diff --git a/spec/factories/maps.rb b/spec/factories/maps.rb
index bfda5a9a..a786d109 100644
--- a/spec/factories/maps.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/maps.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :map do
-    name { random_string(10) }
+    sequence(:name) { |n| "Cool Map ##{n}" }
     permission :commons
     arranged { false }
     user
diff --git a/spec/factories/synapses.rb b/spec/factories/synapses.rb
index 10fd74da..b83a0073 100644
--- a/spec/factories/synapses.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/synapses.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :synapse do
-    desc { random_string(10) }
+    sequence(:desc) { |n| "Cool synapse ##{n}" }
     category :to
     permission :commons
     association :topic1, factory: :topic
diff --git a/spec/factories/topics.rb b/spec/factories/topics.rb
index c54301c1..17c69a25 100644
--- a/spec/factories/topics.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/topics.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :topic do
-    name { random_string(10) }
+    sequence(:name) { |n| "Cool Topic ##{n}" }
     permission :commons
     user
     metacode
diff --git a/spec/factories/users.rb b/spec/factories/users.rb
index 8bdcb17e..fb380e7c 100644
--- a/spec/factories/users.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/users.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :user do
-    name { random_string(10) }
-    email { random_string(10) + '@' + random_string(10) + '.com' }
-    code { random_string(8) }
-    joinedwithcode { code }
+    sequence(:name) { |n| "Cool User ##{n}" }
+    sequence(:email) { |n| "cooluser#{n}@cooldomain.com" }
+    joinedwithcode { "qwertyui" }
     password 'omgwtfbbq'
 
+    transient do
+      validate false
+    end
+
     # bypass validation of the joinedwithcode
-    to_create { |instance| instance.save(validate: false) }
+    to_create { |instance| instance.save(validate: instance.validate) }
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 14cfd1c7..a2b164b2 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -6,14 +6,4 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
   config.mock_with :rspec do |mocks|
     mocks.verify_partial_doubles = true
   end
-
-  # Print the 10 slowest examples and example groups at the
-  # end of the spec run, to help surface which specs are running
-  # particularly slow.
-  config.profile_examples = 10
-end
-
-def random_string(length = 10)
-  o = [('a'..'z'), ('A'..'Z')].map(&:to_a).flatten
-  (0...length).map { o[rand(o.length)] }.join
 end