Hi Leighann!
First off, "WELDCOME TO THE WORLD'S GREATEST WELDING FORUM!!! :) :) :)"
Now that I got that out of the way, it's okay to fail in the beginning dear! Everybody's done it!!! Heck , I know my first tests were'nt the greatest either girl. but you need to understand something more important that's going on here Leighann...
You are TRYING TOOO DARN HARD!!! RELAX!!! Don't forget to breathe!!! Slow down, take your time and remember this more than anything else... HAVE FUN!!! THat's right!!! Have fun the next time you take a test...
You're probably asking yourself right about now; "Is this guy serious???" Well, I've got to say that for me, it got a heck of a lot easier once I decided to lighten up on myself when I took a test many, many moons ago... And instead, I decided that this test was going to be nothing more than another spectacular weldment completed by yours truly!!! ;)
When I started to take each test with that sort of attitude, the results spoke for themselves and I was off to the races so to speak!!!
You see, welding cannot be properly done if one asserts unecessary pressure upon themselves by worrying about how important it is to pass the darn test...
If you focus soley on welding the way you know you're capable of, you'll do just fine, but if you've got all of this other stuff carrying on in your head besides what you're supposed to be focused on which is only one thing, then you will NOT DO WELL - PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!!
That's right! Clear your head and focus on the weld you will be dpeositing - one pass at a time, and before you even lay down one bead on the test plate, make darn sure to get a piece of scrap so you can tune up the machine you're working on before you even start on the test joint.
Remember that every failure eventually leads to success so long as you NEVER GIVE UP!!! Keep at it Leighann!!! You'll get it!!!
Now, I've got to take a break here because I've got to take my meds so, don't get discouraged, get determined because it's better to fail early to savor victory later as it should be! ;) Finally, I welded in a shipyard many, many moons ago, and it wasn't a bad experience at all...
In fact, I really learned how to weld anything and everything so to speak while working in one building some of the finest, most sophisticated, and deadliest vessels of mass destruction ever to be created by anyone, and some of those Submarines are still out there in the deep making sure to keep this Great Nation of ours safe from our obvious and not so obvious enemies... Now that's something I'm darn proud to say that I had a little part in building these vessels!!! Nothing bad at all about starting out welding in a shipyard dear!!! Nothing bad at all! ;)
Respectfully,
Henry