on the PAMS, and my usual 'just below threshold' on the TAMS (perhaps the most frustrating thing in the world). I did a blind tasting with a local MW to focus on my wine nemeses, neutral whites. I also did some online learning programs to home my essay skills. I worked on dry notes for the major grapes that show up time and again on the exams, and made outlines from past theory questions. I spent a lot of time focusing on exam strategy rather than knowledge building -- because, in theory (so to speak, harhar), I already have the knowledge. Maybe by writing this all out, I'm kind of convincing myself that I have put in the work and maybe I am ready for this thing? Wouldn't that be a positive twist.

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If we have a flight of 12 neutral whites on this year's P1 exam, I'm doomed.

(Don't you put that evil on me, Ricky Bobby!)

This year also brought challenges, and as I learned last year, learning to balance real life with the MW program is valuable yet extremely difficult. My parents are going through a later-in-life divorce, which has my mother currently living in my basement and my father getting ready to sell the place that has been 'home' for the last 20 years -- and that's on top of my grandfather passing last spring and the subsequent selling of that property and letting go of a lot of memories. So, my day to day life just looks a lot different than normal right now. On the other hand, I've also continued writing occasional short articles for Wine Enthusiast, which I find really fulfilling -- you can check out my pieces here. I've also moved into a more active role in wine production at the winery where I work, so it has been amazing to apply all of this theoretical knowledge I've amassed over the years. It has definitely been a year of twists and turns, and I should be proud that I stuck with it all the best I could.

During this final countdown, I'm continuing to do some of my regular prep -- dry notes, outlines, podcasts -- without trying to burn out or freak myself out. As I mentioned above, I'm also focusing on the other aspects of the upcoming trip that I'm excited about, so that I don't spiral thinking just about the exam. It is reassuring that I've done this once; I know what to expect and can be confident that I have the stamina to make it through the grueling exam days. Anyway, wish me luck, and I'll report back...eventually.

Currently listening to: my custom motivation playlist

Currently drinking: Chablis Premier Cru...neutral white, lees work, no new oak...alllll the things