Not everyone is good at taking tests. I am. Very good.
Years of state-sponsored testing in public schools, my private school experience  in  high school, SAT prep courses, my relentless need for validation,[^1] and my natural competitive streak all combined to create a mind that can destroy a multiple-choice test like how a joint Mafia-CIA operation killed JFK.[^2]

Imagine, then,  my surprise after finishing the coursework for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 exam and getting 44% on the practice test. I have never scored a 44%! Something was missing in my studies. Watching videos narrated by the most nasally monotone white man since Ben Stein[^3] followed by a practice test was not enough to cram this dry and, in the case of hardware, far-removed content into my overstuffed brain.

The Necessity of a Teacher in Learning

I needed a teacher. All students need teachers. Individuals who know the material well enough to craft after-lecture exercises that solidify learning. Without structured reinforcement, how else can I build a Tech Concept Cabinet in my Memory Palace[^4]—one that stores motherboard form factors, CPU socket connectors, and Northbridge chipsets?

But there are no teachers for me.
Instructor-led classes are off-limits because they run during working hours[^5] I am a lowly first-tier nobody with a near-perfect QA score,[^6]. I am anticipating a fight just to request reimbursement for testing vouchers. Alas,  no chance for discussion or customized essay questions, which is how I learn.

Or is there? That’s right—it’s Copilot![^7]

Can AI Help Me Learn?

I know, I know—AIs make mistakes. They struggle to distinguish fakes from reality.[^8] But here’s the thing: I trust that the first giant data dump Copilot received was about how computers work. How networking works. Every non-experimental, non-top-secret Windows, iOS, macOS, and Linux product ever created. These are tangible, real, logical concepts, and Copilot never gets them wrong—unless I ask the same question repeatedly, forcing its generative AI core to hallucinate.[^9]

Best Practice for Generative AI

Think of a Generative AI like a djinn—but specifically the Elizabeth Hurley Devil in Bedazzled.[^10]
You get three tries to ask for exactly what you need. Generative AI is programmed to create novel responses every time, so the more you repeat a question, the more likely you’ll receive hallucinated content. Don’t be Brendan Fraser as a Colombian drug lord or a white NBA star with a tiny, tiny dick—you’re just gonna confuse the AI while chasing perfection.

Copilot as My Learning Companion

I asked Copilot to craft essay questions two solidify key concepts from the test as homework.

Imagine this: before I started  my homework,  I was swimming,  wearing my only clean bathing suit whose wet ties were cutting into my neck so for LGA Sockets, a  black jade torso in a too small bathing suit with her ample black jade boobies almost hanging out. Right next to what a Plenum rating means for network cabling. A Waterfall about to douse the flames engulfing black torso in a too tight bathing suit.

Here are the highlights of our conversation:[^11]

CompTIA A+ Exam Prep Topics

• Networking: Ports & Protocols
  • Listed essential ports (FTP, SSH, DNS, DHCP, SMB, CIFS, ARP, SNMP).
  • Explained Telnet’s security risks and why SSH is a safer alternative.
  • Quizzed on secure remote access protocols.
• Hardware: CPU Sockets & Connectors
  • Explained CPU location on the motherboard and its connection via LGA, PGA, and BGA sockets.
  • Reviewed common CPU sockets (Intel LGA 1700, AMD AM4, and AM5).
  • Provided resources for identifying motherboard models remotely.
• Learning Strategies: Flashcards & Essays
  • Discussed how researching and writing flashcards improve memory retention.
  • Explored the benefits of essay writing for key concepts in hardware, networking, mobile devices, and troubleshooting.
• Safe Practices for In-Person Technicians
  • Outlined ESD prevention, cable management, environmental awareness, fire safety, and documentation.
  • Highlighted essential steps to prevent damage and ensure technician well-being.

My Homework: Essay Questions

• Hardware: How do CPU, RAM, and storage interact? Explain cache memory and compare SSDs vs HDDs.
• Networking: What are the most common network issues? How do tools like ipconfig, ping, and tracert help troubleshoot?
• Mobile Devices: Compare Android vs iOS in security, updates, and enterprise device management.
• Troubleshooting: Apply the CompTIA troubleshooting methodology to diagnose a computer that won’t power on.
• Safe Practices: Explain ESD protection, cable management, and proper hardware handling for in-person technicians.

Turning My Study Plan into a Real Project

I won’t just copy answers—the point is to do the homework.
I want to build a motherboard diorama to scale, with diagrams of the Northbridge and Southbridge chipsets.
I want to create a poster board project explaining cable connectors and power supplies.

And now that Copilot can see, maybe—just maybe—I can finally get a B+ or A- in this class, even if I only score 75% on the actual test.

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Footnotes

[^1]: (Aside played to the strains of the tiniest violin) At least I was good at one thing when so much of me felt wrong as a child—left-handed but forced to write with my right, pigeon-toed, thin-haired, and fat when puberty hit. Couldn’t skate, couldn’t run, couldn’t dance.
[^2]: (Conspiracy Theory) It was the Hitler-grade meth Kennedy took during the Cuban Missile Crisis that got the Mafia onboard. RFK was a Limey prick who didn’t know or care what side his bread was buttered on.
[^3]: (Ben Stein Reference) God rest him.
[^4]: (Memory Palace Concept) The “Tech Concept Cabinet” stores motherboard form factors, CPU socket connectors, and Northbridge chipset layouts.
[^5]: (Work Scheduling Issue) Instructor-led classes require manager approval.
[^6]: (QA Score) In over two years, I’ve failed only three—and we get one every day.
[^7]: (AI as a Learning Tool) I am in no way saying AIs should replace teachers or traditional school. I taught school briefly and have spent years figuring out how I personally learn concepts and worked with Copilot for 6 hours to craft these questions because I am too poor and too old to quit my job and take my GRE to try to get a Masters in a subject I didn’t study when I was young. And in Trumperica, I am sure any grants that for an old black woman to learn is how to serve the future Muskogen as Marthas. For educated old folks trying to switch gears late in life, this is a good alternative.
[^8]: (AI Limitations) AIs struggle to distinguish fakes from reality, but structured data minimizes errors.
[^9]: (AI Hallucinations) The more you ask the same question, the more likely hallucinated content will appear.
[^10]: (Bedazzled Reference) A djinn-like AI grants three attempts to get the best answer.
[^11]: (Recap Provided by Copilot) Helpful AI summarizes my study topics.

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