February 2, 2020, (11 years, 6 months, 16 days or 4215 days) since I took my very first exam in becoming a Licensed Architect.  About two months later our lives changed forever. Now, lets move forward to August 18, 2020.  I  go into the testing center with the hope of this being my last time to take an exam. The test is 4 hours and 15  minutes long. I use all the time allowed except the last five minutes.  I click END EXAM.  It is funny, I have taken multiple tests and my heart still starts races like I am about to commit some crazy adrenaline stunt.

It is racing because first, once you click the button, there is no going back.  You either Passed or Failed. When I started this process, it would take weeks before you would know.  It would come in a letter from the State Board you are testing from. You wouldn't have to open it, because the big fat letters that informed you PASS or FAIL are visible right through the letter. The postman knew before you did.  The second reason is now, the testing format has changed and you can find out "preliminary" test results.  After you click the END EXAM button, you are asked a few standard survey questions, then the final question asks if you would you like to view a preliminary assessment of your exam. I am not sure who clicks no, but to each their own.  I click the to view the preliminary results. It is one sentence. Blah, blah, blah...you more than likely passed (in blue letters) or more than likely did not pass (in red letters). The preliminary results showed blue text. Knowing I would get the official results the next day, I did not sleep, but that is OK, the adrenaline from taking the test and knowing I probably passed will get me through the day.  So, at 4am I got up (I was actually awake about 2:30). I logged into my record to verify that PASS was shown.

I was not sure how I wanted to acknowledge this accomplishment and share my news of completing these exams. As I was sitting in front of my computer getting ready to type something onto Facebook, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I had a rush of memories: A reminder of a test taken in Elementary School, that informed me that my choice of career of becoming an Architect was more than likely a fantasy; My seven years working as an associate at Walmart where I had incredible friends and support.  It was also a crossroads where I made the decision to go back to school and not pursue the Management program; Graduating with an Associates Degree and getting my first drafting job out of school, where again, I had incredible friends and mentors (and a work life lesson on sending a harmless email at the wrong time); Being interviewed by Dave and Chris and getting hired by a small to medium firm where I have met incredible people who I enjoy working with on a daily basis and who have become my second family;  Then came tears of joy as I was reminded of one of my last conversations I had with Mason. He told me that he was excited to see me become an Architect. Even though I did this for myself, he had the faith in my future accomplishments of becoming an architect.  He was a 9 year old boy going through something no child should go through. Yet he stayed positive and knew the great things people can do. Souls like his are very rare.

I am very proud of this accomplishment, but I did not accomplish all this by myself.  I had many friends and mentors along the way.  To each and every person that I have met along the way, I want to say THANK YOU.

Eddie Kempf (ed-mon)