π 2 Atlassian Associate Certifications in One Night? Hereβs What Happened π
Hi Atlassian Community! π
After sharing my journey of completing 6 Atlassian Associate certifications in 3 weeks, I wanted to share one of the most memorable (and slightly stressful π ) moments from that experience.
π There was one night where I actually took 2 certification exams back-to-back:
- ACA-920 Confluence Essentials
- ACA-905 Jira Software Board Configuration
But hereβs the funny partβ¦ I didnβt plan it that way. π
I accidentally scheduled both exams on the same date and around the same time. By the time I noticed the conflict, it was already too late to reschedule.
When I realized both exams were booked at almost the same time.
π What happened
I started with the Confluence Essentials exam first.
During the check-in, the proctor noticed that I had another exam scheduled around the same time my Jira Software Board Configuration exam.
The scheduling mistakeβtwo exams, same night.
The proctor told me that he could move the time of my next exam so I could focus on the current one first.
That helped a lot.
I told him I would finish Confluence within about an hour, then jump to the next exam.
Because the time was adjusted, I was able to focus on Confluence without worrying too much about the overlap.
π§ββοΈ How I handled it
I finished the Confluence Essentials exam in about 1 hour.
After that, I shifted my mindset to the Jira Software Board Configuration exam.
That second exam required a completely different focus. Board configuration is much more detailed and includes:
- Board filters
- Columns and statuses
- Swimlanes and quick filters
- Scrum vs Kanban behavior
- How board settings affect what users actually see
The key for me was simple:
π Donβt panic.
I reminded myself that I had already prepared. The schedule wasnβt ideal, but the work had already been done beforehand.
π‘ What helped me
The biggest thing that helped me was hands-on experience.
- Confluence Essentials felt manageable because I was already familiar with pages, spaces, and collaboration
- Jira Software Board Configuration required more focus, but I could relate the questions to real Jira usage
Another big factor was the proctorβs support. Since they adjusted the schedule, I could focus on each exam one at a time.
Looking back, taking the easier exam first also helped. It gave me momentum before moving to the more challenging one.
π What I learned
The biggest lesson from this experience is simple:
π Always double-check your exam schedule. π
Check:
- Exam title
- Date and time
- Timezone
- Overlapping bookings
I was lucky that the proctor noticed the issue and helped me adjust, but itβs better not to rely on that.
π My advice
If youβre planning to take Atlassian certifications:
1. Double-check your schedule
Make sure everything is correct before confirming
2. Avoid booking exams too close together
Give yourself time to reset
3. Take the easier exam first
Build momentum before tackling the harder one
4. Focus on one exam at a time
Donβt think aheadβstay present
5. Take a quick mental reset
Even a short break helps
6. Trust your preparation
If you studied well, stay calm and go for it
Despite the schedule mix-up, both certifications completed successfully.
π Related post
This experience was part of my journey completing all 6 Atlassian Associate certifications in 3 weeks.
π 6 Atlassian Associate Certifications in 3 Weeks: All in March
π Final thoughts
Taking Confluence Essentials and Jira Software Board Configuration on the same night was definitely stressful.
Would I recommend doing it on purpose? Probably not π
But it turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of my certification journey.
π Curious to hear from you
Has anyone else:
- Taken multiple certification exams in one day?
- Or accidentally booked exams too close together?
How did you handle it?