Triumph Over the CompTIA Security+ Exam: One First-Timer’s Journey

I’m thrilled to share that I passed the CompTIA Security+ certification exam on my first attempt! For those of you who are feeling anxious about your readiness, I want to reassure you: the exam was not nearly as daunting as I had imagined.

While I won’t sugarcoat it—the exam certainly has its challenges—it was manageable. There were just a few questions that could have been phrased more clearly. As for the simulations, I had built them up to be a formidable hurdle in my mind, but in reality, they turned out to be much simpler than I anticipated.

I had envisioned the simulations requiring me to recall and input specific commands from memory. Instead, I found them to be more like matching questions or dropdown choices, which significantly reduced my anxiety. It was my initial fear of the simulations that led me to delay taking the exam, thinking I needed more preparation than I actually did. In hindsight, I realize I was psyching myself out for no reason.

For anyone gearing up to take this exam, my top piece of advice is to take practice tests after you’ve wrapped up your studies. Ensure you’re consistently passing those practice exams to build your confidence. If you encounter questions that stump you, don’t hesitate to skip them and mark them for later review. You may find that another question unlocks the clue you need to jog your memory. Be sure to mark those as well so you can revisit them at the end.

Lastly, I want to extend my gratitude to everyone in the Reddit community who shares invaluable insights, tips, and resources. Your support has been instrumental in my journey through the world of cybersecurity.

Best of luck to all aspiring candidates! You’ve got this!

Edit: Thank you all for your kind words and awards—your encouragement means a lot! I couldn’t have achieved this without your support.