I usually curse my packrat tendencies. Especially when it comes to move yet another box of books into yet another third-floor apartment.
But this semester I am thanking my tendency to keep all my text books and notes from previous classes. I have used three textbooks from prior classes in the last four weeks. To supplement my studying for my FAR class, I have referenced my Intermediate textbook. To confirm what I was learning in my Advanced Accounting class compared to what I learned when I took it before, I have referenced my prior Advanced Accounting text and notes. And just today, to write a short paper on whether or not FASB should restart convergence between U.S. GAAP and IFRS, I referenced my International Accounting textbook and notes.
I suspect, before I’m done with the CPA exam, I will also have referred to my Business Law notes and textbook, my Auditing notes and textbook, and a few others that I haven’t even thought of yet. But there all sitting on my shelf, meticulously ordered and organized, on the off chance that I will need them again.
To be honest, this is the first time, basically ever, that holding onto my textbooks and class notes has served me well. Or at all. But I’m glad I was in the habit, because I would be kicking myself right now if I had resold my books and destroyed my notes.
